Half watertown, half silk dynasty saga: In Nanxun, you'll find a Jiangnan like no other.

 If you ask me which ancient town in Jiangnan is worth visiting, I would say: Head to Nanxun, it's unique.

Yeah, it's got the classic small bridges, flowing water, white walls, dark tiles, and paddleboats lazily drifting along narrow canals. But Nanxun's vibe goes way beyond that. It doesn’t feel like some perfectly preserved "specimen" – it’s more like a wise old soul with stories for days. The water here flows with everyday life, while the mansions hold some of modern China’s most legendary tales of silk merchants.

Start your morning by getting lost in Baijian Lou.

In other old towns, you rush to hit the "sights." In Nanxun, the best plan is to just wander. Especially around Baijian Lou – a 400-meter stretch of Ming and Qing-era houses along the river. Around 6 or 7 a.m., before the crowds arrive, this is the real Nanxun. 

Standing on Tongjin Bridge, I watched the morning mist drape over the river like a veil. Across the water, an auntie was lighting a coal stove by her window, the smoke mingling with the sweet scent of breakfast pastries from a nearby stall. An old man passed by with his birdcage, his feet padding over time-worn bluestone steps. Nothing here feels staged – it's just life, pure and simple. It hits you: cultural heritage isn’t just about old buildings; it’s these everyday moments that keep it alive.

But Nanxun’s real showstopper hides behind the silent gates of its grand mansions.

If the water towns are Nanxun’s soft side, these estates are its bold, ambitious heart, built on immense wealth. Stepping into Zhang Shiming’s Former Residence – known as the "Number One Mansion in Jiangnan" – was like time-traveling. 

Out front, it’s all traditional Chinese halls with intricate carvings. But walk through a few courtyards, and boom – a gorgeous European ballroom appears! Stained glass, Roman columns, patterned tiles… it’s a full-on French salon. The clash of East and West is mind-blowing. You can almost feel the owner – a silk tycoon from the late Qing dynasty – boldly bringing the world’s glamour right to his hometown. This wasn’t just showing off; it was a confident, open-minded cultural statement.

That boldness peaks at Liu’s Ladder House (the Red House). When I saw those majestic red-brick buildings, I almost forgot I was in Jiangnan. It felt more like Shanghai’s Bund – strict, grand, totally Western. Standing in its garden, you can almost hear the echoes of its owner, over a century ago, dreaming big with merchants from around the globe, using abacuses, foreign languages, tea, and silk to weave an empire.

What really won me over was Xiaolian Villa and Jiaye Library.

Xiaolian Villa was the private garden of Liu Yong, one of Nanxun’s "Four Elephants" (top silk magnates). Its beauty isn’t the delicate, step-by-scene charm of Suzhou gardens – it’s lush, expansive, and confidently wealthy. A ten-acre lotus pond that must be breathtaking in summer, plus Western cast-iron railings blending seamlessly with Chinese pavilions. It captures Nanxun’s merchant aesthetic: scholarly elegance meets industrial-scale ambition.

Next door, Jiaye Library takes that spirit to a deeper level. Built by Liu Yong’s grandson, it’s the most magnificent private library of modern China. Spending a fortune to preserve books, not for profit, but for legacy – that’s when it clicked. These merchants made insane wealth, but their ultimate goal wasn’t flaunting it. It was about preserving culture for future generations. Money fades, mansions decay, but ideas and books? They’re what make a family – a place – timeless.

Half everyday life, half epic history. In Nanxun, don’t just take photos. Read the carvings on the archways, listen for the century-old whispers in the old houses. You’ll find that truly great cultural heritage is alive – and when you least expect it, it’ll speak right to you.