Shaoxing：

　　amuseumwithoutwalls

　　（绍兴：一座没有围墙的博物馆）

　　Shaoxinghasarichandfamedhistoryofabout2,500years.Numeroushistoricalsites,abeautifullandscapeandanexceptionallifestyleoffer200attractionscitywide,includingnine4Ascenicspots,four3Aspots,onestate-levelattractionandsevenprovincial-levelones,twostate-levelwaterconservancyscenicspotsandonenationalgeographicpark.In1998,itwasappraisedasoneofChina'sfirstwonderfultourismcities.

　　MostofthespotsinShaoxingprovideabackgroundtotheliteratureorliteraryfigureslikeLuXunFormerResidence,theShenGardenandtheOrchidPavilion.Thewell-preservedFormerResidenceofLuXunpresentsafullversionofthisChineseliterarygiant'sdailylifeandtheplacewhereheworkedonhisliterature.The800yearsoldShenGarden,originallyaprivategarden,iswell-knownforitssettingforthemovinglovestoryofLuYouwhiletheOrchidPavilion,anintegrationofmountainlandscapeandwatertownscenery,hasbeenregardedasthemeccaforcalligraphers.Besides,therelicsfromancientyearsarealsowellworthavisitsuchastheFuMountaininthecitycenterandtheKuaijiMountainScenicAreainwhichtheYutheGreatMausoleumislocated.

　　Shaoxingisregardedas“amuseumwithoutwalls”.

　　BridgesinShaoxing

　　（绍兴：万桥之乡）

　　Shaoxing,thankstoitsnumerousriversandlakes,hasbeenwidelyknownasa“landofwaters”.

　　Therearemorethan10,000bridgesinShaoxing,amongwhich,manyareancientones.Allkindsofancientbridgescanbeseen.Hereandthere,theriverisspannedbystonebridgesunderwhichboatscomeandgo.Theynotonlymakelifeconvenient,butalsomaketheenvironmentbeautiful.

　　BaziBridgeisthemostfamousone.Itiscalled“Bazi”becauseitshapeslikeaChinesecharacter“八”.LocatedintheBaziBridgeHistoricCommunity,itwasbuiltaround1256intheSouthernSongDynastyandboastsahistoryof800years.Alongthebridge,youcanexperiencethelifestyleofthelocalpeople.Forexample,you'llseewomenwashingclothesbesidetheriverneartheirhouses,vendorssellingvegetablesandfruitsonthestreet,andtheelderlyfanningcoalstovestocook.

　　Thecolumnsofmanyancientbridgesareusuallydecoratedwithstonelions.ItisanancientChinesecustomtofrightenawaywatermonstersthatcausefloods.OnNewYear'sDay,someoldwomenwouldbringcandlesandpapermoneytopraytotheGodofbridges.Theseoldcustomshavealldisappearednow.Onfestivals,however,thebridgesarestilldecoratedwithcolorfulflagsandlanterns.

　　Shaoxing:Veniceintheeast

　　（绍兴：东方的威尼斯）

　　Ithasbeen2,500yearssincethecityofShaoxingwasfirstbuilt.TheembryoofthewatercitycameintobeingwhenGouJianofYueKingdomestablishedthecapitalhere.TherivernetworkwasfurtherimprovedinthefollowingdynastiessuchastheWesternJinDynasty,theSuiDynasty,theTangDynasty,theNorthernSongDynastyandtheSouthernSongDynasty.IntheSongdynasties,theriversandlakesintheareahadalreadybeencloselyconnectedwithoneanotherandthestructureoftherivernetworkhadbeenlargelyformed,theinnerpartofwhichwaspane-shapedandtheouterpartcircledthecitywalls.UptotheQingDynasty,therewerealtogether33watercoursesinthecity,thetotallengthofwhichreachedapproximately60kilometers.

　　Thes