Secret Shaoxing | A Slow-Time Stroll Guide to Xixian Huanheyan

| A Slow-Time Stroll Guide to Xixian Huanheyan. 🌿 Hidden north of Lu Xun's Former Residence lies a forgotten riverside old street—Xixian Huanheyan. ▫️ ✨🚶‍♂️ Cobblestone paths wind like poetry, white walls and black tiles reflect in emerald waves, while the oar sounds of black-canopied boats carry the aroma of centuries-old fermented sauce. Here, there’s no tourist bustle—only wind chimes under old eaves and the quiet whispers of sun-dried soy-sauce ducks hung by grandmothers on the bridge. ▫️ 🍶 **Living Fossil of Fermented Sauce Culture** Stroll along the river and stumble upon the boundary stone of the Chen Family Compound, where the inscription "Yide Hall" in charcoal powder speaks of the glory of the Qianyu Fermented Sauce Garden from the Qing Dynasty. The ceramic jars of the Song Dynasty official sauce garden once stood here, and even now, the faint scent of fermentation lingers in the air. Visit at dawn to watch masters stir the sauce vats with bamboo rakes and hear tales of ancient summer sauce-making techniques. ▫️ 📸 **Photography Guide** 1️⃣ Capture reflections on Xianhuan Bridge—wear a plain qipao for the best shots. 2️⃣ The bougainvillea wall near Tazi Bridge glows beautifully at 16:00. 3️⃣ From the café’s second-floor terrace, snap black-canopied boats gliding past black-tiled roofs. 🚶 **Strolling Route** 10-minute walk from Lu Xun's Former Residence → Xianhuan Bridge → Chen Family Compound → Fika+ Café → Tazi Bridge → Xinjian Road Night Market ⏰ Best Times: Dawn for misty sauce vats, dusk for golden-lit white walls. ▫️ 💡 **Tips:** ▫️ The old street has many steps—wear comfortable shoes. ▫️ Bargain with grandmothers selling dried pickled vegetables (around ¥10 per pack). When black-canopied boats ripple the water, when sauce aromas blend with coffee, when old compounds meet new aesthetics—Xixian Huanheyan is Shaoxing’s love letter to time, handed to the world.