An unpopular ancient town recommended by Huzhou locals, open to the public for free!

Xinshi Ancient Town, known as "Xiantan" in ancient times, was founded in 308 AD. The Grand Canal passes through the town. It has a history of thousands of years, and its organizational history is more than 1,700 years! This mysterious ancient town was not originally on our Huzhou travel list, but at a canteen near Sanlin Ancient Town, we casually asked two locals what they thought was fun in Huzhou. They both recommended Xinshi Ancient Town, so we had to go and see it right away. one time! 📍Attraction address: No. 1 Duifengbang, Hujiawen Road, Deqing County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province 🚗Transportation to attractions: Take bus No. 322 or No. 307 and get off at Xinshi Station and walk about 600 meters 👍️Must visit attractions: 1. Chenjiatan: Also known as Shenjiatan, it was named after the Chen family, a wealthy family in the Ming Dynasty, lived here. The water is crystal clear, and I personally think it’s one of the most photographic positions to take pictures of the buildings on both sides of the canal from here (see cover)! 2. Ancient bridges: There are many bridges in the ancient town of Xinshi, and each one has its own unique story and meaning. For example, it was built in the Song Dynasty. It is said that newlyweds passing by the "Taiping Bridge" on the bridge will be peaceful and auspicious. Because Wu Qian, a native of Xinshi in the Song Dynasty, passed the exam The "Zhuangyuan Bridge", which was renamed because of the number one scholar in the imperial examination, has witnessed the prosperity and changes of this ancient town from the Jin Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty. 3. Yinxian Pavilion: "Yin" is a homophonic pronunciation of "welcome", which means welcoming friends from afar. At sunset, the ancient bridge next to the pavilion is an excellent location to take pictures of the sunset! 4. Lin's Shop: Because Mao Dun's aunt was from Wuzhen and later married to Qian Zhai in Xinshi, Mao Dun used this as a model to create the short story "Lin's Shop", and later the movie of the same name was also shot here. 5. Xihekou Historic District: From Zhujiaqiao to Wangxian Bridge, the core area of ​​Xinshi Ancient Town, the more than 500-meter-long old street retains a large number of ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. 6. Nine major exhibition halls: There are many exhibition halls in Xinshi Ancient Town, including Xinshi Museum of Culture and History, Shen Quan’s Former Residence, Zhong Zhaolin’s Former Residence, etc. Personally, I think the most interesting one is the former residence of Shen Quan, a great flower and bird painter in the Qing Dynasty. 7. Juehai Temple: Started in the 10th year of Yuanhe (815 AD) of Emperor Xianzong of the Tang Dynasty, it is located in the north of the ancient town. The poet Huang Tingjian of the Song Dynasty once wrote a poem for it. 8. Canal Bookstore: Next to Yinxian Pavilion, it integrates bookstores, cafes, and cultural experiences in a very quiet environment~ 🎟️Ticket related: Starting from May 1, 2024, the Xinshi Ancient Town Scenic Area and all exhibition halls in the scenic area will be open to all tourists free of charge! 🍲Food recommendations: 1. Tea cake: I thought it was a sweet cake with the aroma of tea, but I didn’t expect it to be salty, with plenty of meat filling, delicious and soft. Because it is used with tea, it is called tea cake. People in Xinshi are more accustomed to using it with soy milk. 2. Sauced mutton: You must have a bowl of mutton noodles when you come here. The rich soup paired with the soft stewed mutton is so beautiful! 3. Teahouses: Along Chenjiatan, there are teahouses all along. When the weather is nice, you can drink tea, chat, and bask in the sun. It’s so comfortable! 💗Other tips: There are still many locals living in the town, and it is full of fireworks. This town that traveled through thousands of years ago is still vividly displayed in front of the world! It is said that during the Spring Festival and other festivals, there will be a blacksmith performance at Canal Xintiandi next to the ancient town~