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An aerial night view of Yangliuqing ancient town.
俯瞰杨柳青古镇夜景
Once famed for its unique style of woodblock printing, the ancient town of Yangliuqing is now drawing crowds with its well-preserved traditional architecture.
天津西青区的杨柳青古镇以其独特的木板年画而闻名，如今它保存完好的传统建筑也不断吸引着大批游客前往参观游览。
The first thing that usually springs to mind when people hear the name Yangliuqing is woodblock printing, because the small town on the outskirts of Tianjin is famous for its individual style of printing that dates back more than 400 years to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
当人们听到杨柳青这个名字时，首先想到的一定是杨柳青木板年画，这个天津西郊的小镇以其独特的木板印刷风格从400多年前的明朝闻名至今。
Literally meaning "poplar willow green", Yangliuqing is a settlement with over 1,000 years of history which is considered to be the origin of the sprawling northern Chinese port city of Tianjin.
“杨柳青”的字面意思是“杨、柳、青”，这是一个有着1000多年历史的文明古镇，也是中国北方港口城市天津的发源地。
Tan Ruwei, a renowned historian and folk culture expert from Tianjin, says: "Yangliuqing is one of the most unique and important cultural landmarks in Tianjin and North China. The water transportation trade along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal helped to boost the town's growth."
天津著名历史学家、民俗文化专家谭汝为说：“杨柳青是天津乃至华北地区最独特、最重要的文化地标之一。京杭大运河沿线的水运贸易是滋养古镇发展的重要动力。”
Thanks to the canal, the town enjoyed unparalleled prosperity from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) onward and continued to thrive well into the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
正是因为与运河相伴而生，杨柳青古镇从宋朝就呈现出一派生机勃勃的繁荣景象，并一直持续到清朝。
"This commercial prosperity fostered cultural awareness and helped the local people there to develop an inclusive and innovative spirit toward business and the arts," he says.
“古镇经济的繁荣为孕育文化意识打下了坚实的基础，促使当地人形成了一种包容和创新的商业和艺术精神。”谭汝为说。
Renovated in recent years, the streets of Yangliuqing ancient town are home to an array of well-preserved old buildings that travelers can wander through, soaking up the evocative atmosphere.
近年来，杨柳青古镇进行了街道修缮工作，游客漫步在这一系列保存完好的古建筑群中，可以身临其境地感受其建筑结构的独特、砖木石雕的精美之处。
Along the main streets of the old town, visitors often come into close contact with local folk artists and watch them demonstrate their cultural arts. Visitors can talk to the artisans about the techniques they use to produce the Lunar New Year paintings that people hang on their walls to bring good fortune, and allow the artists to share their years of experience.
在古镇的主街道上，游客可以与当地的民间艺术家密切接触，近距离窥探杨柳青年画纷繁巧妙的制作工艺，可以与工匠们面对面地交流关于杨柳青木板年画的丰富文化内涵，甚至还可以听艺术家们分享他们多年的宝贵从艺经验。
At Yucheng's Woodblock Print Shop, which was founded by the late Huo Yutang, a renowned inheritor of Yangliuqing woodblock printing, visitors can view the artworks made by his son Huo Qingshun, who is now China's top woodblock printing expert.
在已故杨柳青木版年画传人霍玉堂创办的余城木版印刷店中，游客可以看到他的儿子霍庆顺创作的年画作品，通过多年来的创新传承，霍庆顺获得了杨柳青木版年画国家级非物质文化遗产项目传承人的称号。
Huo Qingshun, an inheritor of Yangliuqing woodblock printing and the country's top expert of the art form, examines one of his works.
霍庆顺正在阳光下仔细确认一幅作品的各个细节
The 67-year-old artisan used to bemoan the fact the renowned Yangliuqing Fine Arts Press, which helped the town find fame for its woodblock printing, had relocated to downtown Tianjin.
67岁的霍庆顺感叹，著名的杨柳青美术出版社已迁往天津市中心，杨柳青木板年画也正因这家出版社而被人们所熟知。
"I held out hope for many years that the press would return to the ancient town from Tianjin, and I was very glad when I heard they were planning to move the press back here in the future."
“这些年我一直希望出版社能从市中心回到杨柳青古镇，当我听说他们打算把出版社搬回这里时，我非常高兴。”
Local performers dance to greet visitors at the town's decorated archway.
当地民俗舞蹈演员们在杨柳青牌楼前跳舞迎接游客
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Exploring history
The town is worth visiting as it is an ideal tourist destination to explore the region's rich history, and the Shi family residence is a good example of its enduring appeal.
杨柳青古镇是渴望探索地区丰富历史文化底蕴的游客们理想旅游圣地，而石家大院则是感受其悠久古镇魅力的经典景点。
Built in 1875, it is now one of the few well-preserved civil buildings from that era remaining in the area, earning it the title of "top residential courtyard in North China".
石家大院建于1875年，是华北地区现存的少数保存完好的民用建筑之一，被誉为“华北第一宅”。
An in-house theater within the Shi family residence in Yangliuqing, one of the best-preserved private residences in North China.
“石家大院”有“华北第一宅”的美称
In this courtyard, the family of North China's once most wealthy businessman witnessed its rise to prosperity and later decline, and the story of the family's legendary roller-coaster ride often prompts visitors to stop and contemplate.
这个深宅大院见证了曾号称津西首富石家的兴盛和衰落。这个家族跌宕起伏的传奇家族史常常令往来的游客流连忘返。
"When the family owner died, the family didn't even have the money to organize a proper funeral," a local history expert says.
当地一位历史学家说道：“当石家的家主过世时，曾经的一方巨贾，甚至没有足够的钱来置办一个体面的葬礼。”
Shi's family residence served as the headquarters of the Beijing-Tianjin campaign, one of three key battles during the liberation of China, which was used as a base from 1948 to early 1949.
在1948年到1949年初，石家祠堂曾是中国解放三大战役之一的平津战役的指挥部。
It was also the site where the first Tianjin government was founded, and where the first corruption case after the founding of New China in 1949 was cracked.
石家大院也是天津市第一届人民政府成立的地方，1949年新中国成立后第一起腐败案件就在这里破获。
Having survived the vicissitudes of history, the ancient town now enjoys a number of newly opened tourism spots.
历史的车轮滚滚向前，杨柳青古镇历经沧桑，现在一番新的文明图景已经呈现在世人眼前。
A museum of folk customs opened last year and many historic buildings — including pavilions, pagodas, temples and theaters — have been renovated and preserved for the future.
杨柳青民俗博物馆已于去年向公众开放，而许多历史建筑，包括亭台楼阁、佛塔、寺庙和剧院等，都逐步进行了妥善的翻修和保存，未来将在世人的期待中一一登台亮相。
Yangliuqing is a popular location for film and TV shoots. As well as the preserved buildings, many locations in the town feature period replica architecture, which attracts filmmakers.
除了保留下来的古建筑外，古镇上许多地方还复刻了特色的古代建筑，古色古香的亭台楼阁交相辉映，吸引了大批的影视制片人来此地考察拍摄。
Source: China Daily
Photo provided to China Daily
监制：田晓璇、廖媛
审核：李福生
编辑：马忠诚
实习生：汪清、刘畅