Walking on the long, narrow Pingjiang Road, I heard raindrops fell into the fissures on the stones covered with moss. It is a place where you can experience the charm of the old city, enjoy the beauty of the river and bridges, taste the delicious local food, and appreciate the art of Kunqu opera and Pingtan storytelling.
Beside the Pingjiang River, which has been flowing for over 2,500 years, a fruit tea house sits among the bustling crowd. With leaves covering its roof, the store shines warmly in the cold rain of Suzhou, like a safehouse waiting for people who look for shelter from the rain. There is not much decoration in the room, but two simple windows in the style of Suzhou Garden and a few hanging verse written by Tagore.
Tagore’s Verse
A lively girl stood at the front door, inviting the passersby to sit inside with her clear voice. The voice mingled with the murmur of the stream beside her, weaving a web of tranquility. She introduced me to her friend, who happily accepted my interview.
In front of me is a man in his twenties. He is young, energetic, and vivid. His skin is tanned by sunshine into a healthy long-bronzed color. Surprisingly, he spoke tenderly, with a little bashfulness when I asked him some questions. He humorously called himself as Xiao Hei.
Xiao Hei and his friends
“I came from Guangdong. Originally, I came to Suzhou as a tourist. However, I was attracted by this place, so I chose to work in this shop to earn a living.”
He told us Suzhou is an enchanting place known as Jiangnan, where you can find an abundance of diversified things.
“Look at that Pingjiang River beside us. It has such a long history, even more than its water can hold. There's another quaint place. If you come in from the front way, you will see the boatmen and people dressed in Han Chinese Clothing.”
Pingjiang Street
From his passionate depiction, a detailed, beautiful wash painting of Jiangnan flows into my mind: With river connecting place to place, Jiangnan is a place filled with delicate gardens and boats, knowledgeable literati, and kind people like Xiao Hei.
“There are not many cars around; we are secluded from the chaotic mundane.” Xiao Hei believes time stops here. People can still find traces of the past in each river, each raindrop. Jiangnan lies in many corners of Suzhou. As famous poet Li Bai once said, “People today can't see the moon of yore; the moon today did light people before.” The same Pingjiang River flows through people from the Tang Dynasty, just like the way it flows through us today.
“It’s almost like Tao Yuanming’s utopia.”
Xiao Hei’s fruit tea
Xiao Hei told us he only came to Suzhou for about 5 months, yet this did not hinder him from loving this land sincerely just like many others who live here. When I asked about his future plans, he paused for a moment and then determinedly said he would love to stay in Suzhou in the future. He said in such a determined way that I believed there would be beautiful stories of Jiangnan between him and this land.
With a warm cup of flower tea in my hand, I waved goodbye to Xiao Hei. The rain continues. I used to complain about the bad weather, but now, looking at the same raindrop, I started to think about the past. Thousands of years ago, a passerby may walk beside the Pingjiang River, looking for shelter from rain. He or she may find someone like Xiao Hei, who is willing to offer a cup of hot tea and a beautiful story of this land we live on.
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