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嘉善的历史可以追溯到5800多年前的马家浜文化。1800多年前，魏塘一带就建有慈云寺;南北朝时期，华亭塘开凿，居民迁徙而至;宋代，华亭塘北岸东门闹市俨然……千百年来，嘉善先民在这片水乡沃土勤劳耕种、安居乐业。
不过，直到明宣德年间置县，此地才有了县名，名曰“嘉善”。得名虽晚，却没有比“嘉善”二字更适合这片土地了。嘉善之名，有嘉兴和迁善之意，又取自《论语》“君子尊贤而容众，嘉善而矜不能”，更生动地概括出此地“民风淳朴，地嘉人善”的地域文化特征。善，是嘉善源远流长的文化核心，也是嘉善人世代传承的道德基因。“善文化”镌刻在了善书不朽的文字里，闪耀在劝善思想和劝善行为里，实践在民办慈善组织和百姓朴素的善行里，更成为了嘉善人“向善”“学善”“扬善”的共同价值取向，乃至孕育出了以“善”为核心的县域人文品牌，成为了支撑嘉善“双示范”建设的强大精神动力。
独特地域赋予“善美”品格
在新石器时代，古“嘉善湾”已从浅海相沼泽地带（属河海冲积平原）转化为沼泽，为嘉善先民的生产生活提供了条件。市河华亭塘，汇聚起了居民集聚的“人气”;太浦河（上世纪五六十年代开始挖掘的洪水东泄通道，八十年代末全部联通）经嘉善境内的白鱼荡、沉香荡与和尚塘相连，成为了长三角一脉相连的纽带;作为传说中吴越分界湖的汾湖，县境北部星如棋布的湖荡和纵横交错的河塘，勾划出的是江南水乡典型的旖旎风光，成就了无数文人墨客的传世佳作……
嘉善县域内水系发达，河流密布，境内共有大小河道542条，总计长1694千米。水，赋予了城市灵魂，也融入了嘉善人的生产生活。水润万物，“上善若水”成为了“善文化”的重要组成部分。水的自然秉性赋予了嘉善人如水般温柔、宽厚的性格。
“百里郊原似掌平，竹枝唱出尽吴声”，道出了嘉善境内一马平川的特色。似掌平原，为农耕发展提供了条件。在罗星的独圩遗址和姚庄的大往圩遗址，都发现有稻谷，这就证明早在近6000多年前的马家浜文化时期，嘉善先民们已经在从事稻粮耕作了。及至隋唐以后，嘉善已经成为全国重要粮仓，有诗为证：“嘉禾一穰，江淮为之康;嘉禾一歉，江淮为之俭。”千年的稻粮耕作孕育了嘉善人“孝、谦、和、思”的民风。
孝，即忠孝诚实。百善孝为先，尊师重长、尊老爱幼、诚实守信一直为嘉善人所推崇，古有“忠孝节义，甲於嘉禾”之说。谦，即谦让恭俭。嘉善的历史人文和地域特征形成了嘉善人谦虚、礼让、恭逊、节俭的个性。和，即仁爱宽容。嘉善人温良从容，向来以和为贵，不争强好斗，具有仁爱之心、宽容之度的风范。思，即好学善思。嘉善历史人文辈出，历来登科及第功名不断。
“大善记忆”源远流长
嘉善“善文化”的逐步形成，有一个显著的特点，就是嘉善人前仆后继地对“善学”理论进行研究与实践。在明清两代，以慈善行动倡导者丁宾、善思想家袁了凡、社会良知魏大中、民间慈善组织先行者陈龙正为代表的“善学”理论奠基人，用他们的努力为“嘉善（嘉许善举）”作出了最好的诠释，使得嘉善“善文化”得以从吴越文化中脱颖而出，成为一种独特的区域文化。
历史上第一个裸捐官员丁宾。丁宾在明隆庆年间任江苏句容县令，一生乐善好施，前后捐银3万余两。他自奉俭约，住处卑陋，坐的不过是柳木椅，挂的是粗布帷，桌椅床榻几十年不换，生活清简得就像一个苦行僧。但他不仅连祖业悉数捐出，甚至借钱来赈济乡民，是有资料可查证的历史上第一个裸捐的官员。
善学思想家袁黄。袁黄，又名袁了凡，是“善”的理论诠释者，是迄今所知中国第一位具名的善书作者，更是江南善举运动的倡导者，为明朝万历初嘉兴府三名家之一。袁了凡代表作《了凡四训》是善书中的经典之作。他提倡以记“功过格”的方法“隐恶扬善”“迁善改过”，进行道德自律，规范自己的行为，达到自我修养、完善人生的目的。
善举运动践行者陈龙正。陈龙正是明朝崇祯七年进士，明末江南自然災害频繁，陈龙正致力于救荒，在嘉善建立了同善会馆，作为经办善业的常设机构和公所，常年举行救赈贫民的活动。同善会馆是江南最早兴起的民办性慈善组织，在中国民间慈善史上具有划时代意义。它也是近代中国慈善组织的雏形。
忠孝的代表人物魏大中、魏学洢父子。天启四年（1624），杨涟、左光斗、魏大中等70余人慷慨上疏，弹劾魏忠贤。因为对魏忠贤之流的抗疏和弹劾，魏大中便成为了阉党的眼中钉、肉中刺，《县志》云，“持议峻切，邪党侧目”。魏大中遭冤入狱，受尽折磨，最后冤死狱中。天启五年夏，魏大中的长子魏学洢听说父亲冤死后，“匍匐饮血，扶榇而归”。史书上记载，魏学洢“殉孝扶棺，长哭以死，亘古鲜见”。可以说，魏大中、魏学洢两父子，忠，无愧于天地;孝，能立面于君亲，是忠孝的代表人物。
在嘉善，“善文化”不仅是士大夫阶层的道德标准，也贯穿于老百姓朴素的行动中。嘉善人信仰“善”。他们为皇粮倾施于饥民最后投水自尽的金七老爷建造了“七老爷庙”;供奉拳打恶少为避免百姓遭受残害而饮鸩自尽的杨镇为“杨老爷”;在嘉善瘟疫时，自发采药治病最后染上瘟疫而死的施姓医生则被嘉善人供奉为“施王老爷”……嘉善人总是将清正廉洁的清官、殉国而死的忠烈或为地方作出善举的人封为本城城隍，希望他们的英灵护佑百姓安全，也将他们的“善文化”精神世代传承。
嘉善人口口相传的民间故事中，也处处有着“善”元素。如《小头将军》中，“小头将军”是征服自然灾害和反抗财主剥削的化身，寄托了人们向往安宁生活的心愿;《十两银子一根柱子》说的是徐文长设计接济西塘渔童葬母的故事;《汾湖金牛显神威》则通过仙家惩治贪心豆腐店老板的故事，弘扬惩恶扬善的风尚;《千金塘的传说》则讲述了嘉善姑娘勇救伍子胥的故事……
打造“善文化”县域文化品牌
近年来，嘉善把县域文化放在与县域经济发展同等重要位置来着力推动，“善文化”为全县经济社会发展提供了强大的精神动力和人文支撑。“善文化”，既成为嘉善的软实力，也是嘉善发展的深层动力。 探索“善政走向善治”，不斷创新突破体制机制壁垒。“上善若水”，既是嘉善人性格特点，也是嘉善人对社会治理的追求。嘉善把科学发展、民生幸福与“善政善治”紧密结合，把“双示范”建设作为推进县域“善政善治”的契机，“要善治、必先治己”立足政府自身改革，“要善治、惟治不善”，把阻碍科学发展的“堵点”、影响政府作用发挥的 “痛点” 和县域治理的“薄弱点”作为改革切口，构建县域善治体系，确立了建设法治政府、效能政府和服务型政府一条主线。嘉善的县域善治通过不断调适治理理念、治理政策、治理方法，运用法治思维和法治方式引领改革发展破障闯关、推动民生改善和社会公正，实现了经济实力与治理能力、 发展速度与治理效度之间的高度契合，取得了多项示范点配套改革成果，为推进治理体系与治理能力现代化提供了县域实践新样本。
着力打造最优营商环境，以爱与责任铸就新时代“善商”文明。从过去商铺自发搭建廊棚，到疫情期间积极捐款捐物，“善商”体现了自由、平等、效率和诚信的内涵，兼具道义和功利价值。全面融入长三角一体化发展战略，嘉善以打造一流营商环境为契机，让新时代“善商”之风带动城市发展、扩大辐射覆盖面。嘉善“拿权力开刀、从自身割肉”，全面推行行政权力清单制度;对民资和外资鼓励类、允许类的企业投资项目推行“零审批”制度，一般企业投资项目审批缩短至最多90天;以“最多跑一次”改革撬动政府相关领域的改革，增强嘉善的竞争优势。2020年，嘉善地区生产总值比上年增长8%，规上工业增加值比上年增长20.9%，均列全市第一、全省第二;实际利用外资4.24亿美元，列全市第一，连续19年跻身全省利用外资十强县。嘉善的区位优势和土地空间资源吸引了企业的入驻，而在融入嘉善社会环境后，企业更被“乐善好施”之风所感染，让“善”的种子在企业文化中生根发芽，也为企业发展带来了蓬勃的正能量。
努力打造人与自然和谐共生的“善居”之地，留得住乡愁，承得了梦想。与自然的和谐共生，是中国“善居”思想的基本特征。嘉善用实践证明，“善居”是环境优美与人际和谐的兼顾。十多年时间里，嘉善以“壮士断腕”的决心，打出一系列“组合拳”，推进产业结构调整，淘汰落后低效项目;因地制宜修复生态系统，一村一策打造美丽乡村;激发县域深层次活力，努力让只有富裕企业才办得成的“亏本”环保，变成一种在经济上能“赢利”的绿色产业。“善居”更是一种平安、健康和均衡的幸福：是将全部财力的80.6%用于改善民生，总额达305亿元;是城镇登记失业率控制在1.74%的较低水平，社会养老保险、医疗保险实现全覆盖;是全域学校“零差异”、城乡师资“零差距”、城乡学生“零择校”……留住乡愁、承载梦想，嘉善力争打造长三角最有获得感的城市。
迭代升级，再造嘉善。嘉善，将全力打造以“善文化”为核心的县域人文品牌，突出“以文化人”培育文化软实力、“以文塑城”提升城市新魅力、“以文兴业”激发产业新活力，彰显千年吴越的人文底蕴，更好地构筑嘉善精神、嘉善价值、嘉善力量，诠释未来发展的无限前景。
Jiashan， in the Name of Goodness
By Guo Zhen
The history of Jiashan could be traced back to the Majiabang culture， over 5，800 years ago. As early as 1，800 years ago， the Ciyun Temple was built in the area of Weitang. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties （420-589）， the Huating Pond was opened， and people began to move in and settle down here， and it gradually turned into a lively town in the Song dynasty （960-1279）. It is on this fertile land that Jiashan ancestors have been working with full diligence and living in peace for thousands of years.
Yet it was not until the Xuande period of the Ming dynasty （1368-1644） that this land was officially named Jiashan. The name came in late， but it was a perfect fit. The “Jia” in Jiashan represents a town called Jiaxing， and the “Shan” means goodness， which is the cultural core and the moral gene inherited by Jiashan people for generations. Goodness is written in local literature， and shown through the good deeds of charities and villagers. It has further become the common value of Jiashan people who “act with goodness in heart”， “learn the goodness by heart” and “promote the concept of goodness”. It has also given rise to Jiashan’s cultural brand and injected strong spiritual power in building itself into a model. According to what is shown by the Majiabang cultural relics， the transformation of Jiashan’s shallow bay into a swamp had been completed during the Neolithic period， providing necessary conditions for people’s production and living at that time.
Jiashan has a well-developed water system. Running across the entire county are 542 rivers， large and small， totaling 1，694 kilometers. Living water-side， the local people here are naturally gentle and generous in character. And the plain terrain of Jianshan is another prerequisite enabling the development of farming.
Back to the Majiabang culture over 6，000 years ago， the ancestors of Jiashan were already engaged in rice farming. After the Sui and Tang dynasties， Jiashan has become an important national granary. Jiashan’s historical， cultural and geographical characteristics have shaped its folks into a crowd of modesty， courtesy， benevolence， and tolerance. They are also excellent learners and thinkers， some of whom are the best humanistic and scientific minds in China.
The gradual formation of “goodness culture” in Jiashan is featured by continuous researching and practicing of the concept “goodness”. Among those pioneers， Ding Bin （1543-1633）， Yuan Liaofan （1533-1606）， Wei Dazhong （1575-1625） and Chen Longzheng （1585-1645） from the Ming and Qing （1616-1911） dynasties， are worth mentioning for their impressive interpretations of “Jiashan good deeds”. This has made Jiashan culture stand out from the Wu-Yue culture as a unique regional culture.
Ding Bin was the first official in history to make an all-out donation. He not only donated all of his ancestral properties; he even borrowed money to help the villagers，while he himself was quite frugal and lived a simple life like an ascetic.
Yuan Liaofan， also known as Yuan Huang， was an advocate of the goodness movement in Jiangnan （south of the Yangtze River） and the author of Liaofan Si Xun， or Liaofan’s Four Lessons，a classic on goodness in China. He advocated the use of “merit and demerit” to exercise moral self-discipline and regulate one’s own behavior， so as to achieve the purpose of self-cultivation and perfection of life.
Chen Longzheng was a practitioner of the good-deed movement. He devoted himself to easing the after-calamity dilemma for his folks， for which purpose he established the Tongshan Guild Hall in Jiashan as a permanent institution and public office for running good deeds， and in helping the poor all year round. It was the first private charity organization in Jiangnan， and is of epoch-making significance in the history of Chinese folk charity. It is also the prototype of modern Chinese charitable organizations. As for Wei Dazhong and his son Wei Xueyi （1596-1625）， they are the representative figures of loyalty and filial piety. In Jiashan， the “goodness culture” is not only the moral standard of the scholar officials， but also runs through the simple actions and folk tales of the local people. Jiashan people always honor the honest officials， martyrs and those who have done good deeds for the county as the “city gods”， hoping their soul will protect local people’s safety and their spirit of goodness could be passed down for generations.
In recent years， Jiashan has elevated its culture to the same important position as its economy. The “goodness culture” has provided a strong spiritual support for the social and economic development of the county. It has become a source of the county’s soft power and a strong motivation promoting Jiashan’s development.
While exploring the way from “good administration to good governance”， Jiashan government has been innovatively breaking through the barriers of institutional mechanisms. The good governance in Jiashan has well balanced the economic strength， governance capacity， development speed， and governance effectiveness by continuously improving governance concepts， policies， and methods. It is a new model of county practice for promoting modern governance system and governance capacity.
The government has also made great efforts to create the best business environment featuring “goodness”， which embodies the concepts of freedom， equality， efficiency and integrity. It has also been striving to improve the environment so that local people are able to live in peaceful harmony with nature. For more than ten years， the Jiashan government has been promoting industrial restructuring， eliminating outdated and inefficient projects， restoring the ecosystem， and building a beautiful county.
And Jiashan’s overall upgrading and brand rebuilding continues. The county will make every effort to highlight its “goodness culture”， while improving the wellbeing of its people， cultivate its soft power， unleash its new charm and revitalize its industry. It is now walking towards a promising futur
不过，直到明宣德年间置县，此地才有了县名，名曰“嘉善”。得名虽晚，却没有比“嘉善”二字更适合这片土地了。嘉善之名，有嘉兴和迁善之意，又取自《论语》“君子尊贤而容众，嘉善而矜不能”，更生动地概括出此地“民风淳朴，地嘉人善”的地域文化特征。善，是嘉善源远流长的文化核心，也是嘉善人世代传承的道德基因。“善文化”镌刻在了善书不朽的文字里，闪耀在劝善思想和劝善行为里，实践在民办慈善组织和百姓朴素的善行里，更成为了嘉善人“向善”“学善”“扬善”的共同价值取向，乃至孕育出了以“善”为核心的县域人文品牌，成为了支撑嘉善“双示范”建设的强大精神动力。
独特地域赋予“善美”品格
在新石器时代，古“嘉善湾”已从浅海相沼泽地带（属河海冲积平原）转化为沼泽，为嘉善先民的生产生活提供了条件。市河华亭塘，汇聚起了居民集聚的“人气”;太浦河（上世纪五六十年代开始挖掘的洪水东泄通道，八十年代末全部联通）经嘉善境内的白鱼荡、沉香荡与和尚塘相连，成为了长三角一脉相连的纽带;作为传说中吴越分界湖的汾湖，县境北部星如棋布的湖荡和纵横交错的河塘，勾划出的是江南水乡典型的旖旎风光，成就了无数文人墨客的传世佳作……
嘉善县域内水系发达，河流密布，境内共有大小河道542条，总计长1694千米。水，赋予了城市灵魂，也融入了嘉善人的生产生活。水润万物，“上善若水”成为了“善文化”的重要组成部分。水的自然秉性赋予了嘉善人如水般温柔、宽厚的性格。
“百里郊原似掌平，竹枝唱出尽吴声”，道出了嘉善境内一马平川的特色。似掌平原，为农耕发展提供了条件。在罗星的独圩遗址和姚庄的大往圩遗址，都发现有稻谷，这就证明早在近6000多年前的马家浜文化时期，嘉善先民们已经在从事稻粮耕作了。及至隋唐以后，嘉善已经成为全国重要粮仓，有诗为证：“嘉禾一穰，江淮为之康;嘉禾一歉，江淮为之俭。”千年的稻粮耕作孕育了嘉善人“孝、谦、和、思”的民风。
孝，即忠孝诚实。百善孝为先，尊师重长、尊老爱幼、诚实守信一直为嘉善人所推崇，古有“忠孝节义，甲於嘉禾”之说。谦，即谦让恭俭。嘉善的历史人文和地域特征形成了嘉善人谦虚、礼让、恭逊、节俭的个性。和，即仁爱宽容。嘉善人温良从容，向来以和为贵，不争强好斗，具有仁爱之心、宽容之度的风范。思，即好学善思。嘉善历史人文辈出，历来登科及第功名不断。
“大善记忆”源远流长
嘉善“善文化”的逐步形成，有一个显著的特点，就是嘉善人前仆后继地对“善学”理论进行研究与实践。在明清两代，以慈善行动倡导者丁宾、善思想家袁了凡、社会良知魏大中、民间慈善组织先行者陈龙正为代表的“善学”理论奠基人，用他们的努力为“嘉善（嘉许善举）”作出了最好的诠释，使得嘉善“善文化”得以从吴越文化中脱颖而出，成为一种独特的区域文化。
历史上第一个裸捐官员丁宾。丁宾在明隆庆年间任江苏句容县令，一生乐善好施，前后捐银3万余两。他自奉俭约，住处卑陋，坐的不过是柳木椅，挂的是粗布帷，桌椅床榻几十年不换，生活清简得就像一个苦行僧。但他不仅连祖业悉数捐出，甚至借钱来赈济乡民，是有资料可查证的历史上第一个裸捐的官员。
善学思想家袁黄。袁黄，又名袁了凡，是“善”的理论诠释者，是迄今所知中国第一位具名的善书作者，更是江南善举运动的倡导者，为明朝万历初嘉兴府三名家之一。袁了凡代表作《了凡四训》是善书中的经典之作。他提倡以记“功过格”的方法“隐恶扬善”“迁善改过”，进行道德自律，规范自己的行为，达到自我修养、完善人生的目的。
善举运动践行者陈龙正。陈龙正是明朝崇祯七年进士，明末江南自然災害频繁，陈龙正致力于救荒，在嘉善建立了同善会馆，作为经办善业的常设机构和公所，常年举行救赈贫民的活动。同善会馆是江南最早兴起的民办性慈善组织，在中国民间慈善史上具有划时代意义。它也是近代中国慈善组织的雏形。
忠孝的代表人物魏大中、魏学洢父子。天启四年（1624），杨涟、左光斗、魏大中等70余人慷慨上疏，弹劾魏忠贤。因为对魏忠贤之流的抗疏和弹劾，魏大中便成为了阉党的眼中钉、肉中刺，《县志》云，“持议峻切，邪党侧目”。魏大中遭冤入狱，受尽折磨，最后冤死狱中。天启五年夏，魏大中的长子魏学洢听说父亲冤死后，“匍匐饮血，扶榇而归”。史书上记载，魏学洢“殉孝扶棺，长哭以死，亘古鲜见”。可以说，魏大中、魏学洢两父子，忠，无愧于天地;孝，能立面于君亲，是忠孝的代表人物。
在嘉善，“善文化”不仅是士大夫阶层的道德标准，也贯穿于老百姓朴素的行动中。嘉善人信仰“善”。他们为皇粮倾施于饥民最后投水自尽的金七老爷建造了“七老爷庙”;供奉拳打恶少为避免百姓遭受残害而饮鸩自尽的杨镇为“杨老爷”;在嘉善瘟疫时，自发采药治病最后染上瘟疫而死的施姓医生则被嘉善人供奉为“施王老爷”……嘉善人总是将清正廉洁的清官、殉国而死的忠烈或为地方作出善举的人封为本城城隍，希望他们的英灵护佑百姓安全，也将他们的“善文化”精神世代传承。
嘉善人口口相传的民间故事中，也处处有着“善”元素。如《小头将军》中，“小头将军”是征服自然灾害和反抗财主剥削的化身，寄托了人们向往安宁生活的心愿;《十两银子一根柱子》说的是徐文长设计接济西塘渔童葬母的故事;《汾湖金牛显神威》则通过仙家惩治贪心豆腐店老板的故事，弘扬惩恶扬善的风尚;《千金塘的传说》则讲述了嘉善姑娘勇救伍子胥的故事……
打造“善文化”县域文化品牌
近年来，嘉善把县域文化放在与县域经济发展同等重要位置来着力推动，“善文化”为全县经济社会发展提供了强大的精神动力和人文支撑。“善文化”，既成为嘉善的软实力，也是嘉善发展的深层动力。 探索“善政走向善治”，不斷创新突破体制机制壁垒。“上善若水”，既是嘉善人性格特点，也是嘉善人对社会治理的追求。嘉善把科学发展、民生幸福与“善政善治”紧密结合，把“双示范”建设作为推进县域“善政善治”的契机，“要善治、必先治己”立足政府自身改革，“要善治、惟治不善”，把阻碍科学发展的“堵点”、影响政府作用发挥的 “痛点” 和县域治理的“薄弱点”作为改革切口，构建县域善治体系，确立了建设法治政府、效能政府和服务型政府一条主线。嘉善的县域善治通过不断调适治理理念、治理政策、治理方法，运用法治思维和法治方式引领改革发展破障闯关、推动民生改善和社会公正，实现了经济实力与治理能力、 发展速度与治理效度之间的高度契合，取得了多项示范点配套改革成果，为推进治理体系与治理能力现代化提供了县域实践新样本。
着力打造最优营商环境，以爱与责任铸就新时代“善商”文明。从过去商铺自发搭建廊棚，到疫情期间积极捐款捐物，“善商”体现了自由、平等、效率和诚信的内涵，兼具道义和功利价值。全面融入长三角一体化发展战略，嘉善以打造一流营商环境为契机，让新时代“善商”之风带动城市发展、扩大辐射覆盖面。嘉善“拿权力开刀、从自身割肉”，全面推行行政权力清单制度;对民资和外资鼓励类、允许类的企业投资项目推行“零审批”制度，一般企业投资项目审批缩短至最多90天;以“最多跑一次”改革撬动政府相关领域的改革，增强嘉善的竞争优势。2020年，嘉善地区生产总值比上年增长8%，规上工业增加值比上年增长20.9%，均列全市第一、全省第二;实际利用外资4.24亿美元，列全市第一，连续19年跻身全省利用外资十强县。嘉善的区位优势和土地空间资源吸引了企业的入驻，而在融入嘉善社会环境后，企业更被“乐善好施”之风所感染，让“善”的种子在企业文化中生根发芽，也为企业发展带来了蓬勃的正能量。
努力打造人与自然和谐共生的“善居”之地，留得住乡愁，承得了梦想。与自然的和谐共生，是中国“善居”思想的基本特征。嘉善用实践证明，“善居”是环境优美与人际和谐的兼顾。十多年时间里，嘉善以“壮士断腕”的决心，打出一系列“组合拳”，推进产业结构调整，淘汰落后低效项目;因地制宜修复生态系统，一村一策打造美丽乡村;激发县域深层次活力，努力让只有富裕企业才办得成的“亏本”环保，变成一种在经济上能“赢利”的绿色产业。“善居”更是一种平安、健康和均衡的幸福：是将全部财力的80.6%用于改善民生，总额达305亿元;是城镇登记失业率控制在1.74%的较低水平，社会养老保险、医疗保险实现全覆盖;是全域学校“零差异”、城乡师资“零差距”、城乡学生“零择校”……留住乡愁、承载梦想，嘉善力争打造长三角最有获得感的城市。
迭代升级，再造嘉善。嘉善，将全力打造以“善文化”为核心的县域人文品牌，突出“以文化人”培育文化软实力、“以文塑城”提升城市新魅力、“以文兴业”激发产业新活力，彰显千年吴越的人文底蕴，更好地构筑嘉善精神、嘉善价值、嘉善力量，诠释未来发展的无限前景。
Jiashan， in the Name of Goodness
By Guo Zhen
The history of Jiashan could be traced back to the Majiabang culture， over 5，800 years ago. As early as 1，800 years ago， the Ciyun Temple was built in the area of Weitang. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties （420-589）， the Huating Pond was opened， and people began to move in and settle down here， and it gradually turned into a lively town in the Song dynasty （960-1279）. It is on this fertile land that Jiashan ancestors have been working with full diligence and living in peace for thousands of years.
Yet it was not until the Xuande period of the Ming dynasty （1368-1644） that this land was officially named Jiashan. The name came in late， but it was a perfect fit. The “Jia” in Jiashan represents a town called Jiaxing， and the “Shan” means goodness， which is the cultural core and the moral gene inherited by Jiashan people for generations. Goodness is written in local literature， and shown through the good deeds of charities and villagers. It has further become the common value of Jiashan people who “act with goodness in heart”， “learn the goodness by heart” and “promote the concept of goodness”. It has also given rise to Jiashan’s cultural brand and injected strong spiritual power in building itself into a model. According to what is shown by the Majiabang cultural relics， the transformation of Jiashan’s shallow bay into a swamp had been completed during the Neolithic period， providing necessary conditions for people’s production and living at that time.
Jiashan has a well-developed water system. Running across the entire county are 542 rivers， large and small， totaling 1，694 kilometers. Living water-side， the local people here are naturally gentle and generous in character. And the plain terrain of Jianshan is another prerequisite enabling the development of farming.
Back to the Majiabang culture over 6，000 years ago， the ancestors of Jiashan were already engaged in rice farming. After the Sui and Tang dynasties， Jiashan has become an important national granary. Jiashan’s historical， cultural and geographical characteristics have shaped its folks into a crowd of modesty， courtesy， benevolence， and tolerance. They are also excellent learners and thinkers， some of whom are the best humanistic and scientific minds in China.
The gradual formation of “goodness culture” in Jiashan is featured by continuous researching and practicing of the concept “goodness”. Among those pioneers， Ding Bin （1543-1633）， Yuan Liaofan （1533-1606）， Wei Dazhong （1575-1625） and Chen Longzheng （1585-1645） from the Ming and Qing （1616-1911） dynasties， are worth mentioning for their impressive interpretations of “Jiashan good deeds”. This has made Jiashan culture stand out from the Wu-Yue culture as a unique regional culture.
Ding Bin was the first official in history to make an all-out donation. He not only donated all of his ancestral properties; he even borrowed money to help the villagers，while he himself was quite frugal and lived a simple life like an ascetic.
Yuan Liaofan， also known as Yuan Huang， was an advocate of the goodness movement in Jiangnan （south of the Yangtze River） and the author of Liaofan Si Xun， or Liaofan’s Four Lessons，a classic on goodness in China. He advocated the use of “merit and demerit” to exercise moral self-discipline and regulate one’s own behavior， so as to achieve the purpose of self-cultivation and perfection of life.
Chen Longzheng was a practitioner of the good-deed movement. He devoted himself to easing the after-calamity dilemma for his folks， for which purpose he established the Tongshan Guild Hall in Jiashan as a permanent institution and public office for running good deeds， and in helping the poor all year round. It was the first private charity organization in Jiangnan， and is of epoch-making significance in the history of Chinese folk charity. It is also the prototype of modern Chinese charitable organizations. As for Wei Dazhong and his son Wei Xueyi （1596-1625）， they are the representative figures of loyalty and filial piety. In Jiashan， the “goodness culture” is not only the moral standard of the scholar officials， but also runs through the simple actions and folk tales of the local people. Jiashan people always honor the honest officials， martyrs and those who have done good deeds for the county as the “city gods”， hoping their soul will protect local people’s safety and their spirit of goodness could be passed down for generations.
In recent years， Jiashan has elevated its culture to the same important position as its economy. The “goodness culture” has provided a strong spiritual support for the social and economic development of the county. It has become a source of the county’s soft power and a strong motivation promoting Jiashan’s development.
While exploring the way from “good administration to good governance”， Jiashan government has been innovatively breaking through the barriers of institutional mechanisms. The good governance in Jiashan has well balanced the economic strength， governance capacity， development speed， and governance effectiveness by continuously improving governance concepts， policies， and methods. It is a new model of county practice for promoting modern governance system and governance capacity.
The government has also made great efforts to create the best business environment featuring “goodness”， which embodies the concepts of freedom， equality， efficiency and integrity. It has also been striving to improve the environment so that local people are able to live in peaceful harmony with nature. For more than ten years， the Jiashan government has been promoting industrial restructuring， eliminating outdated and inefficient projects， restoring the ecosystem， and building a beautiful county.
And Jiashan’s overall upgrading and brand rebuilding continues. The county will make every effort to highlight its “goodness culture”， while improving the wellbeing of its people， cultivate its soft power， unleash its new charm and revitalize its industry. It is now walking towards a promising futur