Things You Must Do in Xitang
1. Savour Xitang’s Unmatched Night Views
Experiencing Xitang after dark is an absolute must. If your itinerary only allows a rushed daytime stroll through the ancient town, I highly recommend staying overnight.
As night falls, the town brims with lively local life. Native residents set up small tables and chairs beneath osmanthus trees by the river, serving old duck soup and stir-fried green soybeans, paired with sips of rice wine. Distant Yue Opera melodies drift gently from the ancient stage…
2. Wander Deep into Every Narrow Alley
A light drizzle makes the perfect weather for exploring Xitang. This thousand-year-old water town exudes pure Jiangnan charm in soft rain. Grab an oil-paper umbrella and meander alone down these narrow, lengthy rain alleys.
Bluestone slabs glisten soaked by rain. White plastered walls, black tiles, upturned carved eaves, dark wooden pillars and brown timber gates—all the wooden architecture restores Xitang’s original rustic beauty. You will effortlessly melt into the laid-back riverside life of Jiangnan, growing utterly relaxed, and feel an urge to spend a night in a waterside house.
3. Explore the Stone Lanes of Varying Widths
Xitang is famed for its countless stone alleys, one of its signature highlights. Deep residential lanes wind twisting and quiet; you cannot tell how far they stretch, until you reach the end and step into a bright, open space with a brand-new view.
Xitang’s stone alleys fall into three categories: street alleys, side residential alleys and water alleys.
- Street alleys connect two parallel roads, linking the new commercial street to the old town. Walking through them feels like passing through a tunnel spanning two eras.
- Water alleys run from the street straight down to the river landing stages, serving as access points for households not directly facing the water.
- Side residential alleys sit beside the main halls of large mansions. Fully enclosed within the buildings and separated from neighbours by walls, they lack natural light. Small niches are carved into the walls of most side alleys to hold oil lamps for illumination.
4. Daydream Beneath the Misty Rain Corridor
Corridor sheds, simply put, are covered streets, a common sight across all Jiangnan water towns. You will inevitably wander along Xitang’s misty rain corridor as you tour the town, and the full scroll of Xitang unfolds before your eyes step by step.
When tired, take a casual seat on a bamboo bench under the corridor. Tune out the shade of overhead trees, the flowing river ahead, and tourists passing behind you. Empty your mind for even a few minutes—it is pure bliss.
5. Sip Rice Wine and Watch Traditional Opera
Opposite Songzi-Laifeng Bridge lies a riverside dock with a floating opera stage. At night, sit under the covered corridor across the river, or drift along the water in a hand-rowed boat, as soft, melodic Yue Opera in the gentle Wu dialect echoes all around. It evokes the nostalgic atmosphere of village operas depicted in Lu Xun’s writings.
Tasting local rice wine is non-negotiable in Xitang. Step into any restaurant or family eatery, order a plate of green soybeans, a handful of bite-sized zongzi and two pieces of eight-treasure cake, then ask the shopkeeper to heat a pot of rice wine. This leisurely pleasure is nothing short of divine.
|
上一篇：
发表、查看更多关于该信息的评论 
将本信息发给好友 
打印本页
