Xitang

Xitang Town (西塘), located in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, is a well-known cultural and historical ancient town at home and abroad, covers an area of 83 square kilometers, with a history of more than 1000 years.

Xitang

Xitang has a flat terrain, 9 rivers converge in this town, dividing it into 8 sections. There are 104 bridges of varied structure from Ming and Qing Dynasties, some looking like rainbows over the river, and some like long flutes. Green waves ripple along and residents’ house built near the riverside.

People here live ease and peaceful lives, they ramble in a slow pace, wear a smile on their faces, all the year round sunrise and make, sunset and return. In the morning, water flows beneath bridges, houses near the river are reflected inversely in the water. As night near falls, a new scene is brought to life, the setting sun shines slantwise, and songs come from fishing boats, lamps flicker and the fragrance of wine drifts. For tourists from modern metropolises, Xitang is a place to experience a feeling of simplicity and leisure.

Xitang

An adviser from the UNESCO World Heritage Center spoke highly of Xitang after coming here. “Xitang is like the limpid and melodious music of a flute,” he said. “People need to appreciate it with their heart.”