Shaoxing First Impressions: A Local‘s Pride & Lament Between Hangzhou & Ningbo | 17 July 2024

Описание: 17 July 2024, Shaoxing. Picked up by a local friend at the train station—casual shots along the way, listening to him talk about Shaoxing. This is how I began to know this city.

He‘s post‑90s. Proud of Shaoxing’s history, prosperity, livability, and its many famous sons (like Lu Xun). Yet he laments: Shaoxing is squeezed between Hangzhou and Ningbo. Local wages for young people aren‘t high—many are drawn away by the two bigger cities.

The sky: dramatic blue and white clouds, the kind before a typhoon. Temperature reads 38°C—feels even hotter.

———

“Being sandwiched between Hangzhou and Ningbo—it’s tough.”

He said this as we drove through Yuecheng District. Outside the window: a typical Jiangnan cityscape—green, wide roads, but undeniably a “middle place.”

Shaoxing sits on the Hangzhou‑Shaoxing‑Ningbo economic corridor, one of China‘s most developed belts. Hangzhou at one end, Ningbo at the other—two trillion‑yuan cities like giant engines, pulling talent and resources from their neighbors. Scholars call it the “siphon effect.” Compared to Hangzhou and Ningbo, Shaoxing’s ability to attract and radiate is weaker, facing competitive pressure from both sides.

In 2024, Shaoxing‘s resident population was 5.394 million, GDP 836.9 billion yuan, growth 6.5%—second fastest in Zhejiang. But young people feel differently. A regular bachelor graduate can get a 100,000 yuan housing voucher and 30,000 yuan settlement subsidy; a “Double First‑Class” graduate 150,000; a master‘s 250,000; a PhD up to 500,000. A couple both with PhDs can get 1.5 million yuan. These numbers tell a story of a city trying hard to keep its youth.

———

“But the pride is real too.”

Lu Xun‘s hometown, Shen’s Garden, Lanting Pavilion, Dayu Mausoleum… Any one of these names would make other cities envious. Shaoxing is one of China‘s first National Historic and Cultural Cities, with over 2,500 years of history—a “museum without walls.” Walking along Cangqiao Straight Street: white walls, dark tiles, riverfront homes, small bridges, black‑awn boats—that “true Jiangnan” charm you can’t replicate.

Shaoxing people have pride, my friend said. This is where Lu Xun came from, where Cai Yuanpei came from, where Qiu Jin came from. Secretary culture, rice wine culture, calligraphy culture—all part of their heritage.

———

The clouds outside the window—extraordinary.

Big, low clouds with sharp edges—the kind before a typhoon. Common in summer, my friend said, a sign the weather is about to change. 38°C, but humid, feels even heavier.

———

The station area could be any Chinese city—generic. Only when we reached the old town did Shaoxing‘s character emerge.

A realization from traveling: new districts all look alike—glass facades, wide roads, uniform streetlights. But enter the old town: white walls, dark tiles, canals, stone paths—Shaoxing’s flavor appears.

———
Where do we begin to understand a city?

With its people—a post‑90s friend‘s story, his pride and lament.
With its sky—pre‑typhoon clouds, 38°C mugginess.
With its new and old—from the station drive, to that moment you turn into the old streets and taste the place.

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2024年7月17日，绍兴。从车站出来，绍兴本地朋友开车接我，一边随手拍，一边听他讲绍兴，我由此开始了解这个城市。

他是90后。一方面他很自豪绍兴本地的历史、富足、宜居、以及众多名人（比如鲁迅），另一方面，他也感叹绍兴夹在杭州和宁波之间，年轻人本地工资不高，被杭州和宁波吸走。

蓝天白云，云层特别好看，似乎是台风将来之前的云。气温显示38度，体感温度我感觉可能不止。

———
“绍兴夹在杭州和宁波之间，真的很难。”

朋友说这句话的时候，车正开在越城区的某条路上。窗外是典型的江南城市界面，绿化很好，道路宽阔，但确实能感觉到一种“中间地带”的气质。

绍兴地处中国最发达的城市带之一——杭绍甬经济走廊的中间。一端是杭州，一端是宁波，两座万亿级城市像两台巨大的发动机，吸引着周边的人才和资源。学者们把这种现象叫做“虹吸效应”——与杭州、宁波相比，绍兴市区对各县的集聚辐射作用相对较弱，面临着两端大城市的竞争压力。

2024年，绍兴常住人口539.4万人，GDP8369亿元，同比增长6.5%，增速稳居浙江第二。但年轻人的感受是另一回事。普通本科生落户绍兴可享受10万元房票补贴、3万元安家补贴；“双一流”本科则可享受15万元房票补贴；硕士研究生25万元；博士最高50万元。双博士夫妻落户，甚至能拿到150万元房票。这些数字背后，是这座城市留住年轻人的努力。

———
“自豪也是真的自豪。”

鲁迅故里、沈园、兰亭、大禹陵……这些名字随便拎出来一个，都够别的城市羡慕半天。绍兴是首批国家历史文化名城，有2500多年建城史，被称为“没有围墙的博物馆”。走在仓桥直街，白墙黛瓦、枕河人家、小桥乌篷，那种“真江南”的韵味，是别处模仿不来的。

朋友说，绍兴人骨子里是有傲气的。毕竟这里出过鲁迅，出过蔡元培，出过秋瑾。师爷文化、黄酒文化、书法文化，都是绍兴人的底气。

———
车窗外的云，确实特别。大朵大朵的云，压得很低，边缘清晰，像是台风到来前的征兆。朋友说，这种云在夏天常见，意味着天气要变了。气温38度，但湿度大，体感更闷热。

———
车站出来是全国各地模板化的城市界面，只有开到了老城区，能感觉到绍兴本地特点。

这也是一种各地游走之后的一点点感悟。新城都长得差不多——玻璃幕墙、宽阔马路、统一的路灯。但一进老城，白墙黛瓦出来了，河道出来了，石板路出来了，绍兴的味道就出来了。

———
我们从何处开始了解一座城市？
从它的人开始——从一位90后朋友的讲述，从他的自豪与叹息。
从它的云开始——从台风来临前的天空，从38度的闷热。
从它的新城与老城开始——从车站出来的一路，从拐进老街那一刻的味道。
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