Xitang 
Under the bridges runs the flowing water. In Xitang, water is the source of life. Sailing through this liquid street, you can appreciate Xitang for its beauty and deep-rooted culture. The town maintains many well-preserved architectural structures from the days of the emperor. Thus, many scholars study the town and its rich history. The slow moving ripples, like the wrinkles on an old woman鈥檚 face, leave traces of the deep rooted past.
I think I鈥檝e found the smallest bridge in Xitang. Be careful when you cross it.
Perhaps from the tops of larger bridges you may witness the black tiled roofs and whitewashed walls of the local residences. These bricks and tiles are a special decorative element of Xitang possessing huge cultural significance. From afar, the tiles seem like one fixed roof, but they can actually be taken apart piece by piece.
Tiles are not only on households, but also ceilinged corridor of storefronts. The ceilinged corridors are the most distinguishing structure of the scenery. Even in the Qing and Ming dynasties, Xitang was a commercial town with many shops built on the banks of the river.
I suppose we can call these the streets of Xitang. These ceilinged corridors were designed by local residents to protect themselves from the rain and sun, but now serve primarily as a tourist attraction. These corridors can run up to 1000 meters.
The ceilinged corridors were often a place of business, since residents and merchants could buy fresh produce straight from the boats sailing in the river. Each merchant built the ceilings over the stone plank road in front of their shop, which connected to form a long, winding corridor.
If you鈥檙e coming to Xitang, one thing you want to bring for sure is a good camera. However, if you鈥檙e running low on film, you can always go to one of the many little shops which sell this, along with toys, souvenirs, and even art. This artist is so familiar with the landscape that he has the images imprinted in his mind. He is doesn鈥檛 need a single look.
Interview with local artist:
Yin: Wow, this is gorgeous. How long does it take to paint one of these?
Artist: about half an hour.
Yin: And what is this a picture of?
Artist: It鈥檚 the bridge right up ahead.
He knows the scenery so well; he doesn鈥檛 have to take a single look.
No trip is complete without a taste of the local foods. Lucky for me, street food is always in season in Xitang. One famous local treat is ta bing. This pastry is gone from the table in an instant, but making it takes much more effort.
Nice and hot. Now I鈥檓 going to make one. Take one of these balls made of wheat and a special plant. Roll it up and so you dig a whole, put in some black sesame and finally, finally, finally you close it up. Isn鈥檛 she a beauty? So unique, taking her home.
