Xitang Water Town, June 2025

Had some free time so decided to visit Xitang Water Town (西塘古镇), about 1.5 hours drive southwest of Shanghai.  I came here on rainy afternoon to photograph the rows of white stained houses with tradtional dark grey tiled-roofs, horse-head gables and red lanterns hanging from the eaves framing the narrow waterways, the stone arch bridges, and the wooden Wupeng boats (乌蓬船) sailing back and forth bringing visitors as well as goods just like in the ancient times.  Xitang is a historic water town, crisscrossed by 9 rivers connected by picturesque old bridges, dating back to the Spring and Autumn period (770BC – 476BC).  The present layout had already been in place before the Song Dynasty.  Here you will find a maze of stone-paved ancient lanes and well preserved Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings set along the river banks where the main form of transportation used to be by boat along these canals.   There are many street stalls, restaurants, and shops here yet doesn’t feel overly commercialized.  Xitang has been categorized as a 5A level tourist site by the China National Tourism Administration in 2017.  There are still around 2,600 households living here.  Now is actually not the perfect time to visit considering the rising heat and frequent rains, however, Xitang is known to rain for almost half of the year anyways.  Perhaps that is why the ancient people built the unique 1.3km long covered Yanyu Gallery Lane (烟雨长廊), literally meaning the “Misty Rain Corridor”, along the riverfront.  No need to worry about rainy days or hot summer days!  I chose to stay inside the scenic area near the North Gate at the Xitang Lightyear Hotel (西塘光年酒店) which is within a 10-min walk to most attractions.  The other more luxurious option will be at Naera Hotel (西塘良壤酒店) which is a good 20 minutes walk away from the ancient water town.  Xitang has an entrance ticket of RMB95 that includes visits to a dozen or so museums and historic villas.

Xitang Lightyear Hotel (西塘光年酒店)

Xitang Lightyear Hotel (西塘光年酒店)

Xitang

Xitang

 

Songzi Laifeng Bridge (送子来凤桥)

 

Songzi Laifeng Bridge (送子来凤桥)

Songzi Laifeng Bridge (送子来凤桥)

Huanxiu Bridge (环秀桥) is situated at a high point and is a good place to admire the scenery Xitang has to offer.

Yongning Bridge (永宁桥), constructed during the Qing Dynasty, is a single-arch stone bridge.   It is a another great place to admire the views of both banks of the Xitang River, especially the long covered corridor extending out like a winding dragon along the riverbank.  The scenery here, especially in the evening when the lanterns reflect in the calm waters, perfectly captures the charm of a typical Jiangnan water town.

View from Yongning Bridge (永宁桥)

 

View from Yongning Bridge (永宁桥)

 

 

 

View from Yongning Bridge (永宁桥)

 

 

Xitang

Anjing Bridge (安静桥), which means “Silent Bridge”, ironically leads into the noisy Tangdong street (塘东街), also known as Bar Street.

 

Tangdong street (塘东街), also known as Bar Street.

 

 

Tangdong street (塘东街), also known as Bar Street.

Xitang

Wanan Bridge (万安桥)

 

Built during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, the single-arched Wolong Bridge (卧龙桥) or Crouching Dragon Bridge is the highest bridge in Xitang at 5.5 meters high.

 

Xitang

 

Xitang

 

Xitang

 

Xitang

The single-arched Wufu Bridge (五福桥) or Five Bliss Bridge was built during the Ming Dynasty and then renovated during the Qing Dynasty and has a stepped floor.

Si Xian Bridge (四賢橋)

West Street (西街) is the main thoroughfare for shopping and eating while Tangdong street (塘东街) is also known as Bar Street.  The longest of the 122 lanes is Sixianci Lane, at 236 meters.  The narrowest and most well-known lane is Shipi Lane (石皮弄) at 68 meters long and very narrow, with the broadest part being 110cm wide and the narrowest part being 80cm.  It is paved with 166 stone planks, which are only 3 centimeters thick, and that is why it is called Shipi (the skin of the stone) Lane.

West Street (西街)

West Street (西街)

West Street (西街)

On West Street is Xi Yuan (西园) or West Garden, the largest private historic garden in Xitang, known for its old wooden tea room, long corridors, rockeries, fish pond, pavilions, and old lacebark pine tree.

 

Xi Yuan (西园) or West Garden

 

 

Xi Yuan (西园) or West Garden

 

Xi Yuan (西园) or West Garden

Also on West Street is Zhongfu Hall (种福堂), one of the best kept original estates from the Ming Dynasty and was owned and lived in by the Wang (王) clan.

Zhongfu Hall (种福堂)

Zhongfu Hall (种福堂)

Zuiyuan (醉园) or Drunken Garden is named after the hall, Juijng Tang (醉经堂) or “Hall of Intoxicating Books”, from the original large estate owned by the Wang Zhixi (王志熙), a prominent calligrapher and painter.  The small garden traces back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and includes 5 courtyards filled with delicate rockworks and winding aisles.

 

Zuiyuan (醉园) or Drunken Garden

 

 

Zuiyuan (醉园) or Drunken Garden

 

Zuiyuan (醉园) or Drunken Garden

Ni’s Residence (倪宅), built during the Republic of China (1912-1949), was the residence of the Ni family, known for their literary background. It once hosted a poets’ society.

 

Ni’s Residence (倪宅)

 

Ni’s Residence (倪宅)

There is a Button Museum (纽扣博物馆) here in Xitang, built in 1927, by a rich merchant who liked to collect buttoms.  Over a thousand buttons are on display here ranging from the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) to the modern era.  There are craftsmen on site demonstrationg how shell buttons, a Xitang specialty, are made.  Xitang is also known for the Pankou knot buttons made of cloth and are used as fasteners or decorative elements on traditional clothing.   Believe it or not, Xitang is one of the largest producers of buttons, around 50% of the buttons sold in China are made here!

 

Button Museum (纽扣博物馆)

 

Button Museum (纽扣博物馆)

 

The Yellow Wine Culture Museum (黄酒陈列馆) is not only a museum, but also the largest Huangjiu yellow wine factory in China.  Dating back to the Ming Dynasty, Xitang has been renowned for making yellow wine.

 

Huguo Grain Official Temple (护国随粮王庙), also known as the Temple of the Seventh Master (七老爷庙), is dedicated to a local deity.  During the Ming Dynasty, an official, surnamed Jin, ranked seventh, who was responsible for transporting grain, passed the famine-struck town, and without the permission of his seniors, distributed the imperial grain to the starving locals.  He was sentenced to death for defying the law, and he ended his own life in the waters of the Yanta Bay River.  The grateful locals built a temple in his honor and the imperial government, upon learning of his act, posthumously honored him as the Huguo Grain Official.  Every year on the third day of the fourth lunar month, which marks the birthday of the Grain Official, the “Seven Old Master’s Flood Festival” is celebrated. On this day, the people of Xitang take to the streets to celebrate, businesses stay open throughout the night, and many activities are held such as horse racing performances and riding on white boats.

Huguo Grain Official Temple (护国随粮王庙)

Old stage along the river

Xitang, at night, is especially mesmerizing when the glowing red lanterns all light up.

 

Xitang, at night, is especially mesmerizing when the glowing red lanterns all light up.

I had a wonderful 24 hours in Xitang, pacing the stone-paved lanes, sitting by the waterways and watching the locals go about the day, and listening to the swishing water as the boats go by.  It is a great place to slow down and disconnect even if only for a brief moment.

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