[Photos] Jiangnan: China’s paradise on earth? [Eye on JiangZheHu series]

(All photos courtesy of Hsu Chung-mao.)

In China’s regional context, the Jiangnan area is colourful and rich in culture. When most Chinese people speak of Jiangnan, they think of warm and pleasant weather, ancient towns with small bridges over flowing waters, and refined cultural pursuits such as music, chess, calligraphy and painting. The area is also associated with luxury and abundance, and even with handsome men and beautiful women. To put it simply, all kinds of pleasant images are associated with Jiangnan. 

Its representative cities, Suzhou and Hangzhou, are often described as “paradise on earth”, as expressed in the saying: “Heaven above, Suzhou and Hangzhou below.” Hangzhou’s West Lake is breathtakingly beautiful, like a fairyland, with many scenic spots and legendary tales on its shores. Suzhou, known for its white walls and black-tiled roofs, epitomises architectural aesthetics. Its traditional ballads and musical performances are also deeply moving.  

Geographically, Jiangnan refers to the area south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, which is today’s Yangtze River Delta region. Situated in the temperate zone, the region benefits from an extensive river network that facilitates transportation and promotes agriculture, fishing, and commerce. These advantageous conditions have driven a thriving culture. Major cities in this area include Shanghai, Nanjing, Zhenjiang, Jiaxing, Wuxi, Suzhou and Hangzhou.

Due to abundant grain production and cultural prosperity, Jiangnan became one of China’s political centres early on. Nanjing, for instance, is known as the ancient capital of six dynasties. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the Wu and Yue states built cities in Nanjing. In the Three Kingdoms period, Sun Quan used this region as a stronghold to establish his dominance. 

Later, when northern nomadic tribes invaded, Han Chinese regimes often retreated to the Jiangnan region, claiming political legitimacy as the true rulers of China. The most prominent example is the Song dynasty. Originally based in Kaifeng, Henan province, the Song capital was captured by northern nomadic tribes in 1126. The remaining royal family, along with officials and troops, undertook a long and arduous journey south to Jiangnan, where they established their capital called Lin’an, now modern-day Hangzhou. This marked the beginning of the Southern Song dynasty. The Southern Song, based in Jiangnan, became an important subject of historical study, encompassing issues such as politics, military affairs, economics and culture.  

Notably, the Southern Song dynasty marked the emergence of a southern-based dynasty with capitals in areas such as Hangzhou and Nanjing, creating a north-south divide in China. Because southern dynasties were often militarily weaker due to pressure from the Jurchens in the north, they were forced to pay tribute to the Jurchen Jin regime to maintain peace. This arrangement resulted in 150 years of peace, before the Song were ultimately conquered by rising Mongol forces.  

Nevertheless, the Southern Song period, with Jiangnan as its political and economic centre, developed a brilliant urban civilisation, including achievements in literature, art, drama, textiles, architecture and cuisine. Some Chinese scholars even argue that given enough time, the Southern Song might have developed an early form of modern capitalism, had it not been destroyed by northern tribes.

After the fall of the Yuan dynasty, the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, initially established the capital in Nanjing. However, after Zhu Yuanzhang’s death, his son Zhu Di, who was guarding the north, launched a coup and seized Nanjing. He subsequently moved the capital to Beijing primarily due to defence considerations. China’s main military threats still came from the northern nomadic tribes, so establishing the political and military centre in the north was essential for safeguarding national security. This shift successfully ensured the Ming dynasty’s security for over 200 years.

In 1644, the Manchus, who had been forced to retreat to the northeast for over 300 years, rose to power again, invaded Beijing, and established the Qing dynasty. The Ming royal family retreated to Nanjing, forming the Southern Ming regime. Ming loyalist general Zheng Chenggong fought against the Manchu forces for 16 years. Eventually, he decided to cross the sea to expel the Dutch occupiers from Taiwan, using it as a base for counterattacks. This led to the establishment of Taiwan’s first Han Chinese regime. During this historical period, Nanjing became a focal point of historical change once again.

Amid dynastic changes and upheaval, the Qinhuai River in Nanjing remained a place of decadence and revelry. Tang dynasty poet Du Mu captured this sentiment in his poem Anchored at Ching Huai River (泊秦淮)*:

Mist veils the cold water, moonlight veils the sand.
I anchored at Ching Huai river at night, near the taverns.
The dancing girls do not understand the bitterness of losing the country;
They are still singing “The Flowers in the Garden” on the other side of the bank.

Another Tang poet, Liu Yuxi, wrote this poem Wuyi Lane (乌衣巷)**:

Beside the Bridge of Birds rank grasses overgrow;
O’er the Street of Mansions the setting sun hangs low.
Swallows that skimmed by eaves painted in bygone days,
Are dipping now among the humble home’s doorways.

As for Tang poet Zhang Ji’s A Night-Mooring near Maple Bridge (枫桥夜泊), it describes the bell of Suzhou’s Hanshan Temple, a poetic image that has resonated all the way to Japan, where it is a required reading for students of Chinese literature.

These well-known poems vividly depict the rise and fall of Nanjing through dynastic transitions, the pleasures of its brothel culture, and the natural beauty of Jiangnan. They represent Jiangnan’s distinctive cultural and geographical features — themes that have consistently reappeared over millennia as though they were historical inevitabilities.

In reality, people have always longed for the affluent lifestyle of Jiangnan. The Qianlong Emperor of the Qing dynasty visited Jiangnan seven times, drawn by its wealth, elegance and scenic beauty. George Staunton, deputy to the British envoy George Macartney, specifically mentioned in his memoirs that when their ships entered the Jiangnan region, they saw that the boatmen’s clothing was more colourful and beautiful than in the north, and they rowed as one.

In more modern times, China’s primary defence concerns no longer came from the north, as Western powers advanced upwards along China’s southeastern coast, attacking Beijing through northern ports. Modern warships and artillery also rendered the Great Wall ineffective as a frontline defence. Besides, China’s national strength increasingly came from the maritime economy. In just 50 years, Shanghai went from a traditional fishing village to the nation’s economic centre.

In addition to Shanghai, other cities in the Jiangnan region also saw the rise of modern industries such as shipbuilding, textile manufacturing, transportation and cultural sectors such as publishing and film. When woven together, factors like openness to foreign cultures and ideas, the influx of international capital and the rapid development of domestic capital and industrial technology brought about an atmosphere of prosperity. Shanghai’s vibrancy was a memory for the Chinese, and for the international community in the 1930s.  

In this historical context, Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the Republic of China, decided that the nation’s capital should be located in Nanjing, near the economic hub of Shanghai, rather than in Beijing, which had been chosen for traditional defence considerations. In 1927, after Chiang Kai-shek led the Northern Expedition into Nanjing, he established the Nationalist government, making Nanjing the capital of the Republic of China. However, the Nationalist government only lasted only 22 years. In 1949, the Chinese Communist Party established the People’s Republic of China, and moved the capital back to Beijing.  

Under the impact of a planned economy, Jiangnan’s development was constrained. However, with reform and opening up, the region quickly regained its vitality, making rapid progress in economics, culture, and commerce.

In the global context, two figures from Jiangnan have gained international renown. One is Alibaba founder Jack Ma, from Hangzhou; the other is the late I.M. Pei, the internationally acclaimed architect from Suzhou. Pei designed the iconic glass pyramids at the Louvre in Paris, which have inspired numerous replicas worldwide. Ma represents commercial acumen and bold innovation, while Pei is an architectural master. Their achievements, beyond their personal talents, also exemplify Jiangnan’s culture of nurturing commercial and artistic talent.

*Translated by Lo Kung-Yuan and Ralph Knight.

**Translated by Xu Yuanchong.

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