Xitang: Instantly Travel Through a Jiangnan Ink Painting

「🗺️Xitang 3-Day Tour | Misty Corridor and Shipi Alley・Suitable for All Groups」 Xitang, an ancient town in Jiangnan gently embraced by time, features the misty corridor with its cobblestone path etched with traces of years, and the Xutang River flowing through the town carrying the gentle sound of oars. Bringing the whole family here, you can watch the morning mist drift over the stone bridge at dawn, listen to the whispers of lanterns reflecting on the water at night, and feel the lively charm and poetry of a "living thousand-year-old town." 🗓️Itinerary Overview D1: Arrive in Xitang → Misty Corridor → Songzi Laifeng Bridge → Xitang Night View D2: Shipi Alley → Xiyuan Garden → Ni Residence → Shaoxianggang → Xutang River Boat Ride D3: Huguo Suiliang Wang Temple → Xitang Paper-Cutting Art Museum → Return 🏮Day 1: Seeking Serenity in the Corridor · Drunk in the Night 📍Xitang Ancient Town (5A, ticket 95 RMB, half price for seniors over 60, free for children under 1.2 meters) Core Highlights: One of the "Six Great Ancient Towns of Jiangnan," the Misty Corridor is the biggest feature—over 1,000 meters of covered walkway shielding from wind and rain, with shops, tea houses, and residences underneath. "No wet shoes on rainy days, no sun on sunny days." Seniors can rest on bamboo chairs under the corridor, children chase the grandma selling gorgon fruit cakes, experiencing the life of "homes nestled by the river." 🕙Opening Hours: All day, ticket includes 11 attractions, valid for 3 days. 📸Photo Spots: Middle section of the Misty Corridor (capture corridor, stone bridge, and black-awning boats in one frame), Songzi Laifeng Bridge (capture double-arched reflection). 💡Tips: Multiple entrances to the ancient town; for seniors and children, enter from the "Main Gate Visitor Center" which has barrier-free access; free admission before 7 AM and after 5 PM (some attractions may be closed). 📍Xitang Night View (included in the scenic area) Core Highlights: When lanterns light up, both sides of Xutang River look like a galaxy fallen to earth, blending folk songs from the bar street with the tranquility of ancient bridges. Seniors can take a black-awning boat (150 RMB/boat, seats 6) to enjoy the night view, children love counting the lanterns on the shore, feeling the romance of "Night Xitang." 🕙Lighting Time: 18:00-22:00, recommended to take the boat before 8 PM to avoid the bar street noise. 🍖Recommended Food: "Lu’s Small Wontons" in the Misty Corridor, small wontons (thin skin, fresh filling) + gorgon fruit cake (soft and glutinous), about 20 RMB per person; "Lao Pinfang" restaurant, spicy stir-fried snails (mildly spicy), steamed white fish (light flavor), about 50 RMB per person, suitable for the whole family. 🏨Recommended Accommodation: "Xitang Theme Inn" inside the scenic area, riverside rooms with windows facing the river, family rooms available, includes breakfast (white porridge, tea eggs), priced 300-400 RMB/night, convenient for night sightseeing. 🌀Day 2: Exploring Deep Alleys · Waterway Stroll 📍Shipi Alley (included in ticket) Core Highlights: The narrowest alley in Xitang, only 0.8 meters wide, flanked by weathered high walls, with a "line of sky" visible when looking up. Seniors can walk slowly and feel the "deep courtyard"; children love running from one end to the other playing hide and seek, experiencing the lively atmosphere of the ancient town. 🕙Opening Hours: Same as the scenic area, recommended to visit at 9 AM when fewer people for better photos. 📸Photo Spots: Alley entrance (capture "line of sky" light and shadow), stone steps inside the alley (capture family holding hands walking). 💡Tips: Uneven ground in the alley, help seniors and children hold the handrails; avoid peak times to prevent getting stuck side by side. 📍Xiyuan Garden and Ni Residence (included in ticket) Core Highlights: Xiyuan is a garden within the ancient town, with rockeries, ponds, and elegant pavilions; Ni Residence is the former home of a wealthy merchant from the Republic of China era, featuring exquisite wood and brick carvings, showcasing Xitang folk customs. Seniors reminisce over old furniture, children feed fish in Xiyuan, experiencing the life of a "wealthy family." 🕙Opening Hours: 8:00-17:30. 💡Tips: Ni Residence offers free guided tours (10:00/14:00), listening to "ancient town stories" with children is more fun. 📍Xutang River Boat Ride (not included in ticket, 150 RMB/boat) Core Highlights: Ride a black-awning boat passing under bridges, watch residents washing vegetables and hanging clothes on both banks, listen to the boatwoman singing Jiangnan folk tunes. Seniors sit at the bow enjoying the scenery, children reach out to touch the river water, feeling "the boat floats on water, people sit in a painting." 🕙Operating Hours: 8:00-17:30, recommended to ride at 3 PM when the sunlight slants beautifully on the water. 💡Tips: The boat ride lasts 30 minutes, life jackets are worn; bring mosquito repellent in summer as there are many mosquitoes by the river. 🎨Day 3: Folk Culture Exploration · Hands-on Experience 📍Huguo Suiliang Wang Temple (included in ticket) Core Highlights: Commemorates the Ming dynasty official who "saved starving people" by transporting grain; the temple’s ancient stage often hosts Yue opera performances (10:00/15:00). Seniors can listen to opera while drinking tea (10 RMB/cup), children watch actors applying makeup, experiencing the town’s faith and culture. 🕙Opening Hours: 8:00-17:30. 📸Photo Spots: In front of the stage (capture Yue opera performance), stone lions at the temple gate (capture the solemn ancient temple). 📍Xitang Paper-Cutting Art Museum (included in ticket) Core Highlights: Showcases Jiangnan paper-cutting art, visitors can try cutting "Fu" characters and window flowers by hand (30 RMB/person). Seniors recall childhood memories watching traditional paper cuts, children learn simple patterns, feeling the charm of intangible cultural heritage. 🕙Opening Hours: 8:30-17:00. 💡Tips: Experience requires booking 10 minutes in advance, with teacher guidance, suitable for children. 🍖Recommended Food: Outside the scenic area, "Xitang Renjia" restaurant offers steamed pork with rice flour (glutinous and not greasy), Malantou mixed with dried tofu (refreshing), about 40 RMB per person, great value. ✨Xitang Survival Guide 1️⃣Transportation: Take high-speed rail to Jiashan South Station, taxi to Xitang about 30 minutes (around 50 RMB), or take K222 bus (5 RMB) for 1 hour; only walking allowed inside the ancient town, main attractions reachable on foot, wheelchairs available for seniors (50 RMB/day). 2️⃣Clothing: Spring wear thin jacket + long sleeves (rainy, bring umbrella, Misty Corridor shelters from rain); summer wear short sleeves + sun protection clothing (cool under corridor, no sun); autumn wear knitwear + trench coat (cool mornings and evenings); winter wear down jacket + scarf (windy by the river). 3️⃣Taboos: Do not sit casually on residents’ doorsteps; do not stand up on black-awning boats; keep quiet on bar street at night to avoid disturbing residents. 4️⃣Food: Xitang cuisine is light, mainly river fresh; must-try gorgon fruit cake, steamed pork with rice flour, malt cake; seniors and children suitable for wontons and white porridge, easy to digest. 🛍️Must-Buy Souvenirs ①Gorgon Fruit Cake (20 RMB/box, glutinous rice + gorgon fruit, sweet and sticky, loved by seniors and children) ②Xitang Paper-Cutting Pendant (30 RMB each, zodiac and Fu character patterns, intangible cultural heritage specialty) ③Malt Cake (10 RMB/bag, made with mugwort, mildly sweet and chewy) ④Black-Awning Boat Model (50 RMB each, handmade wood, strong commemorative value) The beauty of Xitang lies in the misty rain, the lively corridor, and the stories of the alleys. No matter who you come with, after walking the cobblestones and hearing the oar sounds, you will fall in love with this "take it slow" Jiangnan. If you come to Xitang, would you most want to take your parents on a black-awning boat to see the night view, or accompany your children to learn paper-cutting?