INK PAINTING: The rich moisture in Xitang applies dark colors to the white walls, making a perfect traditional Chinese ink painting (JIANG XIAOYING)

Xitang, a 1,000-year-old river town in Zhejiang Province, is renowned for its stockpile of buildings from Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911).

A local bar wall sports a number of compliments to the town that were written by tourists from all over the world:

"The whole town looks like a beautiful poem or an elegant picture," says one.

"I forgot all the hustle and bustle here in Xitang," says another.

Like many towns south of the Yangtze River, water is the soul and spirit of Xitang, with the main watercourse forming the town and its waterways shaping streets.

The houses built along Xitang's river are well-preserved. Soaked in the rich moisture of the Yangtze River, the buildings are covered with lichen—the older the building, the darker the lichen. White walls rendered black, black roofs and white marble bridges compose what appears to be a perfect Chinese ink painting in which visitors and residents may enter.

A 1,000-meter-long covered corridor sits along the river. It is the most well-known tourist destination in Xitang. With roofs outstretched to the street, visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery without being exposed to the searing sun or being caught in the rain. Under the lingering willow branches visitors can see boats sailing down the seemingly endless waterways.

Various bridges spanning the water never disappoint wandering visitors. There are 20 bridges in Xitang's old town. Some are long corridor bridges, some are low stone bridges and others are high arch bridges.

The Songzilaifeng Bridge is the most distinctive among the three bridges along the covered corridor. High-back benches dot one side of the bridge along the river, where passersby can rest. Many visitors like to sit in the pavilion near the bridge to take in the sight. In sunlight, the water offers staggered reflections. When it rains, the drops splashing into the river generate haze and mist.

In ancient times, Xitang was a crowded business center in the triangle area of Zhejiang, Shanghai and Jiangsu. The buildings were packed in and left little space for passersby. This is why the real roads in Xitang are today invisible and only lanes of different sizes are apparent. Among all the different lanes, the narrowest is about 80 cm (31 inches) wide and provides space for only one person to pass through at a time. The lanes are like ropes connecting the town into a net and afford easy walking paths throughout the town.

The whole town, being 1 square km in area, can be walked in three or four hours. But the wide variety of local products being sold throughout the lanes will surely slow down any visitor's pace. Stinky tofu, gorgon fruitcake, rice dumplings, sweet green beans and skewered pork are all popular dishes that can be sampled around town.

Another characteristic unique to Xitang is its condition. The old town is not merely a tourist spot, but still a living space shared by its residents. Grandmothers fry stinky tofu while watching opera performances. Townspeople chat together and sit on old bamboo chairs. Women wash their utensils in the river in front of their homes and dogs sleep under roofs.

A proper dinner is available at Chef Mao Jiawei's Maomao Restaurant at the northwest corner of Huanxiu Bridge. Eel in paste, green soybeans and water caltrop, spiral shells in bean sauce, boiled salted shrimp and asparagus are recommended.

There is also plenty to do at night. Visitors can go boating on the river or have a glass of beer in the local bar, among other activities.

Travel Tips

Conveniently located about an hour and a half from Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou, Xitang in Jiashan County is most easily reached by bus. Shuttle buses between Shanghai and the county seat of Jiashan, a transportation hub that is a 15-minute drive away, runs from 6 a.m. to 6:35 p.m. every 30 minutes. There are also five trains that go to Xitang every day.

The admittance fee to Xitang's old town is 50 yuan ($7.35), or tourists can purchase a coupon booklet for 100 yuan ($14.7) that grants access to 11 scenic sights. Tickets are only valid on the day of purchase.

Visitors hoping to arrange a two-day trip in Xitang should reserve a home-stay hotel. Bedrooms overlooking the river are always the best choice and more expensive. On weekend nights, a double riverside suite usually costs 180 yuan ($26.5).