Shajiabang: picturesque water town in heaven 沙家浜：风景如画的天堂水乡

廖婕

以沙家浜革命故事為原型创作的现代京剧《沙家浜》让沙家浜闻名遐迩。坐落在江苏省常熟市的沙家浜镇风景如画，文化底蕴深厚，既是红色教育的基地，又是游客们魂萦梦绕的水乡天堂。

As the ancient Chinese proverb says， “Just as there is paradise in heaven， there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth.” Shajiabang， a beautiful water town by Yangcheng and Kuncheng lakes， is located in Suzhou， a city in East Chinas Jiangsu Province.

With its historical， cultural and natural ecological resources， Shajiabang attracts numerous tourists each year. It is not only a national scenic area， it is also a patriotism?education base.

The famous Peking opera， Shajiabang， was created based on the history of Shajiangbang. During the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression， the locals rescued and supported the New Fourth Army soldiers， and they helped fight against the aggression.

Shajiabang Revolutionary History Memorial Museum， established in 1971， is one of the major buildings in the scenic area. It was expanded and restored in 2006. It now covers more than 6，400 square meters. The museum houses abundant historical materials， and it takes advantage of high?tech means to help visitors gain a deep understanding of the history of Shajiabang.

Hongshi Village is an ideal place to experience folk culture in Shajiabang. The houses are built by the waterside， and the villagers usually take a boat when they go out. There are exhibition halls， in which tourists can experience the local marriage customs and folk culture.

Shajiabang is also a national wetland park， which is home to more than 100 species of rare birds. The birds rest in reeds， hunt on the surface of the water and fly high in the sky. Shuttling（穿梭） among the reeds by boat is great fun， and it feels refreshing in summer.

Chunlai Tea House， on the street， is a popular place， as people can sip tea as they reflect on and discuss history. The tea house is also an important venue in the Peking opera， Shajiabang.

Shen Yueying， a local farmer and collector， has established an agricultural museum on the street. She has collected and displayed various tools， used for production and daily life， in the museum， which demonstrates the real lives of local people.

Reading Check

If you have the chance to visit Shajiabang，which place there would you like to visit most eagerly according to the text？ Why？