Haohe River

The Haohe River is Nantong's most atmospheric feature — a scenic waterway, originally the city's moat, that loops 10 kilometres through central Nantong and serves as the city's evening living room. After dark the river comes alive: boat trips pass illuminated fountains and ancient bridges, residents walk the bankside paths, and the food vendors and riverside restaurants that line certain stretches fill up with families and working people enjoying the summer air.

By day the river is quieter but no less pleasant, with willows along the banks, old bridges crossing at intervals, and occasional views of the Langshan hills to the north. The combination of boat trip, riverside walk, and one of the bankside restaurants makes a good Nantong evening. The most popular stretch for evening activity is near the Nan Men (South Gate) area and the illuminated bridges of the central reach.

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A story
The Haohe River is one of China's four remaining ancient city moats, still following the loop it was given when the city walls were built. Most comparable moats were filled in during twentieth-century urban development; Nantong's survived largely because the city's civic culture — shaped by Zhang Jian's reform legacy — placed unusual value on preserving the historical environment.