Prosperity comes to the ancient town of Tangzha in Chongchuan district, Nantong, after it integrates industrial culture and canal landscapes. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

The second Grand Canal City Cultural and Tourism Consumption Forum was held in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province on Sept 5. The "Jolly Tangzha, Night Ancient Town" project from Chongchuan district, Nantong was awarded as a benchmarking project integrating culture and tourism most favored by consumers in Jiangsu province.

A century ago, Zhang Jian, a well-known local business magnate and renowned academic, developed industries and education in Nantong that gave Tangjiazha a prominent place in the local history of the 1920s. Nowadays, Tangzha has completed its transformation, with modern skyscrapers and a booming economy.

In recent years, the research, protection and utilization of ancient towns have been highly valued by the state and local governments.

Based on its industrial heritage, Tangzha built a State-level 1895 Cultural Creative Industrial Park. The Dasheng Yarn Factory, the original site of which was protected, is included in the National Industrial Heritage List by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The Dasheng Wharf is one of the most beautiful landmarks along the Tongyang canal.

As the Tangjiaxiang Lane historical cultural block is pushed ahead steadily a characteristic town featuring industrial civilization begins to take shape.

According to Dai Hongbing, general manager of Nantong Tangzha Ancient Town Protection and Development Co Ltd, the company lays equal stress on protection and utilization, and intends to build Tangzha into a place for canal culture inheritance and a destination for leisure tourism through the "Jolly Tangzha, Night Ancient Town" project.

Nighttime economy has added new prosperity in Tangzha all this year, creating new vitality in the ancient town. The newly built Xiyang Bridge market is a good example: it's gone viral and is attracting numerous visitors every night.