On 15 April 2007, Kim Siong and Yoke Lee have made a trip to visit us in Suzhou China for 5 days 4 nights as part of their Shanghai JiangNan honeymoon trip.  Beside Suzhou Town, we have visited one of the historic Town in ZheJiang China ie XiTang. It is one hour away from Suzhou Town.

 

Do visit my photos album ie Kim Siong and Yoke Lee Honeymoon Trip at Jiang Nan Suzhou for more photos.

From my album, you can see the XiTang historic town scenery (include Mission Impossible 3 shooting place), Suzhou scenery and how the couple enjoy the local food in China.

 

Xitang is level,densely distributed with rivers and has a very quiet natural environment.9 rivers converge in this town,dividing it into 8 sections,but many bridges link this water town together(anciently called as “nine dragon old pearl”and“wind from 8 sides”).Inside the town,there are many well-preserved architectural groups constructed during the Ming and Qing dynasties,which boast a higher artistry and study value,thus being highlighted by the experts at home and abroad studying antique buildings.Through a bird's-eye view of the whole town,green waves ripple everywhere and every family resides near water. In the morning,water flows beneath bridges,thin mist is like silk,pinkish walls on both banks stand tall and erect and tiled houses are reflected inversely in the water.In the evening,the setting sun shines slantwise,songs come from fishing boats,lamps flicker and the fragrance of wine drifts.The whole old town is like a poem and a picture.In this town,people will feel that they are seemingly in an earthly paradise.It is hard to know that people exist in the picture or picture exists in the heart of people.

 

西塘的廊棚以其独有的卓越风姿吸引中外游客。西塘街道大多有廊棚覆盖，使商贾贸易、行人过往无雨淋日晒之忧。廊棚沿河一侧有的还设置靠背长椅，供人休息。廊棚多为木架瓦顶，一般宽2-2.5米，集中在北栅街、南栅街、朝南埭等商业区，总长锝?000米，既可遮阳又可避雨。其中有一段最为雅致出色，有翻轩两层雕刻花纹，令游人叹为观止.

 

水乡西塘在全国同列的古镇中颇具特色，以桥多、弄多、廊棚多而闻名于世。镇区河港纵横，河桥密布。至1998年，全镇共建桥104座。自宋以来，西塘已建有安仁桥、安境桥、安善桥、仁桥、五福桥、永宁桥、清宁桥等13座。清代又建有卧龙桥、渡禅桥、来凤桥等。这些古桥大都为单孔或三孔石柱木梁桥。桥梁工艺精湛，至今保护完整，即具有观赏价值，自古誉为"卧龙凌波，彩虹飞架"。

 

宅弄为古镇西塘的又一特色景观，西塘宅弄极能反映出西塘人的性格。宅弄深处，曲径通幽，不知深几许，行至尽头，豁然开朗，别有新洞天。镇上原有古老旧居，宅深弄长，有的三、五进、七进，住着二三十户人家，都在宅弄里进出。

 

西塘民风醇厚，市场繁华，清逸秀丽，移步换景。古宅如种福堂、薛宅，古庙如七老爷庙、圣堂及名园西园、陆坟银杏，都是玩赏游览之处，都会引出一段与历史交融的西塘佳话。

 

Visit www.xitang.com.cn for more information

 

西塘的廊棚

 

西塘夜景