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AMAZING CHINA SCENE CHINA FOCUS ON CHINA / 04 / 2011 FOCUS ON CHINA / 04 / 2011 SCENE CHINA AMAZING CHINA 41
WATER TOWN : XITANG
NAKHI OLD TOWN : LIJIANG
Xitang is a famous town with thousands of years of history, lying in Jiashan County in Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province. Its
flat terrain is marked by a quiet, natural environment with rivers running through it.
The town in Yunnan province has a history going back more than 800
years and was once a centre for trade along the old tea horse road.
The old town of Lijiang differs from other ancient Chinese cities in
architecture, history and the culture due to the influence of its traditional
residents the Nakhi people.
Walk around, watch people, shop, drink and eat.
There is a bonfire at around 7PM at Si Fang Jie,
the central plaza. Many local folks dance there,
entertain themselves. Tourists are welcomed to
join in.
The covered corridor is the most well known scene in Xitang. It is also the most distinctive feature
this historic town offers compared with other water towns.
Water Towns in China
China's water towns, often referred
as Venice of the East, are famous
for their ancient buildings, bridges,
canals, and ways of life that have
not changed in centuries. They are
idyllic destinations to unwind from
the hustle and bustle of China's cities
and can offer visitors glimpses into
China's ancient past.
In addition to the covered corridor the lanes
there are another eye-catching areas in Xitang.
There are many lanes here, long and short, wide
and narrow. The ancient houses are themselves
of great cultural value, but also display cultural
relics such as woodcarvings or roof eave tiles
collected by the house owner.
Lijiang was first known by westerns through
a book, Lost Horizon, written by an American
commissioner who traveled in and out of
Yunnan Province in late 19th century. Shangrila
was also mentioned in that book and became
famous.