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Xitang near Hangzhou is a place of immense historical significance and its origin can be traced back to 770 BC. With the innumerable sparkling rivers that interweave the place, it is more likely to be called the river town or the water town of China. Xitang has a tranquil and pleasant ambience and the scenic beauty attracts hundreds of tourists to this place every year. If you are interested in exploring the past, there are plenty of well-preserved historic buildings in Xitang that dates back to the Ming and the Qing Dynasty. The local residents still use the ancient lifestyle modes like the covered corridors and the old lanes that are quite intriguing to the foreign tourists.
The covered corridor is one single whole that stretches to about 1000 meters and consists of many subsections. The ceiling is made of tiles that protect the residents from natural calamities like tremendous rainfall or scorching sunrays. The corridors are so made that you will not be exposed to sun or rain as you walk through Xitang. You can also use the corridors as a resting place and sit in a relaxed moo, watching the boats moving in the calm river.
There are also several narrow alleys and lanes in Xitang that is, infact, a specialty of China itself. Some of these lanes are such that they do not receive ant daylight throughout the year and some are narrow enough to let only one person slide in at a time! What is most marvelous is that these innumerable lanes are all interconnected! The houses lining these lanes are all pristine and they often feature beautiful woodcarvings. There are also innumerable bridges in the town that not only make way for easy transportation but they are also very picturesque to look at. They are all of different shapes and there is an interesting legend about each of them that can be easily learned from the local people!
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