Covered Corridor in the Misty Rain

Covered Corridor in the Misty Rain

The so-called covered corridor is essentially a street with a roof. In Xitang, some corridors run along the river, while others are situated in the middle of the street. Some even have backrest benches on the riverside side for people to rest. The roofs of these corridors come in various styles such as "single-slope," "double-slope," and even some are formed by overhead structures that span the street. Though different in design, all serve to shelter merchants and pedestrians from sun and rain.

The total length of the ancient town’s covered corridors is 877 meters. Among them, the Chao'nan'Dai corridor stretches 168 meters from Beizha at the east end to Laifeng Bridge in the west, with a width of 2–2.5 meters. These corridors extend from the street to the riverbank, supported by round wooden pillars and covered with a single-slope roof. The structure is a mix of brick and wood, with one particularly outstanding section featuring double-layered carved eaves.

Legend of the Covered Corridors:

In the Ta’wan Street of Xitang, there was a merchant surnamed Hu. The shop owner, a widow named Madam Hu, struggled to support her family and keep the business running. Near the riverbank in front of the Hu family’s shop was a stall selling soft tofu, run by a young, honest, and hardworking man named Wang Er. Seeing Madam Hu’s hardship, he often helped with the physical labor. Over time, she grew dependent on him but found it hard to express her feelings.

One day, under the pretense of renovating her shop, she asked craftsmen to build a row of covered walkways along the river, shading the street in front of her store. This way, Wang Er could work without being exposed to sun or wind and could continue selling even when it rained. Both were now under the same roof. Unexpectedly, after the corridor was completed, the Hu family’s business flourished. Soon, other shops in town followed suit. Within a few years, the covered walkways connected into a continuous line and eventually became a unique architectural feature of Xitang. When the locals learned of the story behind it, they began calling the walkways “covered corridors,” meaning shelters built for their beloved.

Address: Inside Xitang Ancient Town Scenic Area, No. 258 Nanyuan Road, Xitang Town, Jiashan County, Jiaxing City

Type: Historic Architectural Feature Street

Recommended Visiting Time: About 2 hours

Phone: 0573-84567890

Opening Hours:

March–October: 8:00–17:00; November–February: 8:00–16:30

Ticket Information:

No separate ticket required. Included in the Xitang scenic area ticket.

Xitang Town: Originally known as Xietang in ancient times. It became a market town during the Ming Dynasty, bordering Yong’an and Qianshan townships, initially called Xietang before later being named Xitang. Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn Period, Wu Zixu stationed troops here and dug the Wuzitang Canal to improve water conservancy, diverting water from Xushan Mountain directly into the area—hence it was also called Xutang. Located in the northern part of Jiashan County, Xitang Town sits at the junction of three provinces and cities—occupying a prime geographic location and often referred to as the “corner of Wu and Yue.” It lies 90 km east of Shanghai, 110 km west of Hangzhou, 85 km north of Suzhou, and 9 km south of Jiashan County. The urban center is located at longitude 120°53′ east and latitude 30°56′ north. With both land and water transport… More details about Xitang Town++