Pingjiang Road in Suzhou: With a single phrase, 'Spring is not late,' I find myself in the true Jiangnan

With a single phrase, 'Spring is not late,' I find myself in the true Jiangnan. Jiangnan represents a sentiment for the Chinese, a dreamlike water town for many. It's a place where peach blossoms and willows are vibrant, and the atmosphere is as gentle as water. If you wish to see Jiangnan, to gaze upon the small bridges over flowing water, to see the households nestled along the riverbanks, then take a stroll down Pingjiang Road in Suzhou. Pingjiang Road in Suzhou is the most well-preserved area of the ancient city, a microcosm of the old Gusu City. 'When you arrive in Gusu, every household rests by the river.' This is the quintessential Jiangnan of small bridges and flowing water households. Pingjiang Road is a stone-paved path along the river, which is named Pingjiang River. On one side of the river are shops, and on the other are the back walls of riverside households. The foundations of these walls are soaked in the river, with the passage of time marked on the whitewashed walls. Grey tiles, white walls, wooden windows, the windows are a faded black or vermilion, and green vines twine around the exterior walls. Most households have a back door with steps leading directly to the water's edge. The daytime Pingjiang Road bustles with activity, with various shops lining the riverbank, often with crowds carrying you from one shop to the next. The best time to visit is during the early morning or evening, which is when Pingjiang Road is at its most Suzhou-like. In the early morning, before the tourists arrive and the shops are still closed, sunlight slants across the river's surface. The roadside greenery, after a night of good dreams, wakes up adorned with dewdrops, looking exceptionally fresh and invigorating. Local residents wash on the steps behind their houses, and boats gather in twos and threes, waiting for their owners and visitors. At night, when the tourists have dispersed, what remains are the quiet alleys and the gradually slumbering flora. The moon not only peeks at you from the sky but also casts its reflection in the Pingjiang River to accompany you. Your thoughts will be drawn out long and far by the moon and the alleys. Both sides of the Pingjiang River are lined with quiet alleys. This area is filled with traditional residences, and even from a distance, no steel and concrete high-rises are to be seen. All buildings in Suzhou's Gusu District adhere to a uniform style of whitewashed walls and black tiles, with no skyscrapers. There are over a dozen stone bridges of various designs across the Pingjiang River. The river is not wide, so these truly are 'small bridges.' Don't underestimate these bridges; they all have names and their own stories, and some have celebrated their thousandth birthday. There is also delicious food on Pingjiang Road. From one end to the other, the road is lined with local snacks, trendy shops, and time-honored restaurants. Listening to Suzhou Pingtan is a must—enjoy a cup of tea while listening to the soft-spoken Wu dialect and watching the small bridges and flowing water outside the window. Isn't this catching up with the spring in Jiangnan? There is a Kunqu Opera Museum on Pingjiang Road, which houses a stage that even the international master architect I. M. Pei considered a miracle. Go and see how exquisitely beautiful it is. By the way, at the end of Pingjiang Road are the Humble Administrator's Garden and the Suzhou Museum, the final masterpiece of Mr. I. M. Pei. A visit to Suzhou seems somewhat incomplete without walking through these two places. Pingjiang Road is there 24 hours a day. Take Exit 3 of Xiangmen Station on Metro Line 1, or reach it by bus with around 20 nearby stops.