# Xitang (西塘)

Nanxun, Zhejiang Province · East China, China · Guidebook rating: 5/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xitang
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** Combo ticket ¥95 (covers Xiyuan Garden, Zhongfu Hall, Button Museum, Roof-Tile End Exhibition Hall, Root Carving Art Museum, Ni Residence, Ming-Qing Woodcarving Museum and other sights). Night tour ticket ¥60 after 17:00
- **Time needed:** 1–2 days
- **Good for:** History & Culture, Old Towns & Villages, Photography, Waterfront

## About Xitang

Among the Jiangnan water towns, Xitang stands out for its covered walkways and old alleys.
The covered walkways are the eaves of houses along the street extended out over the river, supported by rows of round pillars, forming an architectural feature much like a covered bridge; it is also called “yi luo shui” (一落水). Shipi Alley is the emblem of Xitang's old alleys. Originally a passage reserved for the male servants of wealthy households, it has become one of Xitang's sights, a striking sign of how times have changed. Besides the covered walkways and old alleys, Xitang's roof-tile ends and azaleas are also worth noticing.
Many Ming and Qing buildings survive in Xitang, so the earliest residential roof-tile ends date to around the late Ming or early Qing. In traditional architecture the roof-tile end was originally a tiny detail, yet it carries a great deal of cultural meaning. Xitang's residential roof-tile ends include the four-plum-blossom eave tile, the spider-web eave tile and the Republic-of-China commemorative coin tile, among others. Xitang families have long grown azaleas, and there are 145 azalea varieties in the town today.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 1258. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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