Nanyang Ancient Town Scenic Area

Nanyang Ancient Town Scenic Area

Nanyang Ancient Town is situated on Nanyang Lake in Weishan County. It was founded during the Warring States period and has a history of more than two thousand years. Surrounded by Jining to the north, northern Jiangsu to the south, Qufu and Zoucheng to the east, and Heze to the west, it has always been a region rich in natural beauty and talented people. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was one of the four famous canal towns and still preserves the historical features of that time, earning the titles of “The Number One Water Town North of the Yangtze” and “China’s Premier Ancient Canal Town.”

The shape of Nanyang Ancient Town resembles a pipa, and it is the largest island on Nanyang Lake. The island is surrounded by over 80 smaller natural islets, all with well-arranged houses, together forming a picturesque scene of a water town. A canal runs through the ancient town, with streets built along the waterway, twisting and turning in a meandering fashion. Shops line the streets by the canal, including restaurants, teahouses, grain stores, inns, salt shops, and silk shops. The town’s residences are distinctive, featuring blue bricks, small tiles, reeds and cattails shading the doors, and lotus and reeds brushing the windows. Together with the small islands, the canal, the ancient town, the water town scenery, and the vast expanse of Nanyang Lake, they create a unique landscape of a northern water town and form a profound cultural backdrop of the canal. Visiting the town stirs deep memories of its ancient and enduring history.

The ancient town carries an extremely rich historical and cultural legacy, giving rise to the saying, “One Nanyang Town holds half the history of canal transport.” The canal in the town is the only section of the Shandong Canal that has never silted up. The ancient town boasts over 30 historic sites and scenic spots, such as the Grand Pavilion Over the Canal, Guan Yu Temple, Yang Family Memorial Archway, Zhuangyuan (Number One Scholar) Lane, and the Long Bridge Spanning the Waves. These structures feature simple yet classic designs, exquisite carvings, and richly varied compositions, offering a glimpse into the prosperity of the ancient town. After the Yuan Dynasty’s Grand Canal connecting north and south was opened to navigation, emperors traveling south by boat would pass through Nanyang and stay here. Many legendary tales about Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong’s stays in Nanyang during their southern tours are still passed down in the town. Historic sites such as the Imperial Kitchen, Imperial Palace Office, Imperial Grain Hall, and the Emperor’s Lodging remain. The streets are paved with bluestone slabs, and most buildings are made of bluestone bricks, tiles, and timber in traditional styles. Among them, the Huji Money Shop, a Qing Dynasty structure, is regarded as a living fossil of ancient Chinese money shop culture. The ancient-style mosque reflects the integration of Islamic culture with the Manchu and Han cultures of the time. The “Folk Culture Museum” offers deep insights into local customs and traditions, allowing visitors to experience Nanyang’s dramatic historical changes and the rise and decline of its canal transport culture.

Originally a village on the North China Plain, Nanyang became an island when the new canal for grain transport was dug during the Ming Dynasty, causing the surrounding area to be dammed into Nanyang Lake. The canal economy and culture of Nanyang rose to prominence, then declined, and later saw the revival of modern canal commerce, leaving a significant mark in history. The town’s economic and cultural prosperity can be traced back to the Yuan Dynasty, when the Sishui River, which ran through Nanyang, was transformed into a section of the canal. In the second year of the Yuanshun era of the Yuan Dynasty, the Nanyang Sluice was built in the town, along with the Sluice Official Office, the River Bridge Post Office, and the River Management Office, making Nanyang an important dock along the canal. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, Nanyang’s economy had reached its peak. The Ming Dynasty established the River Bridge Post Office, the Sluice Official Office, and the River Management Office, while the Qing government set up offices for transport supervision, tax collection, defense, and garrison duties. At that time, Nanyang became a major commercial hub along the canal, with “fishing boats, wine boats, merchant vessels, and grain boats coming and going in close succession, clustering together like streets with masts and sails.” Along with Zhenjiang, Yangzhou, and Xiazhen, it was known as one of the Four Famous Canal Towns.

Nanyang Town is not only rich in antique charm but also encompasses 150,000 mu of lake surface, over 50 species of aquatic economic plants, and nearly 100 types of fish, shrimp, and shellfish. Thousands of acres of lotus flowers and tens of thousands of acres of reeds, together with the blue sky, clear water, wild ducks, and lakeside grass, form a natural water park. “Spring brings lush grass on the lake, summer fills the air with fragrant lotuses, autumn sees snow-like reed catkins, and winter welcomes flocks of wild geese and ducks.” Roving boats at rustic ferries, murmuring waters of the canal, riverside pavilions and corridors, grass-roofed boats on the water, ancient streets, fluttering shop signs, green stone bridges, and classic traditional doorways all showcase the beauty of a northern water town.

Nanyang is recognized as a Famous Historical and Cultural Town of China and has been named a Tourism Characteristic Town by the Shandong Provincial Tourism Administration. Its unique northern water town scenery, pristine ecological environment, profound cultural heritage, and vibrant canal culture captivate visitors, making it a popular destination for tourism, vacation, and leisure.

Address: Nanyang Town, Weishan County, Jining City

Business Hours: 6:00–19:00

Recommended Visiting Time: Approximately 3 hours

Highlight: Grand Canal Scenery

Tour Route 1: Ancient Town Culture Experience Tour: Nanyang Dock → South End of the West Bank of the Ancient Canal → Emperor’s Lodging → Hall Room → Imperial Banquet Room → Huji Money Shop → Mosque → Ancient Commercial Street → West Bank of Nanyang Sluice → Shanghai Bridge → Nanyang Dock.

Tour Route 2: Canal Scenic Boat Tour: Ancient Canal Dock → Round Trip via Yingjia Bridge. (Private boat rental required; additional fees apply.)

Tour Route 3: Island and Lake Eco-Tour: Southeast End of the Canal → Nandianzi → Ten Thousand Mu Lotus Pond → Cormorant Fishing Show → Island Loop via the New Beijing-Hangzhou Canal to the Southeast End of the Ancient Canal. (Private boat rental required; additional fees apply.)

Guide Fees: Guide services are available at each attraction. Under 5 people: 100 RMB; 5 or more people: 200 RMB.

Supporting Facilities:

The scenic area offers dining and accommodation at Yingyue Tower Restaurant and Nanyang Shuiyuan Hotel. Nanyang Shuyuan Street features a wide variety of specialty goods for visitors to explore and purchase.

Visitor Service Center: The Nanyang Visitor Service Center is conveniently located in the prominent Canal Transport Square. It is a comprehensive service facility integrating guide services, promotional information, consultation and complaints, and leisure shopping.