Shaoxing's intangible cultural heritage

is deeply rooted in the everyday life of the old city,

between the water town charm of Keqiao

and the Yue culture of Shengzhou.

With rice wine as its base,

soy sauce as its pulse,

and daily life as its soul,

it weaves together a Jiangnan lifestyle

you can see, touch, and taste.

There are countless wines in the world,

each with its own character and flavor,

but only rice wine

holds the warmest poetry

of Shaoxing's people.

Unlike beer,

it has no crisp, fizzy bite.

Nor is it like baijiu—

bold, straightforward,

fiery on the palate

with an explosive aroma.

Instead, it is mellow and smooth,

slightly sweet with a hint of rice fragrance.

It goes down easily,

with a slow, lingering warmth

that grows richer over time.

Rice wine never overwhelms with intensity

or relies on sharpness to impress.

Its gentle richness

makes it a thousand-year-old brew

perfectly suited to the Shaoxing palate.

Shaoxing Huadiao wine,

a derivative intangible heritage of rice wine,

is defined by the hand-painted artistry on its jars.

At the Yellow Wine Museum

or century-old wineries in the old town,

you can watch heritage artisans

paint Huadiao jars live.

Using clay jars as their canvas

and mineral pigments for hand-painting,

their delicate brushwork and rustic colors

make every jar a one-of-a-kind artwork.

The subtle sweetness of Shaoxing Yin Gao, or stamped rice cake,

is not to be missed.

Dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties,

this traditional pastry is made by artisans

using water-milled glutinous rice flour

filled with red bean paste or sesame,

then pressed into heirloom wooden molds.

Once unmolded,

the surface reveals intricate traditional patterns.

Steamed to perfection,

it is soft, smooth,

delicately sweet without being cloying,

and full of pure rice fragrance—

a homestyle taste passed down

through generations in Shaoxing.

Luzhen in the Keyan Scenic Area

is the only real-life venue

for experiencing Luzhen Shexi, or street theater.

Rebuilt from the water town scenes described by Lu Xun,

it serves as a key platform

for preserving Shaoxing's theatrical traditions.

The Luzhen stage hosts scheduled performances daily,

using the actual water town as a backdrop

while actors recreate characters from Lu Xun's stories,

letting you immerse yourself

in the folk customs of his writings.

Shengzhou,

the birthplace of Yue Opera,

preserves the authentic essence of Shaoxing Yue Opera.

Professional performers

stage classic Yue Opera productions daily,

with "The Butterfly Lovers" (Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai)

as a regular show

featuring beloved excerpts.

With melodious singing,

flowing water sleeves,

and soft Wu dialect vocals,

every moment brims with Jiangnan tenderness.

Walking through Shaoxing