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The
city of Yanghzou came into being at the Spring and Autumn Period (about
500 AC.). As the key transportation link at joint place of the Great
Canal (Beijing-Hanzhou) and Changjiang (Yangtze River), Yangzhou has
been from the Sui Dynasty (600 AD.) an economically prosperous city,
and then reached its peak in the Tang Dynasty. At that time Yangzhou
was a famous port and one of few biggest cities in East Asia.
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the prosperity of the local economy and easy transportation access,
there arose in the history a distinctive local culture, which has
an important place in Chinese culture. Many eminent men of letters,
poets, artists, scholars, statesmen, scientists and national heroes
in the history were born in, lived in or had connection with Yanghzou.
Li Bai, one of the greatest Chinese poets visited and stayed in Yangzhou
several times in his life and one of his famous poems about Yanghzou
has been so popular that Chinese of all ages can sing it and has become
a symbol of Yangzhou. Zheng Benqiao, a famous Chinese painting painter
in the Qing Dynasty heading a group called ¡°Eight Eccentrics¡±, had
profoundly influenced Chinese paintings. Wang Zhong and Yuan Yuan
and some other scholars formed school of Yangzhou Scholars and achieved
great success in the study of classic Chinese and literature. Zhu
Ziqing, one of most famous modern Chinese writers and scholars, had
always been proud of himself as a native of Yangzhou and thanked the
city for being nourished by its rich culture. Quite a few other names
you may come across frequently in the study of Chinese culture and
history have connection with Yangzhou. Yangzhou was so attractive
and important that many Chinese emperors in history had come specially
to visit or inspect the city. Emperor Suiyan, who ordered to cut the
Great Canal so that he could come more easily and quickly, died on
his last trip to the city and buried here. Emperor Qianlong had come
all the way form the north and visited the city nine times. |
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