Xitang Ancient Town Guide: Transport, Tickets, Routes, Food and Hotels

In Jiangnan

ancient towns are scattered like stars

each with its own charm

But only Xitang Ancient Town

became famous without relying on age

size or layout

or a dramatic backstory

Because strolling through Xitang

isn't just viewing a watery scroll painting

it's like immersing yourself

in the most authentic

Chinese-style album

Now

follow this travel guide

and I'll play Xitang's soundtrack

for you in full

By high-speed rail

Jiashan South Station is the best choice

then transfer to bus 222

or the direct shuttle to Xitang Scenic Area

to reach Xitang

By bus

Shanghai South Bus Station

or Shanghai Pudong Airport

have direct coaches to Xitang

By car

Drive to Xitang from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou and other cities

To dive deep into the town's history

enter from the West Main Entrance at the Visitor Center

and head to Huguo Sui Liang Wang Temple

Built by locals to honor a Ming Dynasty grain transport official surnamed Jin

it's a unique spiritual landmark

Exit the temple and turn left

to reach Xitang's distinctive Misty Rain Corridor

Built along the river

it stretches over 2,600 meters

lined with teahouses

and specialty shops

and was a filming location for Mission: Impossible III

Walk about 200 meters along the corridor

to reach Zuiyuan

China's smallest garden

This exquisite Ming Dynasty scholar's garden

covers just a few dozen feet

yet stacks stones into mountains

channels water into pools

and arches bridges into rainbows

Exiting Zuiyuan

you'll see Xitang's oldest high bridge

Huanxiu Bridge

This iconic single-arch stone bridge

connects the Misty Rain Corridor

with bustling West Street

known as the town's center-stage bridge

Descend Huanxiu Bridge

and turn right

to reach Shipi Lane

Xitang's most famous "sliver of sky" alley

It's 68 meters long

and just 0.8 meters wide at its narrowest

Walking through it feels both claustrophobic and time-traveling

Exiting Shipi Lane

brings you to Wang Residence

also called Zhongfu Hall

one of the best-preserved Qing Dynasty private mansions in town

Not far from Wang Residence

is Xiyuan

Xitang's private garden

A classic late-Qing Jiangnan-style garden

with an exquisite layout where every step reveals a new view

it's the best place to experience Xitang's scholarly air

Continuing past Xiyuan

leads to Daomi Post

Daomi Post is an innovative fusion

of Nanpai Sanshu's official IP and local culture

a unique immersive experience space

Next, visit the Zhang Zheng Root Carving Art Museum

a private collection

housed in a typical Republican-era building

that ditches late-Qing styles

for soft, graceful arched corridors and window lattices

displaying Master Zhang Zheng's

personal root carvings

Continue along the main street

to the Eaves Tile Culture Exhibition Hall

An eaves tile (wadang)

is the outermost tile on a traditional roof

Small as it is

it waterproofs, drains rain

and protects the rafters

The hall displays tiles

from the Qin and Han dynasties through the Ming and Qing

revealing the art above the eaves

After viewing the tiles

cross Anjing Bridge

walk past Shaoxiang Port

and arrive at Ni Residence

the ancestral home of former Shanghai Vice Mayor Ni Tianzeng

The Ni family were local scholars

The residence has five courtyards

with a covered corridor in front

and a garden behind

The main hall is named

Chengqing Hall

Leaving Ni Residence

you reach Shengtang (Sage Hall)

which enshrines

Guan Yu, the God of Wealth and Martial Sage

As the Martial Sage

alongside Confucius the Literary Sage

both are revered as eternal teachers

hence "Sage Hall"

Across from Shengtang

is Vincent Fang's studio

a must-visit check-in spot for Jay Chou fans

If you love

Jay Chou's music

don't miss it

In the Qing Dynasty

the town's famous Meihua Sanbai liquor

was fragrant for miles

and poet Liu Yazi drank here often in the early Republic era

Xitang's liquor culture

is as old and renowned

as the town itself

Exiting the hall

walk back a few steps

and cross Wan'an Bridge

to reach the Button Museum

the world's first folk museum

dedicated to buttons

It houses thousands of Chinese and foreign buttons

from the Tang Dynasty to modern times

including pieces of great historical

and artistic value

Leaving the Button Museum

brings you to the final stop

Songzi Laifeng Bridge

Xitang's most romantic covered bridge

rich in folk symbolism

A decorative wall divides the deck

into left and right passages

Legend says men take the left side (Songzi)

to pray for a son

and women take the right (Laifeng)

to pray for a daughter

a fun and auspicious tradition

If you're not in a hurry

grab some local food nearby

wait for nightfall

then return to the Misty Rain Corridor

to enjoy Xitang's nightscape

That way

your Xitang trip will have no regrets

Xitang's beauty lies in its dual appeal

day and night offer two different thrills

To fully appreciate this watery album

we highly recommend staying overnight

Stay inside the scenic area

ideally in a waterfront terrace room

where you can photograph sculling boats and red lanterns right from your balcony

Or choose a guesthouse converted from a Ming or Qing mansion

to experience carved beds and antique furniture

With that

every track on Xitang Ancient Town's Chinese-style album

has played out

but Xitang's melody

is still being composed day and night

We invite you to come in person

and press your own play button