图、文/Nathanael D. Pelton（苏平） 译/张佳艺

国庆假期，人声鼎沸的山塘街National Day Holiday: A crowded Shantang Street

山塘街位于江苏省苏州古城西北，东至红尘中“一二等富贵风流之地”阊门，西至“吴中第一名胜”虎丘，全长约3600米，约合7华里，故称“七里山塘到虎丘”。山塘街始建于公元825年，距今已有近1200年的历史，景区人文景观丰富、历史底蕴深厚，被誉为“老苏州的缩影、吴文化的窗口”。

我1980年出生于美国，现居苏州。在一次游览山塘街时，面对游人如织的盛景，我对山塘街繁华之外的另一面产生了浓厚的好奇心，一天中每个小时的山塘街是什么样的？于是，从2020年6月到2021年5月，我每个月拍摄两次，每次一小时，用镜头记录山塘街特定的2个小时，组成一幅完整的24小时观察画卷，其中既有繁华喧闹，也有静谧清闲，展现了山塘街不同时节、不同时刻的景色、游客、生活和商业风貌。

Shantang Street is located northwest of the ancient city of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. Stretching from Changmen, it was one of the world’s wealthiest and most fashionable quarters. There is a famed long walk between Huqiu,the best scenic spot in Suzhou, in the west, and the heart of Shantang St in the east. This famed walk is accompanied by a well-known saying - “They that walk the 7-mile-Shantang Street, will arrive at Huqiu.” Shantang Street, founded in 825 AD, has a history of nearly 1,200 years. It has a rich cultural landscape, a deep historical heritage, and is known as “the epitome of old Suzhou and a window into Wu culture.”

I was born in the United States in 1980 and have lived in Suzhou since 2008. During one of my visits to Shantang Street, I was confronted with the crowds of tourists and wondering what was the deeper story of the street.As a result, I became curious about life at all hours on Shantang Street. So,from June 2020 to May 2021 I set out to take pictures twice a month for an hour each time. Each month I recorded a specific 2 hours of Shantang Street with my camera. Over the year I formed a complete 24-hour observation through photographs, in which there is both the bustle of midday tourists and also midnight quietness. The result of the year of photographs shows the scenery, tourists, life, and business features of Shantang Street at different seasons and times.

早春，凌晨时分的山塘街Early Spring: Shantang Street in the early hours of the morning

盛夏，沐浴在清晨阳光下的山塘街石桥Midsummer: Stone bridge on Shantang Street bathed in the early morning sunshine

深冬时节，游客匆匆行走在山塘街上Late Winter: Tourists rushing through Shantang Street

盛夏，华灯初上的山塘街Midsummer: Shantang Street with the lights on

初夏，游船如织、灯火通明的山塘河Early Summer: Shantang Street with numerous cruise boats and dazzling light

入秋，游客乘坐人力车游览山塘街Autumn: Tourists visiting Shantang Street by rickshaw

寒冬时节，入夜的山塘街渐渐归于宁静Winter: Shantang Street becomes quiet at night

初春，寂静无人的午夜山塘街Early Spring: Silent and deserted Shantang Street at midnight