Only those from Ningbo can truly appreciate the millennia-old village of Dongqian Lake Hanling Old Street

During the Southern Song Dynasty, a chancellor once passed by and wrote: In the midst of the village named Hanling, the sounds of fishermen's songs and woodcutters' axes mingle. Thus, over 1140 years ago, this place was also called Hanling. It must be said, the name has a really unique ring to it. As a half-Ningbo native, Hanling is also one of the must-visit places every time I go to Dongqian Lake. After much thought, this place can be considered the true scenic beauty of southern Yangtze River Delta. Compared to the bustling Nantang Old Street in the city center, it has more of the tranquility of the south. Hanling has eighteen night sailing boats, which set sail from Hanling every evening, carrying goods and passengers, passing through Mozhi over the dam, heading to Ningbo, and returning the next day. —Yinzhou Annals·Geography Records Facing Dongqian Lake, Hanling was originally just an ancient village. Due to its special geographical location, it became a necessary passage for transporting goods to downtown Ningbo, gradually flourishing and also known as the number one ancient street in eastern Zhejiang. Today, the former prosperity is no longer seen here, and because it is located in Ningbo's backyard, Dongqian Lake, it is only slightly lively on weekends. There are actually two old streets in Hanling, namely the front street and the back street, running through the entire village. The shops are all concentrated on the front street, which is the commercial part that has been renovated. The back street still maintains its original appearance, with uniformly two-story buildings. Many of the wooden low houses have been abandoned, and the further you go, the fewer people live there. In fact, the water towns of Jiangnan, such as Shaoxing, Wuzhen, and Hangzhou, all rely on rivers, giving people a sense of small bridges over flowing water, and a gentle feeling. But Hanling, facing Dongqian Lake, always seems a bit more majestic. ✔️Finally, let's talk about the Hanling Art Museum at the entrance of the old street, designed by Kengo Kuma. It has been built for several years now, and I don't know when the interior will be completely finished and open. Every time I come to Dongqian Lake, I can only take a photo on the side. I think this is probably something all Ningbo people are looking forward to. 🌈If you are visiting Hanling for the first time, I suggest you can consider this route: Southern Song Stone Carving Park, Ma Shan Wetland, Hanling Old Street, Hanling Art Museum 🚇Take the subway line 4 to Dongqian Lake, then take the bus 960/966-1/968 to Hanling Old Street (bus station).