Xitang, a small, mystical town between Shanghai and Hangzhou, is a typical water town in southern China with over a thousand years of history. Nine rivers run through the town, while over 100 bridges connect the water-town into one entity. The picturesque scenery of Xitang will surely captivate any visitor home and abroad.
Xitang has a lot of water, and so obviously there are bridges to go with them.
Bridges are an important part of the past, since most of them were originally constructed during the Qing and Ming Dynasties. A total of 104 bridges enliven the landscape like rainbows over the water. Daily life revolves around the bridges and many people have lived the same way for years. The bridges take you back to the past when folklore and legends were shaped.
One famous bridge is Song Zi Lai Feng Qiao, and the tradition is that crossing the bridge will bring one many sons and daughters. The bridge is also famous because both the elderly and their young sons and daughters gather here to sing and listen to Chinese opera. This brings a smile to everyone¡¯s face.
Among the faces, you may notice the many elderly people strolling the corridors and relaxing by the water. They make up a significant proportion of the population of 3,000. These folk live simple lives, going about their daily routines, playing with their grandchildren, and chatting with each other. They are an integral part of the community and bear witness to the passing of the years.
Under the bridges runs the flowing water. In Xitang, water is the source of life. Sailing through this liquid street, you can appreciate Xitang for its beauty and deep-rooted culture. The town maintains many well-preserved architectural structures from the days of the emperor. Thus, many scholars study the town and its rich history. The slow moving ripples, like the wrinkles on an old woman¡¯s face, leave traces of the deep rooted past. Perhaps from the tops of larger bridges you may witness the black tiled roofs and whitewashed walls of the local residences. These bricks and tiles are a special decorative element of Xitang possessing huge cultural significance. From afar, the tiles seem like one fixed roof, but they can actually be taken apart piece by piece.
Tiles are not only on households, but also ceilinged corridor of storefronts. The ceilinged corridors are the most distinguishing structure of the scenery. Even in the Qing and Ming dynasties, Xitang was a commercial town with many shops built on the banks of the river.
I suppose we can call these the streets of Xitang. These topped corridors were designed by local residents to protect themselves from the rain and sun, but now serve primarily as a tourist attraction. These corridors can run up to 1000 meters.
The ceilinged corridors were often a place of business, since residents and merchants could buy fresh produce straight from the boats sailing in the river. Each merchant built the ceilings over the stone plank road in front of their shop, which connected to form a long, winding corridor.
If you are coming to Xitang, one thing you want to bring for sure is a good camera. However, if you're running low on film, you can always go to one of the many little shops which sell this, along with toys, souvenirs, and even art. This artist is so familiar with the landscape that he has the images imprinted in his mind. He does not need a single look.
If you come to Xitang, make sure you watch the sunset and you stay for the night, when darkness falls. Open your eyes and you will find the entire town lit up with a string of red lanterns. The moon, lanterns, combined with the flickering lights from households provides a dim and romantic environment as a calmness settles across the water.
If you are lucky, you might also catch the folk opera on the water stage and you can quietly listen to the graceful notes of the singers as you enjoy your fragrant tea. The hours of the night seem to quickly disappear as the singers describe images of revelry, sadness, and conflict in the ancient past.
Many cultural structures have disappeared with time, but these lanes have remained, playing a huge role in the everyday lives of the residents.
The most famous lane is called Shipi lane, or literally the skin of the stone lane for its 216 thin paving stones. The lane is a mere one meter wide. In the narrowest part is only about 0.8 meters, so tight two neighbors who opened their windows from the building walls could hold hands.
Okay, it is getting a little too creepy for me, so lets get back in the light. There are lanes of many types and functions. The 122 lanes are within residences, some connect streets, and others connect streets to water.
These water lanes allowed boats to stop by the river and at the same time, residents in the lane could easily access the water.
What would a street series be without visiting Xitang West Street. This cozy 3 or 4 meter path is the center of activity for inhabitants and merchants. On the weekends, throngs of people come from all over the world during the weekends to stroll. Many shops are scattered on the two sides of the street, selling fabric, accessories, and snacks.
Besides broad beans, Xitang is also known for its glutinous rice dumplings, in short, just call it Zongzi. The ones here are filled with flavored pork and soy sauce, wrapped with plant leaves. The storeowners make and sell so many of these delicious rice dumplings so quickly that it looks like they could wrap them it in their sleep.
So these are called glutinous rice dumplings. Sometimes they are sweet, sometimes they are salty, and sometimes just plain delicious. So, try some yourself.
Walking on the street, you can find many shops selling the same snacks---zongzi, broad beans, smelly tofu. However, the local residents will tell you who makes the best ones. The zongzi are so delicious that most tourists can't resist buying a few for the road, so that they could bring them home and share with friends
Besides snacks, what else could you take home from this trip? On the street you might see merchants selling toys, fans, purses, masks, so many souvenirs for the curious traveler. And the famous blue dyed fabric in Southern China is processed here and there are some dying mills where you can step into to look around.
Along West Street there are many shops that sell local handicrafts, such as coiled buttons, Chinese knots, and embroidery. The intricate needlework is all homemade, so you are guaranteed a unique piece.
One thing to expect in Southern China is the mercurial weather. However, you might not sing rain, rain, go away since the showers compliment the beauty of the natural scenery. The entire landscape is veiled with a thin mist and the water quietly drops onto the earth and rivers. One can admire the iridescent colors of the oil that floats on the surface of the streets.
Look at these lanes glistening with water. Can you imagine that the people of the past walked these very lanes? Lets take a journey back in time¡­
Walking down the weathered lanes with a paper umbrella in hand, you couldn't help but imagine what the traditional China was like. The past was a time where everything slowed down. We could savor each drop of water, each rock, and each life. Perhaps nothing was much different from Xitang today. The same bridges with inscriptions near the arch, the same waters, and of course the same boats and carried passengers with each stroke of the oar.
Xitang in the rain is different than any other day. The drops of water splash onto the river like little shining stars and you can hear birds chirping in the distance. However, we do not have to worry about the rain because we have these ceilinged corridors to protect us. So, get a cup of tea and just enjoy the moment.
Sometimes we like a place because it is thrilling or grand. However, this town is beautiful purely because of its simple, unadorned appearance. Amongst the growing number of hectic cities and urban centers, Xitang remains a place untouched by the grasp of modern life.
Before you know it, the rain will stop and you will awaken from your dream. The showers leave the town refreshed so perhaps we should dry off and find somewhere to sit and rest.
In this famous teahouse by the water, you can look out the window and savor a perfect view of. Sometimes, the owner of the shop will even play a few tunes with his er hu as you sip your tea.
Some people think Xitang is like a poem, others think it is a song. However, that is useless unless you can find where we are. So if we use this to represent Hangzhou, and this to represent Shanghai. This could be Xitang. So, it is about 80km from Hangzhou and 110 from Shanghai. Not far at all.
Although Xitang has opened to hundreds of tourists, the residents normal lives have surprisingly been disturbed very little. The fishermen still fishes and the merchant still sets up shop. Unlike many other water towns, visiting Xitang, you will not feel like a tourist, but rather apart of their community.
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