Tangxi Ancient Town

Tangxi Ancient Town sits dreamily by the water. [Photo/linping.gov.cn]

Established during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), Tangxi Ancient Town is located along the Grand Canal in the Linping district of Hangzhou city, capital of East China's Zhejiang province.

The town is situated by the water, as suggested by its Chinese name, which comes from the quote: "Dikes are built near the water, so near the water people dwell".

In the late 19th century, Tangxi was recognized as the finest of the top 10 famous towns south of the Yangtze River. The town served as a key gateway on the water route to Hangzhou in ancient times and its infrastructure was established over a span of more than five centuries.

The Guangji Bridge, built in the town in 1498, is the only seven-arched stone bridge on the Grand Canal.

The town is now a national 4A-level scenic area.

A magnificent sunset over Tangxi. Guangji Bridge, located there, is the only seven-arched stone bridge on the Grand Canal. [Photo/linping.gov.cn]