【Xiaoquan Ancient Town · Yuhu Garden】In the winter ancient town, stay in a courtyard filled with warm tea and the glow of life

Just after the Winter Solstice, the bluestone slabs of Xiaoquan Ancient Town feel a bit chilly, but once you step through the gate of Yuhu Garden, even the wind softens— Red lanterns under the eaves soak in the winter sun, beams of Tyndall light pass through sparse branches, scattering delicate warmth onto the porcelain cups on the tea table. The freshly brewed jasmine tea exhales warm mist into the cool air, and looking up, the flowing water gently rocks the "suspended water ball." The stone stools are warmed by the sun, and even the small lanterns on the dry branches in the courtyard corners seem to secretly hold the warmth of the ancient town. Staying here, time moves slowly: In the afternoon, move a bamboo chair to the waterside pavilion, where tea smoke wraps around the winter sun, watching fallen leaves drift into tiny fragments of gold on the water’s surface; At dusk, wander into the alleys of the ancient town, a hundred meters away is the red wall of Jiangxiao Ancestral Hall, stepping on bluestone slabs to visit Wusheng Temple, the wind by the old wall carries the aroma of "Xiaoquan Juice Beef"; At night, return to the courtyard, where lanterns glow a warm red, the tea kettle gently whistles on the charcoal stove, and even the barking dogs outside in the ancient town become a soft background sound. When you come to Xiaoquan, don’t just be a passerby: 📍 Yuhu Garden is right in the heart of the ancient town, a three-minute walk to the carved gate of Xiaoquan Mosque, turn a corner to buy freshly baked "ma bing" (sesame cakes), the fragrance wrapped in oil paper warms you all the way; 🛏️ The guest rooms overlook the courtyard, bedding bathed in winter sunlight, even the porcelain bowls at the washstand are printed with the ancient town’s cloud patterns; 🍵 The courtyard always has tea ready, and if you want it hot, the owner can bring a pot of freshly brewed old white tea from the charcoal stove. “The ancient town is too cold in winter, but the tea at Yuhu Garden can warm you through the whole season.”