Schedule:
Day 1: Start in Wuxi - Wuxi Dangkou Ancient Town (boat show on water) - Yanjiaqiao Village (the birthplace of Xi opera) - Xi Opera Art Center
Day 2: Lingshan Town, Nianhua Bay - Return
Wuxi Dangkou Ancient Town
It is a millennium-old ancient town, preserving ancient houses from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Every family here lives by the water and every door opens to water. It’s so stunning like a village out of an ancient painting. Since ancient times, it has been a prosperous dock in the south of the Yangtze River. With rivers reaching out in all directions and delicately quaint bridges, the ancient town has a magnificent view of water town. Here is the Dangkou Ancient Town, which is known as "Silver Dangkou".
During holidays and weekends, Dangkou Ancient Town often holds various themed cultural activities, with Xi opera being the highlight. Standing among old-fashioned stages, old buildings, old taste, and old opera fans, it brings people back in time and space, allowing opera fans to be deeply intoxicated. Xi opera can be so beautiful! The ancient town also launches an innovative boat show on water. In the changing scenes, watching the stage flowing on water, isn’t it a special kind of charm?
Yanjiaqiao Village (the Birthplace of Xi Opera)
Yanjiaqiao Village, the birthplace of Xi opera, retains a few "firsts" in the history of Xi opera. It still preserves the open-air opera performance that goes deep into the lanes of the village. On festive nights, a small stage is set up and villagers sit together while village actors take turns on stage. Surrounded by music and song, it’s like traveling back a hundred years.
You are recommended to visit the "Xi Opera Museum" in Yanjiaqiao, to see old pictures and articles, or sit in the "story-telling hall" like the local people and listen to the opera performed in the gentle Wu dialect that has the charm of Jiangnan water town.
Xi Opera Art Center
The Xi Opera Art Center is a shrine of art and a museum of Xi opera. The Cultural and Creative Life Hall on the first floor of the Center can surprise you with the collision and combination of traditional culture and trendy fashion right from the moment you enter its door. It creates a quiet and leisurely place in the middle of the busy city, where you feel comfortable and can enjoy operas casually.
The little theater on the second floor has a small stage of nearly 100 square meters. Here you may find visiting famous artists and audience meeting each other, special lectures and shared performances. It furthers the artistic charm of the Xi opera and creates an excellent showroom for the hometown of Xi opera.
Lingshan Town, Nianhua Bay
After experiencing the beauty of Xi opera, you may go to the Lingshan Town, Nianhua Bay to feel the simple life as if in a paradise. The Zen of Nianhua Bay is the Zen of real life. Whether you are sipping tea, walking, copying scriptures, meditating, or just lazing by the carved railing, leisurely basking in the afternoon sun and smelling the sweet scent of flowers and plants, Zen is born from the heart.
The first time you come to Nianhua Bay, you will see scenery with rocks and bamboos, and quiet alleys. The cool breeze blows through dense treetops, accompanied by the gentle birdsong along the mountain stream, the poetic scene in "The winding path leads to deep woods where the Zen room is surrounded by a luxuriant flowers and trees." comes into view.
