ShantangstreetwasbuiltintheTangDynasty,820ad_BaiJuyiwasorderedtoserveasagovernorinSuzhou.Soonafterhetookoffice,hewenttoHuqiuinasedanchair.Seeingthatthenearbyrivercoursewasblockedandthewaterwaywasblocked,heimmediatelycamebacktotheYamentodiscusswiththerelevantofficials,anddecidedtobuildaroadaroundthemountainandbuildaShantangriver.ItstartsfromchangmendushengbridgeintheEastandendsatWangshanbridgeinHuqiuinthewest,about7Lilong,soitiscommonlyknownas"qilishantangtoHuqiu".Theriverconnectswiththecanalatchangmen.Buildadikebesidetheriver,thatis,Shantangstreet.TheexcavationofShantangRiverandtheconstructionofShantangStreetgreatlyfacilitatedirrigationandtransportation,andthisareahasbecomeabustlingmarket.PeopleinSuzhouareverygratefultoBaiJuyi.Afterheleftoffice,peoplecalledShantangStreetBaigongdykeandbuiltBaigongtempleasamemorial.
ShantangStreetconnectschangmen,aprosperousbusinessdistrictinSuzhou,andHuqiutownandHuqiumountain,afamousscenicspotwhereflowerfarmersgather.Therefore,sincetheTangDynasty,Shantangstreethasbeenadistributioncenterforcommoditiesandagatheringplaceforbusinessmenfromthenorthandthesouth.DuringthereignofEmperorQianlongoftheQingDynasty,XuYang,afamouspainter,createdalongvolumeof"flourishingagebreedingmap"(alsoknownas"prosperouspictureofSuzhou"),whichdepictsavillage,atown,acityandastreetinSuzhouatthattime.OneofthestreetpaintingsisShantangstreet,showingtheprosperouscitysceneof"livinggoods,flowingcloudsandflowingwater,listingfoursigns,asbrightascloudsandbrocade".InthefirstchapterofadreamofRedMansions,CaoXueqinalsocalledchangmenandShantang"themostprosperousandromanticplacesintheworldofmortals".
Suzhouisawatertownwithmanyriversandbridges,andShantangstreetisthemosttypicalofSuzhoustreets.InthemiddleofitistheShantangRiver,andShantangstreetisclosetothenorthsideoftheriverandconnectedwiththestreetontheothersidethroughstonebridges.TherearemanyshopsandhousesonShantangstreet.Mostofthehousesherearealongthefrontdoorandthebackdoorisneartheriver.Someofthemhavebuiltspecialstreetcrossingbuildings,whicharereallyZhulanfloorsandwillowcatkins.Shantangstreetisalsoatypicalwaterlane.Boatscarryingjasmine,whiteorchidandothergoodscomeandgoontheriver,whilepleasureboatsandboatspassby.Thehousesherehavestonestepsalongtheriver,andthewomenwashclothesandvegetablesbytheriver.Atthattime,somepeddlerswerestilldoingbusinessintheriver,sellingrice,firewood,snacks,oil,salt,soysauceandvinegar.Peoplewholiveupstairsdon'thavetogodownstairs.Theycanbuywhatyouneedbyhangingthebasketwitharope.
ShantangstreetcanbedividedintoEastandWestsections.TheeastsectionstartsfromchangmenduSengbridgetoBantangbridge.Mostoftheshopsandhomesareinthissection,withvariousshopsnexttoeachother.Intheeastsection,Xingqiaoisthemostprosperousarea.ThewestsectionofShantangstreetisfromBantangbridgetoHuqiumountain.Thissectionisapproachingtheoutskirts.Theriveriswiderthantheeasternsection.Theriveriscoveredwithgreentrees,grass,reedsandcottages.TherearemanyscenicspotssuchasPujibridgeandyefangbang,aswellashistoricalsitessuchas"Tomboffivepeople"and"TombofGeXian".InordertoprotestWeiZhongxian'seunuchParty'sarrestofZhouShunchang,amemberofDonglinParty,theyledariotamongthepublicandfinallydiedgenerously.Furtherwestward,youwillarriveatHuqiumountain,whichisknownas"themostbeautifulsceneryinWuzhong".Themountains,pagodasandforestsaremoreattractive.
Shantangstreethasalwaysbeenlovedbyliteratiandcelebritiesinthepastdynasties,andhasleftmanypoems.EmperorQianlongoftheQingDynastywasparticularlyfondofShantangstreet.Amonghispoems,ninedirectlymentionedShantangstreet.In1761,atthe70thbirthdayoftheempressdowager,QianlongspeciallybuiltaSuzhoustreetalongtheYuheriverbesidethepurplebamboocourtyardofWanshoutempleinBeijing,whichwasbasedonShantangstreet.In1792,EmperorQianlongbuiltaSuzhoustreetinthenorthofWanshoumountaininQingyiGarden(latertheSummerPalace),whichisalsoareplicaofShantangstreet.ThesetwoSuzhoustreetswerelaterdestroyedinthewar.In1986,Suzhoustreetwasrebuiltinthesummerpalace,makingthestyleofQilishanpondreappearinBeijing.
Shantangstreethasalwaysbeenaplacewherecolorfulfolkactivitiesareheld.Dragonboatraces,templefairs,festivalsandFlowerFairsareoftenheldhere.Shantangstreethasalsobeenwrittenintomanyfolkloreandliteraryworks,includingSuzhouTanci"JadeDragonfly","threesmiles"and"WhiteSnake".Injadedragonfly,JinGuishengandyoungwomanNiZhizhenmetinfahuanunneryinShantang.InSanxiao,TangBohumetQiuxiang,andtheso-called"Sanxiaomerciful"happenedinHuqiu.Qiuxiangwentdownthemountaintoreturntotheboat,andTangYinhiredaboattotracehimtoWuxitosellhimselfasaslave.Theplacewherehewrote"chasingtheboat"wasinShantangriver.
Shantangstreethasexperiencedmorethan1100yearsofupsanddowns,andhasbeenrenovatedmanytimessincethefoundingofthepeople'sRepublicofChina.Especiallyin1985,theSuzhoumunicipalgovernmentcarriedoutalarge-scalerenovationundertheprincipleofmaintainingtheoriginalstyleasfaraspossible.NowwecangotoHuqiuinSuzhoubycar.IfwecanwalkalongShantangstreet,wecanenjoythespecialcharmofJiangnanWaterTownandSuzhoustreets.Atthesametime,it'salsoadialoguebetweenrealityandhistory.Itmusthaveaspecialflavor!