Some questions about going to Xitang

Basic information column Chinese name: Xitang Foreign name: XiTang Alias: Xutang, Xietang, also known as Pingchuan Administrative District Category: Town Region: East China Government Residency: Xitang Telephone area code: 0573 Postal area code: 314102 Area: 1 square kilometers Famous attractions: Xitang Ancient Town License plate code: Zhejiang F Directory [Hide] Xitang History and Culture Xitang Location Xitang Transportation Guide Xitang Accommodation Culture Xitang Geographical Location Xitang Transportation Guide Xitang Accommodation Jiashan County. Jiashan is located at the junction of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, two provinces and one city.

It is within 100 kilometers from Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou. It has convenient transportation, including highways, National Highway 320, and the Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway. It can be reached by car or train. Xitang is 10 kilometers north of Jiashan City and can be reached in 20 minutes by bus.

Xitang is an ancient town with a thousand years of history and culture. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it was the place where Wu and Yue met, so it was known as "Wu Gen Yue Jiao" and "Yue Jiao Family". The biggest difference between Xitang and other ancient water towns is that the streets facing the river in the ancient town have corridors and sheds, with a total length of nearly a kilometer, just like the corridors of the Summer Palace.

The ancient town of Xitang covers an area of ​​1 square kilometers. The ancient town is crisscrossed by 9 rivers, dividing the ancient town into 8 blocks, among which 27 ancient bridges connect the towns. In the long years of spring, summer, autumn and winter, sunny, cloudy, rainy and snowy, the ancient town has always presented a picture of constant changes: "people are in the water, small bridges are built on the water, pedestrians walk on the bridge, small boats go under the bridge, shops stand on the bridgehead, and there are reflections in the water." waterside style painting.

XITANG To the smallest extent, more than 120 long, deep and narrow alleys have been formed, with some being more than 100 meters long and some being less than 1 meter narrow, forming many "line of sky". At the same time, the names of the streets and alleys vividly reflect the prosperity of the ancient town's commerce and the characteristics of the alleys, such as Mihangdai, Dengzhu Street, Youche Lane, Chaitan Lane, Shipi Lane, and dozens of other names that are closely related to the names of those years. Commerce, construction, etc. are all directly connected.

When you arrive at Xitang at night, the most attractive ones are the pavilions along the street built along the river. The streets here are built along the river, and the business of the shops is done along the river. In the past, farmers in water towns used rivers as their way to travel and traveled by boat. Many transactions could only be carried out on the shore on boats. Therefore, a special building that connects the river and shops and can provide shade and shelter from the sun and rain - the shed came into being. It is born, passed down from generation to generation, and becomes a habit along the way. The practical gallery shed is a unique building in the water town. The more than 1,300-meter-long gallery shed in Xitang has been preserved and has become a leisure meal for contemporary people to appreciate the ancient times and explore the secrets.

Xitang had already formed villages and towns during the Tang and Song Dynasties. By the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Xitang developed into a prosperous and prosperous market town with its economic foundation and waterways as a land of plenty and silk. Industries such as kiln industry, rice market, food, and pottery making are increasingly prosperous. Many of the existing ancient houses and courtyards in the ancient town are the result of the ancestors of the ancient town getting rich at that time. Since the main traffic in Xitang was waterways in the past, there was less external disturbance, so Xitang was able to perfectly preserve the ancient town to this day, allowing the ancestral heritage to continue.

Xitang is a civilian town, everything is so simple, without the prosperity of Zhouzhuang, the affluence of Nanxun, and the strong business atmosphere! But the unique charm of Xitang intoxicates overnight travelers! [Edit this paragraph] Xitang History and Culture Xitang - a thousand-year-old ancient town, a world historical and cultural heritage preparatory list, one of the first batch of historical and cultural towns in China, a national AAAA tourist attraction, and the most charming water town film and television base. Xitang has a long history, rich human resources and beautiful natural scenery. It is one of the birthplaces of ancient Wuyue culture.

Xitang Ancient Town is strategically located by boat. It belongs to Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province and is located at the junction of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. It has been known as the "Wu Gen Yue Corner" since ancient times. Xitang town has a total area of ​​79.37 square kilometers, of which the ancient town area covers 1.01 square kilometers and has a population of nearly 80,000.

It is said that during the Spring and Autumn Period, Wu Zixu of the State of Wu developed water conservancy and transported salt. He dug Wuzi Pond and diverted water from the north of Xu Mountain (12 miles southwest of Jiashan County now) directly into the territory. Therefore, Xitang is also called Xutang. Because the terrain of Xitang is flat, it is also called Pingchuan and Xietang. During the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty, a large number of villages were built, and people built houses along the river and lived by the water. In the Southern Song Dynasty, the villages gradually grew in size and formed markets. In the Yuan Dynasty, markets began to be built along the water and gradually formed market towns, and commerce began to flourish. During the Qing Dynasty, it developed into an important handicraft and commercial town in the south of the Yangtze River. "The water of the Spring and Autumn Period, the towns of the Tang and Song Dynasties, the architecture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and the modern people" are the most appropriate descriptions of Xitang. [Edit this paragraph] Geographical location of Xitang Xitang has a flat terrain, dense rivers, and a very quiet natural environment. There are 9 rivers intersecting in the town, dividing the town into 8 sections, and numerous bridges connect the water town into one. In ancient times, it was called "Nine Dragons Holding Pearls" and "The Wind Comes from All Directions".

There are many well-preserved Ming and Qing architectural groups in the ancient town area, which have high artistic and research value and have attracted the attention of experts and scholars at home and abroad who study ancient architecture. From a bird's eye view of the town, the mist is like gauze, the white walls on both sides are towering, and the tiled houses are reflected. In the evening, with the setting sun slanting, fishing boats singing late, lights shining, and the fragrance of wine overflowing, the entire ancient water town looks like a poem or a painting. When people are among them, they suddenly feel like they are in Taoyuan and Qiongyao. I wonder if the people are swimming in the painting, or the painting is moving in the heart. [Edit this paragraph] Xitang Transportation Guide 1. From Hangzhou, take National Highway 320 to the Jiashan intersection. There are signs and drive north along Shanjiang Highway for 15 minutes;

2. From Shanghai to Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ningbo Expressway Get off at Jiashan Dayun Exit Station and take Shanjiang Highway directly;

3. Take the train from Shanghai to Jiashan and get off, buy a ticket at the bus station for 4 yuan, and take a 10-seater bus The Iveco bus can go directly to Xitang. If you take a minibus, it costs 3 yuan to get on the bus and buy a ticket to Xitang, and you have to stop at one stop along the way. [Edit this paragraph] Accommodation in Xitang There are three types of accommodation in Xitang: ancient houses of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Linshui Inn and modern hotels.

1. Ancient houses: best reflect the ancient charm of Jiangnan ancient towns.

Most of the ancient houses of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in the scenic area are located in the inner courtyards of deep lanes. The courtyards are deep and all the furnishings are antiques. Although they are not near the water, the houses are spacious and you can deeply experience the ancient life of the famous families in the ancient town. Very quiet and the cheapest price. Sleeping on a century-old carved bed, smelling the scent of the water town hanging in the air, and gradually falling into a deep sleep, it is intoxicating.

Snow View Xiyuan Yaju and Shende Hall are both typical Jiangnan mansion buildings in the Ming Dynasty. They were the residences of the Wang family, a prominent family in the ancient town of Xitang. Xiyuan Yaju is located on the west side of the scenic Xiyuan. They are all antiques, and the boss values ​​​​love and trustworthiness. If you live in a West Garden view room, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the West Garden attractions for free. The Shende Hall is full of musical instruments, and there are often musicians playing together; the bar in front of the Chen family’s old house (youth hostel) (the bar is next to the water) and the back house are charming at night. Staying in the yard behind the bar is very quiet; Zunwen The hall itself is an attraction, hidden in Shipi Lane. The "Hundred Life Pattern" in the hall is a national historic site; Ruyilou Inn is renovated from an ancient house. If you stay in Ruyilou, you can visit the "Drunken Garden" for free; Tongcun Inn is an old house built in the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, and the owner As a folk artist, he has the unique skill of writing with both hands. These inns are the most ancient inns in Xitang Scenic Area, and they have a good reputation among travelers.

2. Waterfront type: living by water, rich in the characteristics of Jiangnan water towns.

Characteristics of this type of inn: They are generally converted from residential buildings. The houses are low and the rooms are not large. The rooms facing the river in the central area (between Yongning Bridge and Huanxiu Bridge) have better views. The value, especially the river-facing rooms on West Street, is the real place to live by the water, but the housing prices are quite high and not affordable. According to the online introduction, most of the inns near the river are close to the river, but they are not really close to the water. The price is quite moderate.

3. Hotel type: full of modern features.

Characteristics of this type of inn: some are built outside the scenic area, are generally large-scale, mainly have double standard rooms, and can accommodate a team of dozens of people at the same time. Such as: Xitang Hotel, Laifeng Inn, etc.

The usual price of these rooms is around 70 yuan to 100 yuan, and the price increases on weekends and holidays.

Rooms can be ordered online, but the price is generally more expensive and somewhat different from the online introduction. It is recommended that friends who travel independently can make an on-site inspection before making a decision.

In addition, during the off-season, the accommodation prices in waterfront inns in the town can be negotiated with the store. [Edit this paragraph] Xitang’s specialty snacks are rice wine, steamed pork with lotus leaves, Bazhen cake, stinky tofu, Fenhu crabs, rice dumplings, malt pancakes, fresh meat shaomai, smoked green beans, honey-glazed kohlrabi, white water fish, and cicada-wrapped meat. A specialty of Xitang.

Special snacks:

(1) Malt pancake, namely Lixia pancake, is a characteristic seasonal snack in Xitang for thousands of years. Dingji Malt Pancake is made from glutinous rice flour, black sesame, adzuki beans, walnut kernels, white sugar, Chinese herbal medicine Fructus Herba and malt, and is refined using traditional techniques. Dingji Malt Crumble Cake has a soft texture, is neither sticky nor sticky, and has a rich aroma of Buddha's ears, which tempts the appetite. It can also digest food, reduce fat, and prolong life. It is a good gift for friends and respect for the elderly.

(2) According to legend, a rich man in Xitang in the Ming Dynasty got married and had no children for a long time. Later, he was advised by a person to do good deeds and built roads and bridges so that when the people were building the bridge, the celestial birds and phoenixes stopped by the bridge. The wealthy businessman was also happy to have a son that year, so the bridge was named "Send His Son to Feng Bridge". Now after renovation, it is facing south of Xitang, a thousand-year-old ancient town. When a wealthy businessman celebrates the birth of a child, he throws a big banquet, and one of the main dishes is hoof. Everyone named it "Children's Hoof" in congratulations. Since then, this dish has been served as the main course during wedding celebrations, moving to a new house, and family reunions all over the country, which means that the baby will be born early and the reunion will be auspicious. Send the dragon's hooves. It uses high-quality pork leg meat, paired with dozens of ancestral condiments, and is repeatedly simmered, steamed, braised, and simmered. The meat is tender and bone-free, fat but not greasy, and delicious.

(3) Steamed pork with lotus leaves and rice flour is a traditional famous dish in the ancient town, with five flavors and a hundred flavors. It is made from appropriate pork ribs, five-spice fried rice noodles, tofu raisins and fresh lotus leaves, plus seasonings such as cloves, star anise, soy sauce, sweet noodle sauce, etc. This dish has a unique flavor, the meat is crispy and glutinous, the fragrance is not greasy, and it can be eaten Wine can also be used as a snack, and the pharmacological effects of lotus leaves in relieving summer heat, clearing away heat, dispersing blood stasis and stopping bleeding are fully exerted.

(4) Noodles are the staple food of northerners, and the preparation is generally very simple and pure.

For southerners, especially those in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, noodles are used as a snack to change the taste. Therefore, when making noodles, they pay special attention to the matching of auxiliary ingredients. Many things are often added, such as tripe slices, shredded eel, beef, etc., to make noodles. There are many good fabrics, plenty of flavor and rich nutrition. Xitang people are famous for being particular about making noodles. To make noodles, two pots are used to cook the noodles at the same time. One pot is used to cook the noodles, and the other is used to stir-fry the auxiliary ingredients. The auxiliary ingredients commonly used by Xitang people are tripe slices, eel shreds, homemade fried fish, etc. Put the cooked noodles into another pot, add water to the tripe slices, eel shreds, etc. and cook for 2-3 minutes. After the noodles come out of the pot, the soup is fresh, thick and delicious, and the noodles have somersaults.

(5) Every year after the broad beans are put on the market, the broad beans with green skin and black heads are dried in the sun, and the dried broad beans are cooked with tangerine peel, pepper, cooking wine, salt, fennel, etc. to make the taste quick and complete. Put it into the beans, then take it out, roll it with licorice powder and let it dry. When it is seven to eight minutes dry, put it in a large pot and stir-fry until crispy. In this way, crispy and delicious spiced beans are made, becoming a snack after dinner. .

(6) Xitang people have always loved drinking rice wine. Therefore, there have been many large and small rice wine workshops in Xitang history. Today, the largest single rice wine production enterprise in the country, Jiashan Winery, is located in the north of Xitang Town. The factory strictly controls quality and produces more than 20 varieties of Fenhu series such as Huadiao, Shanniang, and rice wine, which are mild in nature. , mellow wine flavor and unique taste, it has become a good choice for modern people to communicate their feelings and give gifts to relatives and friends.

(7) Bazhen cake is made from eight herbs such as yam, poria, gordon fruit, rice kernel, wheat teeth, lentils, lotus meat, hawthorn, etc., refined with high-quality glutinous rice flour and white sugar. This cake is green, black and crispy. It first became popular because it can eliminate malnutrition in children. Later, due to its exquisite selection of materials, fine processing, sweet taste, and benefit to the spleen and stomach, it became a famous snack in the south of the Yangtze River and has been famous for more than a hundred years.

(8) Xitang’s rice dumplings come in many flavors, such as fresh meat, bean paste, lard, red bean, etc. Although rice dumplings are a snack available in many places, Xitang’s rice dumplings are famous for their delicious rice. , with enough ingredients, tightly tied and more fragrant and glutinous, it has become one of the traditional tourism products in small towns today.

(9) June red refers to the river crab produced in the summer of June in the lunar calendar. The "June Red" crab body is only as big as an egg. The crab meat is fresh and tender, the crab fat is dripping with oil, and the shell is thin. It turns crimson when steamed in water, hence the name. There is also a popular saying in Hangzhou, Jiaxing and Huzhou that "no matter how poor you are, never forget the red in June", which is a compliment to the "red in June" river crab.

Xitang Food

Roast Pork with Molded Dried Vegetables (when ordering, please ask that the skin is hairless and the meat is not particularly fatty. Students who don’t like sweet food can ask for less sugar)

Salt and pepper pumpkin (sweet vegetable, fried)

Chanyibaoyuan (very thin tofu skin holds vegetables and meat fillings, the taste depends on the soup, A good soup should be very delicious)

River crab (dip it in vinegar with minced ginger and sugar)

Wonton and old duck pot (please order this if there are more than 3 people) dish)

Minced meat with wild flowers (the taste is smoother and tender)

Bai Zhan chicken (this dish is not sweet)

Malantou (a local wild vegetable, I eat it cold) I like it very much)

Snacks: mung bean soup, steamed pork with lotus leaves, tofu cakes, large and small wontons, smoked green beans, pork chops, rice dumplings, Gorgon cake, orange cake, stinky tofu

...Omit 5,000 words here

Others:

Places that are delicious but not expensive: Dingji, Maomao, Lao Pinfang. There is some beef in Maomao's cold dishes which is good

Morning white water fish: freshwater fish with many spines, average taste and more expensive, I don't recommend it

Xiangtang Restaurant, Ming and Qing Dynasty food Now, I don’t recommend the three restaurants in Yifengtang. Also, don’t go into restaurants where there are people soliciting customers at the door but no one inside.

Youyi Village, Qiantang Family, Xitang Family, Old Street... these places are all so-so, you can try them.

The food in Youyi Village is obviously not as delicious as before. People in Qiantang are always so expensive and have to wait for a table...

The best noodles in the world: This place seems to be legendary, haha, I like it because 24 It’s open for hours, it’s convenient to eat, and the taste is pretty good, but the service attitude is extremely mediocre. I had a quarrel inside again last time. Hey, why do you say it again?

Sen Lin’s Gorgon Cake, Walnut Cake, and Orange Cake may be a bit more expensive than some others, but you can tell by eating them. The texture is more delicate and not too sweet.

The "Qian's Tofu Pudding" in Shuangqiao is recommended to be salty. The sweet one has no other ingredients except sugar, which is a loss~~~

When drinking Huadiao, you need to add ginger and sugar to cook it. Hot, but not boiling

Try not to put that lantern into the river. If the candle sinks in the river, it will be pollutants. Even if you make a wish in front of the river~~~

Tickets are valid for the same day, and it will be wasted if you don’t see the small attractions

Laoma’s steamed pork with lotus leaf powder is good, a little more expensive, but also larger. If you want to eat it hot, you can have Te peel it and put it away Put it in a bag and take it cold