Xitang is located in the north of Jiashan County, at the intersection of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. It is a famous thousand-year-old ancient town. In Xitang, you can savor the slow life here. You can drink tea and listen to music in teahouses. Or after Xitang is draped in a stunning coat at night, take a rowing boat to see the various reflections in the water. You can also go to a bar and sit down to find a bit of modernity in the simplicity.
Even standing on a bridge and looking down at the flowing wooden boats, looking out at the entire roof, or strolling aimlessly under the corridor is also a kind of pleasure. Many local residents live in the ancient town. You will often see grannies washing clothes by the river and grandpas playing chess under the corridor. The atmosphere of life is quite strong. Countless ancient bridges and alleys are the characteristics of Xitang. And there are corridors everywhere (a street with a roof, also known as a ‘rain corridor’). On one side of many corridors are shops and residences selling specialties, accessories, and snacks. On the other side is the river. Some corridors also have backrest benches on one side. When you are tired from walking, you can sit down and rest. The corridor from Songzi Laifeng Bridge to Beizha Street is particularly classic. Xitang’s corridor has the beautiful name of ‘Misty Rain Corridor’. If it is the rainy season, you can sit under the corridor and enjoy Xitang in the misty rain and feel the tenderness and variety of Jiangnan water towns. Xitang has more than one hundred old alleys of different lengths. The alleys are mostly paved with stone slabs. Some have high walls on both sides, some are wide and some are narrow. Among them, Shipi Alley with a width of only 1 meter is very famous. You can go in and experience the sense of crowding when passing by tourists on the opposite side sideways. You can also feel the secluded tranquility in the alley. There are nearly a hundred various stone bridges lying across the river lanes of Xitang. Yongning Bridge is a good viewing spot in Xitang. You can overlook the beautiful scenery at the intersection of the river. You can come here in the early morning to capture the quiet and simple water town style. In addition, there are also the uniquely shaped Songzi Laifeng Bridge, Huanyu Bridge where you can overlook layers of black tiles when standing on the bridgehead, and Wan’an Bridge which appeared in the scene of the movie ‘Mission: Impossible III’. There are many historical sites and scenic spots in the ancient town, including unique gardens and residences such as Xiyuan, Zuiyuan, and Zhongfutang. There are also temples with strong incense such as Huguo Suiliangwang Temple and Shengtang. You can also learn about the local folk customs in the Jiangnan Folk Eaves Tile Exhibition Hall, China Wine Culture Museum, and Button Museum. There are many bars in the area along Tangdong Street. At night, the sounds of music and singing rise and fall one after another. Xitang is also the shooting location for many film and television dramas. Perhaps many movie fans still remember the scene where Tom Cruise dashed through the corridor in the movie ‘Mission: Impossible III’. In addition, many restaurants, inns, alleys, and old houses have also left the footprints of various crews. When you come to Xitang, you must take a rowing boat ride and experience appreciating the ancient town from the water. Especially sitting on a boat at night and savoring the night view of Xitang is pleasing to the eye. There is a cruise ship dock inside the main entrance of the scenic area and in front of Songzi Laifeng Bridge.Strolling through Xitang, one can find a plethora of delicacies such as stinky tofu, tofu pudding, steamed pork, braised pork, water chestnut cake, and fermented glutinous rice balls. In the Beishan Street area, numerous traditional restaurants offer a variety of Jiangnan dishes at affordable prices.
The ancient town is dotted with quaint waterside inns and Ming-Qing dynasty residences, and many visitors choose to stay overnight. For those who prefer tranquility, there are alleys away from the bar streets that provide a quieter experience.
Operating Hours: Open all year round, 24/7.
Preferential Policies: Children: Free for those under 1.2 meters in height or under 6 years of age; half price for children between 1.2 meters and 1.5 meters in height. Elderly: Free for those aged 70 and above with a senior citizen card or ID; half price for those aged between 60 and 69 with a valid ID or senior citizen card. Students: Half price for full-time students in mainland China over 1.2 meters in height (excluding graduate students and above) with a valid student ID.
Retired Cadres: Free with a national retired cadres’ certificate. Disabled: Free with a disability card issued by the China Disabled Persons’ Federation or a military disability card. Military Personnel: Free with an active-duty officer or soldier ID. Journalists: Free with a press card issued by the Central Press and Publication Bureau. Tour Agency Staff: Free with a national tour guide, manager, or team leader certificate, and drivers with an A or A1 license. Martyrs’ Families: Free with a preferential certificate. Blood Donors: Free with a Zhejiang Province voluntary blood donation honor certificate. Minors: Half price for those aged between 6 and 18 with valid identification.Additional Information: The above information is for reference only, please check the day’s disclosures at the scenic area for specifics.
Service Facilities:
WIFI: Account: Xitang Ancient Town Official WiFi; Password: No password required; Coverage: Full coverage.
Luggage Storage: Reference price: Free; Address: Visitor Service Center.
Transportation within the park: Reference price: West route 200 yuan/boat, East route 150 yuan/boat; Individual tickets: 30 yuan/person (with a valid same-day scenic area ticket or night tour ticket), children between 1.0 meters and 1.2 meters 20 yuan/person; Address: West and East entrances, Laifeng Bridge, Wolong Bridge dock.
1. West route: West entrance → Tangjia Alley → Laifeng Bridge; Laifeng Bridge → West entrance; Laifeng Bridge → Tangjia Alley group. Group boats limit 8 people.
2. East route: East entrance → Wolong Bridge; Wolong Bridge → East entrance; Wolong Bridge → Wolong Bridge group. Group boats limit 6 people.
3. Please present a valid scenic area ticket or night tour ticket when purchasing boat tickets.
4. For night tours, take a boat at Laifeng Bridge Wharf or Wolong Bridge Wharf.
Restrooms: There are multiple restrooms in the scenic area, all marked with conspicuous signs.
