The taste of Taizhou lies in the time of finding a seat in a teahouse, like most locals do, while looking at the joyful faces and listening to small talks. It is also a kind of pleasure to pace on the stone road of the old street while listening to the street cries one after another and surrounded by naughty boys and girls. Wandering in this small town, boating on the river, enjoying the mellow moonlight is a kind of leisure. Only in Taizhou can we understand that a slow-tuned lifestyle is not a slogan but a kind of everyday habit deeply rooted in people’s life.
A Day’s Leisure Starts with Dim Sum
The lifestyle Taizhou is slow and leisurely but there is romance everywhere. A day’s romance must start with dim sum of morning tea, which is all about slow-tuned leisure. A nice pot of Longjing tea, a dish of dried tofu threads in consommé, a bowl of noodles with fish soup, and a set of crab soup dumplings are enough to wake up and refresh the brain in the morning. Nowadays, storytelling performances still can be seen in many teahouses in Taizhou. Having dim sum while enjoying performances is what a slow-tuned lifestyle is truly about. Having dim sum in Taizhou is not only about dining, but the soft feel it comes with. A cup of tea, a mouthful of food, and a small talk from family to state affairs, which truly is hard-earn happiness.
Visit the Old Street to Experience the Slow-Tuned Life
After having a good feast, it is great to wander around the old street. Taizhou Old Street is a granite-paved alley of Ming and Qing style along the Fengcheng River. It is about 600 meters long, with courtyards on its sides. Passing through the old archway, you’ll see retro-style stores on both sides of the street. Big red lanterns along the corridor and signboards of the stores are a feast for the eyes. The old town is full of Taizhou specialties, such as straw stove biscuits, fish ball, Jingjiang dried meat slice, Qinhu Eight Fresh. And of course, it is a good choice to pack these specialties of Taizhou and take them home.
At the corner, there is a small square in the center of the street. At the south end, there is an ancient theater with flying eaves and carved beams, which is lively and crowded during the New Year and other holidays. On the west of the old street is a winding stream with gurgling water flowing past the square, and in the stream stands a waterwheel, which is three stories high. When the waterwheel rotates, it lifts the water into the air, creating a romantic foggy visual effect. The cool air that greets you presents all the temperament that the water town owns.
The slow-tuned lifestyle in Taizhou is unveiled in the old street. By taking a walk here, you can look for the signature cuisine or stop to appreciate the crafts on sale. You can slowly savor the traces of the past times of Taizhou. With the heart to perceive, history seems to stop here, and you will find that the beauty of Taizhou is actually close at hand.
Water Town Splendor on Gaily-pai
SONY DSCnted Boat
As night falls, the lights of the old streets are gradually lit up, creating a splendid view of the night sky. Taizhou, which has long been known as “Water Paradise, Night City”, is even more beautiful at night than in the daytime. If you want to fully appreciate the beauty of Taizhou, you must ride on a painted boat to appreciate the hustle and bustle of this water town, feeling slow-tuned leisure with splendid lights and the sound of motors and paddles on the Fengcheng River.
The boat first takes you to Wanghailou, the major architecture of the Fengcheng River. Constructed in the Song Dynasty and rebuilt in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was known as “the No.1 building in the Yangtze-Huaihe region”, witnessing the rise and fall of Taizhou in history. Going across the river from Wanghailou, there lies Taoyuan Garden Scenic Area, which was named after the opera “Peach Blooms Painted with Blood”. Taoyuan garden, together with the adjacent Plum Garden and the Willow Garden, are described as “three villages of opera”, which is a unique cultural tourist attraction. Passing by the stone boat docked on the shore, you can see two Kunqu artists performing the opera “Peach Blooms Painted with Blood” on the stone boat. Beyond the stone boat is the Plum Garden, where you can see a Peking Opera actor performing the classic repertoire of Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang on the stage. Boating on the water, enjoying Kunqu, Huangmei Opera with the scenery, the autumn breeze of the old town brings not only relaxation and leisure for the soul, but also an artistic journey through history and culture.
