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Catch a glimpse of simple rural ways in lovely Heqiao Town
By Xu Wenwen |
November 28, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA'S "undiscovered" and unspoiled towns are potential tourism gold mines, where visitors can appreciate intact architecture, traditional customs and rural life.
Many of these towns are being renovated and developed to boost their economies, so it's best to go now and beat the crowds.
One such place is Heqiao Town in Changhua County, Lin'an, Hangzhou.
The local government has decided to renovate and develop its tourism, so it's better to go before it's completed and hordes of tourists start showing up.
The town, about 50 kilometers from Hangzhou, was once a commercial center in western Zhejiang Province and was dubbed "Little Shanghai" during the 1930s.
Today, a large part of it has been renovated into a modern town. But Old Street Block features more than 100 antique buildings established during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and the Republic of China (1911-1949). Most are black-and-white two-floor houses built with stone and wood.
Their life style is similar to how people lived centuries ago with residents farming, raising poultry and running small businesses.
The old street stretches about 2 kilometers from north to south and the cobblestone alley features a small creek. Locals living in houses along the road wash their clothes and dishes in the creek.
At this time of year, visitors will also find women washing stones. They are preparing dongyancai, a preserved bok choy dish popular in winter. The large heavy stones are placed on bok choy to squish the juice out.
Most of the stores on the street sell daily commodities to locals - no souvenirs yet. There are also a mix of tailors and old-style barber shops.
There are no restaurants or hotels on Old Street Block, but visitors can find them in the renovated part of town.
But there is a Western-style church in the block that is said to have been built by an American medical squadron during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945). Visitors are allowed to go inside.
Walking along the street, it's common to see signs from different eras. These include a slogan from the war against Japan and propaganda from the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976).
Nearby scenic sites include Liuxi River, which features "drifting," basically a small raft made of bamboo that drifts slowly down the river. It is rather peaceful and there are some nice views.
Also nearby is Ruijing Stone Flower Cave in Shirui Village, a huge cavern containing over 36,000 stalactites shaped like stone flowers.
The karst cave is about 500 million years old and is known as the "limestone cave museum" in China. With a drop of 124 meters, it consists of seven sections, covering 28,000 square kilometers.
Many of these towns are being renovated and developed to boost their economies, so it's best to go now and beat the crowds.
One such place is Heqiao Town in Changhua County, Lin'an, Hangzhou.
The local government has decided to renovate and develop its tourism, so it's better to go before it's completed and hordes of tourists start showing up.
The town, about 50 kilometers from Hangzhou, was once a commercial center in western Zhejiang Province and was dubbed "Little Shanghai" during the 1930s.
Today, a large part of it has been renovated into a modern town. But Old Street Block features more than 100 antique buildings established during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and the Republic of China (1911-1949). Most are black-and-white two-floor houses built with stone and wood.
Their life style is similar to how people lived centuries ago with residents farming, raising poultry and running small businesses.
The old street stretches about 2 kilometers from north to south and the cobblestone alley features a small creek. Locals living in houses along the road wash their clothes and dishes in the creek.
At this time of year, visitors will also find women washing stones. They are preparing dongyancai, a preserved bok choy dish popular in winter. The large heavy stones are placed on bok choy to squish the juice out.
Most of the stores on the street sell daily commodities to locals - no souvenirs yet. There are also a mix of tailors and old-style barber shops.
There are no restaurants or hotels on Old Street Block, but visitors can find them in the renovated part of town.
But there is a Western-style church in the block that is said to have been built by an American medical squadron during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945). Visitors are allowed to go inside.
Walking along the street, it's common to see signs from different eras. These include a slogan from the war against Japan and propaganda from the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976).
Nearby scenic sites include Liuxi River, which features "drifting," basically a small raft made of bamboo that drifts slowly down the river. It is rather peaceful and there are some nice views.
Also nearby is Ruijing Stone Flower Cave in Shirui Village, a huge cavern containing over 36,000 stalactites shaped like stone flowers.
The karst cave is about 500 million years old and is known as the "limestone cave museum" in China. With a drop of 124 meters, it consists of seven sections, covering 28,000 square kilometers.
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