New Year’s Day, Dangkou Ancient Town.
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On the first day of the Lunar New Year, in the ancient town of Dangkou, there weren’t as many people as in previous years – it’s all because of the entrance fees.
I’m hearing about this tourist attraction for the first time. . . . . . . . . .
I heard for the first time that it’s worth visiting several ancient towns~~~
Dangkou Town, connected to Beiqiao Town in Suzhou, is Suzhou’s “close relative”. More than 3,000 years ago, Taibo of the Zhou Dynasty traveled a thousand miles to the south, arriving at Meili in Wuxi, not far from Dangkou Town, where he established the State of Wu. Later, the center of the Wu state was moved to the ancient city of Suzhou, but these areas surrounding it were still greatly influenced by the culture of Wu, so most people in those regions could speak fluent Suzhou dialect. The local dialect of Wuxi seems to be incompatible with theirs.
When it comes to Dangkou Town, one must mention Hua Cha, the famous figure in the town. Hua Cha was a native of Dangkou. During the Ming Dynasty, he held the position of academician in the Hanlin Academy, where he taught the imperial children, which is why people addressed him as “Grand Preceptor Hua”. The grand mansion of Grand Preceptor Hua was located in Dangkou Town. One day, Grand Preceptor Hua’s wife went to the nearby city of Suzhou with a group of servants to pay their respects at the sacred sites; and that’s when the story of Tang Bohu and Qiu Xiang’s love story through three laughs took place.
Tang Bohu was from Wuzhong, Suzhou, during the Ming Dynasty; he was a renowned painter, calligrapher, and poet, and was one of the “Four Great Masters of the Ming Dynasty”. In order to be with Qiuxiang, the attendant of Lady Huatai Shi, he was willing to lower his social status; he took the pseudonym “Hua An” and entered Lady Huatai Shi’s residence in Dangkou Town, where he worked as a teacher. In the end, Tang Bohu achieved his wish and married the beautiful woman. Later, the story of Tang Bohu and Qiu Xiang was adapted into operas and movies. Today, when people visit the ancient town of Dangkou, the characters \"Dangkou\" written on the arch at the entrance of the town are the work of Tang Bohu.
The stories of the Ming Dynasty are now part of history, but the Hua Mansion in Dangkou Town has been preserved to this day, becoming the most prominent historic residence in the ancient town. Many people in Dangkou Town have the surname “Hua”; in their own words, they are descendants of Grand Tutor Hua. So even today, if you shout \"Lao Hua\" on the streets of the ancient town, it’s possible that a few people will respond.
The folk customs in the ancient town of Dangkou possess distinct characteristics typical of water towns. Although the locals all speak the Suzhou dialect, the customs related to the New Year are similar to those in the Wuxi area. For example, the most important festival of the year is the Spring Festival. Around this festival of reunion, there is a month’s worth of preparation to be done
Starting from the twelfth lunar month, every household first has to \"dust off\" their own homes. In the local dialect, “gray” has the same pronunciation as “bad luck.” The purpose of sweeping dust is to get rid of the “bad luck” from the past year, so that one can celebrate the New Year happily. Of course, housewives are also the busiest; during the twelfth lunar month, they prepare \"cured meat\" – each family makes a supply of salted meat, salted fish, as well as salted chicken and ducks, to use when hosting relatives and friends during the Spring Festival.
Starting from the twelfth lunar month, every household first has to \"dust off\" their own homes. In the local dialect, “gray” has the same pronunciation as “bad luck.” The purpose of sweeping dust is to get rid of the “bad luck” from the past year, so that one can celebrate the New Year happily. Of course, housewives are also the busiest; during the twelfth lunar month, they prepare \"cured meat\" – each family makes a supply of salted meat, salted fish, as well as salted chicken and ducks, to use when hosting relatives and friends during the Spring Festival.
By the end of the twelfth lunar month, it’s time to start steaming New Year cakes and making green pastries. The meaning of rice cakes is to symbolize continuous progress and success from year to year, while Qingyuanzi is a traditional New Year’s dish unique to the Jiangnan region, representing family unity. The color of the green garden comes from the wheat leaves in the fields during winter. Pick some wheat leaves, add a little lime water to them, then crush them; the green wheat juice that results has a very pleasant aroma. This juice is mixed with glutinous rice flour, and on New Year’s Eve, the family kneads it into round shapes by hand. The first meal of the new year is thus this fragrant dish. Now, green rice balls filled with various fillings can also be enjoyed during the Spring Festival.