Xinshi Ancient Town

Xinshi Ancient Town is a 1,000-year-old town integrating watertown culture, canal culture and silkworm culture. It is in the southern part of the Yangtze River Delta with many crisscrossing rivers flowing inside. It is also the largest water transportation hub along Grand Canal, the longest in ancient China connecting Beijing and Hangzhou. In ancient times, people here mainly relied on silkworms for a living and you can find the traces even today. 

Xinshi Ancient Town is located in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province.
 Although the prospersous past of Xinshi as a busy transportation and commercial hub along the Grand Canal is gone, the remaining folk houses built in the Ming (1368 - 1644 AD) and Qing (1644 - 1911 AD) dynasties, ancient temples, and bridges in the town are worth visiting.

The Carved Wooden Pavilion of the Ming and Qing Dynasties displays distinctive wooden carvings. Here are more than one hundred items collected over the years from the historical buildings of the town.

Here are also the Research Institute of Xinshi Cultural and History, ancient shops, Liuwang Temple, the Folk Art Museum, Silkworm Culture Hall, the Former Residence of Shensui who was a great artist of the Qing Dynasty, Juehai Temple and other folk buildings presenting the culture and history of Xinshi Ancient Town.

Xinshi Ancient Town has not yet been fully developed as a scenic spot and is not as noisy as other commercialized ancient towns. Strolling in this ancient town with a history of a thousand years, you can feel a rare peace and quietness in your inner heart. There are people quietly sketching by the river and children rushing to play in the alleys. There are many glimpses of life of the common people here. 
 Xinshi Ancient Town remains the essence of traditional folk culture in the southern part of the Yangtze River Delta. The most famous and influential cultural activity is the annual Silkworm Festival which is held in early April in Juehai Temple to pray for a good harvest. During the festival, visitors can appreciate many traditional shows, including the copper pipe show, the waist drum show, the martial arts show, and the dragon dance show. In the evening, there is also a show of lanterns made of silkworms.
 The most famous food in Xinshi Ancient Town is mutton. People in the town usually begin the day with a bowl of mutton noodles. It is highly recommended for you to eat a bowl of mutton noodles and experience the cozy life of the town. In addition to mutton, tea cake, sesame pancakes, and shaomai are worth a try.
 There are seven long-distance buses from Hangzhou Long-distance Bus Station to Xinshi Long-distance Bus Station which take nearly 1 hour and the fare is CNY 25. The depature times are 8:25, 10:00, 12:10, 14:05, 15:45, 17:05, and 18:05.
 There are three long-distance buses from Huzhou Long-distance Bus Station to Xinshi Long-distance Bus Station which depart at 09:40, 13:50, 17:25. The journey also takes around 1 hour and the fee is CNY 13.
 

Joint Tickets for Attractions	CNY 35 for an adult Free for children below 1.2 meters (1.3 yards)
Opening Time	The town opens all day long Attractions in the town: 08:00-11:00 and 12:30-16:20
Suggested Visiting Time	2-3 Hours

 Other Water Town in Huzhou:
 Nanxun Water Town