Refreshed: August 2026
Xitang was one of the most peaceful places I visited during my journey through China.
Located around two hours from Shanghai, this ancient water town is a maze of canals, bridges, narrow lanes and traditional buildings. After some of China’s much busier attractions, it was delightful simply to slow down and wander.
But first, there was the small matter of my life jacket.
Is That Really a Life Jacket?
We took a short boat ride along the canals to appreciate Xitang from the water.
As soon as I boarded, I was handed something that looked like a belt and told to fasten it around my waist. I looked at it and asked where the life jacket was. Why, I wondered, were they giving me a belt when we were going on a boat?
Everyone laughed because the belt was the life jacket.
Dahhhh! Can you see it around my waist in the photograph?
Once that little mystery was resolved, I could relax and enjoy the scenery.
Canals, Bridges and Ancient Lanes
Seeing Xitang from the water was lovely, but wandering through its narrow lanes was just as enjoyable.
The old streets connect the waterways, houses and bridges, and walking through them felt like stepping into another time. One of Xitang’s distinctive features is its long, covered waterside corridors, which provide shelter along the canals and add to the character of the town.
There was no need to rush. This was somewhere to stroll, look around and enjoy the atmosphere.
Three Very Different Museums
We visited three small museums during our time in Xitang, dedicated to buttons, root carving and wine. And buttons!
I wasn’t expecting a button museum to be particularly interesting, but it was. The displays showed how button-making developed in China, including early buttons made from shells and others associated with traditional Chinese clothing.
Then came the root-carving museum, which was my favourite. Tree roots of all shapes and sizes had been transformed into extraordinary works of art. Some were small and intricate while others were enormous.
I became so engrossed in looking at them that I forgot to take photographs. For me, that’s saying something!
And Naturally, There Was Wine
Xitang also has a long tradition of producing rice wine.
The museum displayed old wine-making equipment and different containers used to produce and store the wine. Naturally, I tasted some and also bought a bottle of rice wine to take home to the UK.
Our guide told us about an old local tradition of making and storing rice wine when a daughter was born, keeping it until her wedding celebrations. She also told us of a tradition of planting a tree when a daughter was born, with the timber eventually being used to make furniture for her marriage.
I loved hearing stories like these. Whether traditions continue in exactly the same way today or have changed over generations, they give you a glimpse into the customs associated with a place.
Peaceful – But I Wasn't Getting Lost!
One of the things I appreciated most about Xitang was how peaceful it felt during our visit.
There were relatively few visitors around, so I could wander without the crowds I had experienced at some of China’s better-known attractions. There was only one problem: I was worried about getting lost.
Despite being given instructions about where to go and where we would meet again, I wasn’t keen to venture too far alone into the labyrinth of narrow streets. Every little lane seemed to lead to another, and with my limited Chinese and very little English being spoken around me, I decided that adventurous Molly had limits!
I wandered, but not too far.
A Quiet Memory of China
Xitang remains one of my quieter memories of China. There was no single enormous monument demanding attention. Instead, there were canals, old houses, covered walkways, little museums, rice wine and narrow lanes that invited you to wander, provided, in my case, that I could still find my way back!
I was fascinated by how carefully the character of the old town had been preserved, and perhaps that is what I enjoyed most about Xitang. After so many extraordinary sights during my journey through China, it was lovely simply to slow down, wander beside the water with my blue parasol and enjoy being there.
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