Video highlights
- Zuiyuan Garden is tucked deep in the ancient town, with fewer visitors and a peaceful setting.
- Yongning Bridge is a popular sunset viewing spot for locals
- Ganyao Old Street is close to Xitang Ancient Town and has no trendy tourist shops
- Ganyao Old Street is the birthplace of Jiangnan brick and tile culture
- Dayun Tourist Resort features pastoral flower fields with blooms in all four seasons
Video transcript
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Everyone knows
the lively buzz of Xitang,
but few realize that beyond the noise
lies the purest, most tranquil essence of Jiangnan.
Escape the crowds and seek out these hidden corners
to discover the quiet poetry of this ancient town.
The real Xitang hides in peaceful spots few ever visit:
serene classical gardens,
gentle sunsets over old bridges,
and rustic streets just outside the town.
Each place sheds the frenzy of commercialization,
preserving the most captivating spirit of Jiangnan.
Tucked deep within the ancient town is Zuiyuan Garden.
Unlike popular gardens packed with visitors,
it stands quietly among the lanes.
Small and delicate,
it avoids elaborate landscaping—
just clear water winding around rockeries.
Strolling through,
you hear no vendors shouting,
only the breeze rustling through leaves,
with light and shadow scattered across the bluestone slabs,
leaving your heart calm and at ease.
At dusk, Xitang's most beautiful view awaits at Yongning Bridge.
With its wide-open vistas and peaceful atmosphere,
it's a sunset spot treasured by locals.
As the sun dips low,
warm light slowly spreads across the river,
and the flowing water shimmers softly.
Sculling boats drift gently through the water,
breaking the river's stillness.
As twilight deepens,
lanterns on both banks light up one by one,
blending the glow of the sunset with the lantern light.
The evening breeze brushes your face,
gathering all the romance and gentleness of this water town in one place.
Step outside the ancient town,
and the area around Xitang still holds plenty of surprises.
Not far away, Ganyao Old Street
is an untouched Jiangnan hideaway.
There are no noisy trendy shops
or artificially built attractions here—
just authentic small-town life.
As the birthplace of Jiangnan brick-and-tile culture,
the old street carries a century of history,
its lanes quiet and unpretentious.
Dayun Tourist Resort,
meanwhile, is a natural retreat that soothes the soul.
After taking in enough white-walled, dark-tiled architecture,
the pastoral flower fields here
are enough to melt away all your fatigue.
Flowers bloom across the seasons,
plants thrive everywhere.
Wander through the woods and blossoms,
far from the noise of cities and ancient towns,
and immerse yourself in nature—
it's enough to calm any restless mind.
Stripped of the crowds and clamor,
Xitang's gentleness
lives in every hidden corner.
These quiet, pure scenes
piece together the most moving vision of Jiangnan,
ensuring every trip lives up to expectations
and adds a relaxed, elegant touch to your journey.




