Shaoxing, City of Boats and Books

Home to Lu Xun, mainland China's greatest modern writer

From social reformers like Lu Xun to wistful poets sipping Shaoxing's famed wine on the banks of a lazy stream as they compose lyrical dances, Shaoxing's history is that of China's cultural heritage.

Just 70 kilometers from Hangzhou, Shaoxing is sheltered by Kuaiji Shan and nestled in Zhejiang province's rich Yangtze-fed waterways. The architectural style and atmosphere is typical Jiangnan, which means south of the Yangtze. White walls punctuated with black tiles line narrow cobbled streets and when harried city dwellers dream of an idyllic paradise and plan their retirement, they often picture Shaoxing. But more than a quiet city, Shaoxing is also home to many of China's most renowned scholars, writers and poets. The city draws learned tourists seeking a glimpse of China's rich cultural past.

No city in China can claim to be the hometown of as many nationally known personalities as Shaoxing. Yu the Great (dà yǔ 大禹) was one of China's mythical early chiefs, whose reputation and reverence is on par with England's King Arthur. He's credited with teaching the Chinese people how to tame the rivers and control floods. His son followed his father's footsteps by founding the first Chinese dynasty in 2205 BC. Yu the Great's tomb lies in Shaoxing where visitors still come to pay their respects and the former Ming governor of Shaoxing wrote the memorial tablet at his tomb. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), a representative of the empire would come and perform ceremonial rituals in his honor.

 Orchid Pavilion (lán tíng兰亭) is 12.5 kilometers southwest of Shaoxing at the foot of Lanzhu Mountain. It's the site of China's most famous drinking party and spawned a drinking game that inspired men of letters all over China. In the 4th century AD, Wang Xizhi, a renowned calligrapher organized a party at Orchid Pavilion. Since poets tend to be romantic souls, they found various ways to entertain themselves in style. Wang Xizhi devised a literary game where the poets would sit on the banks of a small stream then float a small cup filled with wine downstream. Whomever the cup stopped in front, that poet had to compose a poem or drink the wine as a penalty. A mixture of good wine and tranquil scenery inspired 37 poems that day. Wang Xizhi compiled the poems into an anthology and wrote its preface, which became the Lanting Preface to the Orchid Pavilion (lán tíng jíxù 兰亭集序).

Today Orchid Pavilion is a pilgrimage site for those who daydream of holding their own drinking party. The Goose Pool (é chí 鹅池) is a major sight at Orchid Pavilion, and so is the stream where the poets played their game. Wang Xizhi's Memorial Temple (wáng yòu jūn cí 王右军祠) is also at this site. One of the pavilions features a memorial tablet written by an emperor in his honor. The Langting Calligraphy Museum (lán tíng shūfǎ bówùguǎn 兰亭书法博物馆) is a good place to check out Wang Xizhi's flowing calligraphic style.