Taking the high-speed train south from Nanjing, the moment you step out of Huzhou South Station, your eyes are greeted by the lush greenery of Jiangnan. This small waterside city is exceptionally clean, with crystal-clear skies and crisp, refreshing air. The Tiaoxi River threads through the city, its waters bright and clear, winding slowly through the streets and alleys. Vegetation flourishes everywhere, and the scenery is serene and delightful. During my days in Huzhou, captivated by the verdant landscape and the city's ancient charm, I walked five kilometers every day, wandering freely through the narrow streets and alleys. Guided by Miss Haobin from Zhejiang Green Storage Technology Co., Ltd., my junior fellow and I also drove several dozen kilometers into the Huzhou countryside to slowly take in the city's character. Over three days, I truly touched many corners of the place—the old, winding bluestone paths meandering unpredictably, and the brand-new riverside promenades neat and elegant. Old and new scenes interweave and blend, and everywhere there is vibrant, living energy. Director Jin of the Huzhou Institute of Industrial Control Technology and Bureau Chief Chen of the Municipal Science and Technology Bureau both told me that the people of Huzhou are gentle and kind by nature, disliking hustle and bustle, preferring instead a stable and peaceful life. Spending several days in this small city, I genuinely experienced the truth of their words. The locals treat people with sincere earnestness, simplicity, and kindness. This warmth of human connection adds much comfort to the cool, waterside scenery.
One day, while strolling along the banks of the Tiaoxi River, I encountered a lady in red washing clothes by the stream. I approached her for a chat. The lady said that flowing stream water is most suitable for laundry. The stream flows gently, its murmuring accompanied by the fragmented laughter and idle chatter of the villagers, composing the most authentic daily life of a water town. Such a tranquil and simple scene of common life—I had only seen it before in films and books. Only by encountering it in person did I finally understand that the tenderness of Jiangnan's water towns has always been hidden in ordinary streams.
As the local land and water nourish the local people, the clear springs of the Tiaoxi River have nourished this land and also cultivated Huzhou's strong cultural and educational atmosphere. Beyond the sixteen top scholars (Zhuangyuan) of successive dynasties, this fertile soil has also produced countless celebrated scholars and refined talents—Zhao Mengfu, Yu Yue, Ling Mengchu, Zhang Yuanji, Zhang Shiming, and others—all rooted here and leaving their mark on the cultural heritage. I visited the Huzhou Museum, where the artifacts and historical materials clearly unfolded the city's millennium of cultural transformation, including my most beloved ceramics. The cultural lineage stretches on unceasingly, and the spirit of craftsmanship is passed down through generations. Mr. Mao of Miaoxi Town has devoted decades to cultivating local tea gardens, upholding traditional tea culture, and has even founded a rural museum to protect native products. Master ceramic artist Ms. Hongwei has spent years dedicated to researching celadon techniques, adhering to ancient methods while boldly innovating, allowing local intangible cultural heritage crafts to glow with new life. The fusion of millennium-old cultural heritage with the original intentions of craftsmen has created Huzhou's unique urban temperament.
The purpose of my visit to Huzhou this time was to participate in the Graduate Forum, hosted by the CSTA and co-organized by the Huzhou Institute of Industrial Control Technology and Zhejiang Green Storage Technology Co., Ltd. Young scholars and industry leaders from various places gathered here to exchange academic insights and explore cutting-edge research. This grand event revealed to me another, lesser-known side of Huzhou. While the world knows well of Huzhou's beautiful landscapes and long cultural heritage, few realize that this small city has long been deeply rooted in the field of technological innovation, with solid and promising strength. The State Key Laboratory of Industrial Control and Neutron Medicine are both leading names in their respective industries. Ancient charm and new vistas coexist and blend together.
Days of walking, days of exchange, days of learning—I have seen the verdant greens of the water town, felt the honest folk customs, comprehended the cultural heritage and craftsmanship, and witnessed the city's new scientific and technological face. Huzhou embraces both ancient and modern, warm and measured, preserving the most authentic appearance of Jiangnan. This study tour has been abundantly rewarding; every observation and feeling has become an unforgettable memory in my heart.