Autumn Visit to Yuhang | Pingyao Old Street

To the west of Hangzhou's main city, the mountains are lush, the fields are fertile, and the Dongtiao Stream flows elegantly like a jade belt between the mountains and waters. On the north bank of the Tiao Stream lies a small town with wide urban roads, bustling traffic, and a gathering of merchants, presenting a lively human scene; this is Pingyao. Pingyao, formerly known as Ting Market, has been prosperous since ancient times and is known as the 'Land of Culture, Heavenly Abode, Home of Fish and Rice, and Northern Pearl of Beauty.' It is also the core area of the Liangzhu Culture, the light of Chinese civilization, where the Liangzhu Ancient City Site is located. Pingyao is a 5A scenic town in Zhejiang Province, with its gentle natural scenery and enchanting cultural heritage, becoming a popular spot for tourists. Here, one can find a unique nostalgic atmosphere and rich cultural heritage, including a free intangible cultural heritage museum and a handicraft research center, as well as culturally creative cafes, retro-style food stalls, and movie theaters with an 80s vibe... Pingyao, centered around Mozi Heart, has its east-west streets divided into Outer Kiln and Inner Kiln. Outer Kiln Street, backed by Kiln Mountain and facing Dongtiao Stream to the south, starts from the bend of Dongtiao Stream and stretches west to the foot of the main peak of Kiln Mountain. Outer Kiln Street is a commercial street between Kiln Mountain and Tiao Stream. Mountain people coming out of the mountains to catch the early market, pull bamboo and firewood with two-wheeled carts to the bamboo and wood market at Yangqiao Head to sell; there are also farmers from Penggong, Changming, Anxi, Liangzhu and surrounding villages, carrying their own vegetables and home-raised chickens and ducks to sell on the street. Inner Kiln Old Street, on the other hand, was once the busiest market in old Pingyao town. The street is lined with shops and bustling with people, with the old cinema being the most magnificent building on the old street at the time. Today's Pingyao Cinema still retains the retro style of the old cinema. When night falls and the neon lights on both sides of Tiao Stream light up, walking across the illuminated Pingyao Bridge, what presents before you is a glittering Inner Kiln old town. The lights along the ten-mile canal outline the contours of the buildings, with some eaves adorned with traditional red lanterns, paired with buildings in the style of the 70s and 80s, creating a strong atmosphere. Pingyao is also the land of inheritance for Pingyao's intangible cultural heritage. Sericulture, Yuhang paper umbrellas, kite lanterns, Liangzhu jade carving, pottery making, a variety of intangible heritage products on display, allowing visitors to witness and experience hands-on...