The cob wall made of subsoil, water, straw and lime was upgraded to a masonry wall in 1358. Two centuries later, it was strengthened and extended to protect the county from Japanese pirates.
Most of the wall was demolished for infrastructure construction in 1949. Only two sections remain — the South Gate on the east side of Nandajie Street, and the West Gate on the west side of Renmin Street.
Each of the segments is about 120 meters long.
Guyi Garden
Guyi Garden in Nanxiang Town, first built in the 16th century, was once the private garden of an official named Min Shiji. It became a public park during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
The features and structure of the garden are in typical Suzhou style, with waterside pavilions, ponds and terraces.
Bamboo is the most remarkable feature of the garden, and the name is also related to bamboo. It is a take on the expression luzhuyiyi, which means “vast land of green bamboo.”
Address: 218 Huyi Highway
Admission: 12 yuan
Opening hours: 7am-6pm
Huilongtan Park
Huilongtan in Chinese means “the pond where dragons once gathered.” The five creeks that flow into the 400-year-old Huilong Pond gave it and the park their names.
Located next to the Confucian Temple, the park hold numerous cultural artifacts from four ancient dynasties, including pavilions, stone steles, rockeries and stone pagodas.
On the east bank of the pond, a large quadrate stone embedded in the roots of a tree trunk is one of the most noticeable features of the park.
Address: 299 Tacheng Rd
Admission: 5 yuan
Opening hours: 5am-5pm, May 1-September 30; 6am-5pm, October 1-April 30
Qiuxia Garden
Qiuxia Garden, which covers 15 hectares, is made up of three private gardens first built in the 16th century — Gong’s Garden, Shen’s Garden and Jin’s Garden.
In its 400-plus-year history, the Qiuxia Garden has survived several wars, including the massacre led by the Qing army in 1645. During World War II, part of the garden was commandeered for a hospital by Japanese occupation forces.
After a thorough restoration in the 1980s, the garden was finally restored to its scrupulously structured and delicately decorated Suzhou style.
Address: 314 Dongdajie St
Admission: 10 yuan
Opening hours: 8:30am-4pm
Liuyun Temple
Near the original location of the Baihe Nanxiang Temple, which was razed by fire in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the Liuyuan Temple, or Yunxiang Temple, was built in 2004.
The new temple is gorgeous, with magnificent structures and sculptures.
It is the most popular site during the Spring Festival in Nanxiang Town, with people coming from all over Jiading to burn incense, worship Buddha and pray for a better new year.
Address: 263 Jiefang St, Nanxiang Town
Admission: 8 yuan
Opening hours: 8am-6pm
