Although the ancient town is not a military town since ancient times, it is a very important strategic location. As far back as the second year of Tang Dashun, there was a town envoy in the ancient town, and there were tax agencies and inspection departments in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. The ancient town has a superior geographical location and a dense surrounding water network. In that era when waterways were the mainstay, the economy of the ancient town was in full swing. As the saying goes: "Golden nectar, silver dangkou". That is to say, the ancient town of Ganlu was prosperous at that time, just like a golden port, full of gold and silver in Man Cang. At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the ancient town was already one of the famous towns of grain, oil, silk and industry and commerce in southern Jiangsu.
Along the small street of Yuexi River, you can slowly find the history of Jiangnan water town in the ancient town. Rows of residential buildings in the late Qing Dynasty are still preserved in the Upper Hetang and the Lower Hetang. The pavement is paved with blue bricks in a herringbone shape, and moss and weeds grow in most brick joints. There is a row of common verandahs along the river. In the past, the verandahs in front of each house were continuous. In the rainy season in the south of the Yangtze River, residents don't have to worry about getting wet by the rain.
The ancient town is very quiet, and there are no tourists who are shoulder to shoulder. There are only white walls and tiles, low cornices, tall horse-headed walls and courtyards that are several yards deep at a glance. Nowadays, most people living in ancient towns are old people, and young people go out to make a living. Because there is no commercial development, there are shabby and mottled scenes everywhere, and it is impossible to attract young people who love fashion to play here.
According to historical records, in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the ancient town was very prosperous, with more than 30 restaurants, more than 20 rice shops, and nearly 40 teahouses in every corner of the ancient town, including grocery stores, candle shops, mountain products shops, medicine shops, soy sauce shops and cloth shops. There are also theaters, bamboo shops, and oil car dealers. Among them, the sauce gardens such as Huafengtai, Xue Taifeng, Chen Yongxiang and Cheng Mengtai, and the drug names such as Tongbaohe, Zhu Taihe and Tianshengtang have a history of hundreds of years. Although these shops in the ancient town have long since disappeared, walking in the old streets, traces left on Shikumen can be seen everywhere. In these details, it is conceivable that Ganlu Town had a transportation hub, extending in all directions, rich products and prosperous circulation. After bidding farewell to the "water transport economy era", the smooth land traffic determines the development prospect of the region.
The ancient town is located on the edge of Wuxi. Although the overall GDP of Wuxi has already exceeded one trillion yuan, it seems to have little to do with the ancient town of Ganlu. It is still the same as it was in the 1970s and 1980s. Collapsed walls, wires flying in the air and uninhabited houses have long been grocery rooms, full of dusty sundries.
Throughout the development of history, every dilapidated ancient village carries the context of urban development. It is the place where aborigines lived in past dynasties and an important carrier of local culture. However, under the impact of the rapid development of modern economy, the protection of ancient towns and villages is facing various problems. The development of commerce will certainly destroy the original taste, and the loss of indigenous people is becoming more and more serious. The ancient villages that have lost their "popularity" are gradually declining in the wind and rain of the years, which makes people feel sad.
Finally, I just want to say, stick to the objective truth and describe the ancient town in my eyes, hoping to help you. Subjectively, we will never resort to deception or fabricate things at random. Dear netizens, what do you think of the ancient town of Ganlu?