Jiaxing Xitang Ancient Town

Xitang is a long, ink-and-wash scroll, stained by time, quietly unfolding in the palm of Jiangnan. The water here flows slowly, as if aware of the restlessness of human hearts and soothing the mundane with its slow pace. The bridges are low, as if afraid to disturb the dreams beneath. Moss-covered rooftops speak of time's leisurely crawling past; the winding corridors offer travelers a series of quiet, inner conversations. Xitang is particularly captivating at night, where lanterns reflect on the water, their light and shadows flowing like old love stories, gently hidden by the wind in the cracks of rocks and at the end of alleys. Here, there are few noisy surprises, but details that draw repeated recollection. Xitang is not a place to be "seen," but rather a place to be "lived in," allowing the modern bustle to slowly settle behind the pristine wooden windows, transforming into a gentle, inner world.