01 Keywords: small bridges, running water, and residential houses.
Guangji Bridge 广济桥
Among the many old bridges in Tangxi, Guangji Bridge is certainly one of the classics. The seven-hole stone bridge, also known as the Bitian Bridge and commonly referred to as the Long Bridge, has a total length of 78.7 meters and more than 160 steps from the south bank to the north bank. Up to now, the Guangji Bridge has spanned the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal for more than 500 years, witnessing many changes in people and events.
Many archaeological and historical experts said: “Guangji Bridge has an irreplaceable value of being a cultural relic” because of its simple shape and unique structure. The center of the bridge deck is embossed with a circular pattern of a peony; the pillars at the four corners are carved into the shape of water lilies; and the top of the bridge holes is decorated with exquisite patterns such as “Two Dragons Frolicking with a Pearl” and “Carp Jumping over the Dragon Gate”. It provides rich historical material on ancient bridge culture.
Zhanjia Bridge沾驾桥
Built in the Qing Dynasty, Zhanjia Bridge spans the Zhanqiao Port from east to west. Zhanjia Bridge is a stone ring arch bridge with a single hole. The length of the bridge is about 15 meters, the width of the bridge is three meters and the height of the bridge is more than five meters. There are eleven stone steps on either side of the bridge. On the right and left sides of the top of the bridge are wide, thick guard-stones. The beam in the middle of the bridge is inscribed with the name of the bridge.
There is a local folk legend about Zhanjia Bridge: when Emperor Qianlong first came to Jiangnan, he visited the place. It was the rainy season in Southern China. The spring rains have been continuous, and the countryside path by the Grand Canal have become muddy and slimy. It’s so muddy and slimy that the sedan chair that Emperor Qiandao Lake was in was stuck on the path, hence the bridge was called “Zhanjia (literal meaning: the sedan chair is stuck)” bridge.
Keywords: emerald waters, lush mountains and picturesque scenery.
Tangxi Village 塘栖村
Tangxi Village is located in the east-central part of Tangxi, a 1,000-year-old town in Hangzhou's Linping District. It looks north to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, a World Heritage Site, backs onto Chaoshan Mountain, a provincial scenic area and borders Dingshan Lake, a pristine ecological wetland in the south with Tangchao Little Path Water Charm Characteristic Route spanning it northwards.
Shuangqiao Village双桥村
Shuangqiao Village is located to the north of Canal Street. It was formed by the merger of Changzi Village in Bolu Town and Shuangtiaoba Village in Wuhang Town. It is adjacent to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in the south and Deqing in the north. It is a typical plain-style village with easy water transportation.
03 Keywords: Delicacies
Farm-Flavored Dishes
Grand Canal Braised Mutton (运河红烧羊肉) has a long history and was once a meal for the imperial court of the Qing Dynasty. It uses high-quality Hu Sheep (an important sheep species of Taihu Plain and a class-one protection regional livestock in the country) as an ingredient and is carefully cooked following the recipe of the braised family handed down from ancestors and the unique cooking process.
Chongxian Thigh (崇贤蹄髈) is a famous dish, and it has its own unique cooking method. It has strict requirements for cooking fires. If the cooking fire does not meet the requirements, the dish will not be as good as it should be. At the same time, Chongxian Thigh is very particular about seasonings. There are “nine kinds of seasonings”. As long as one of the seasonings is not authentic or in place, the dish will be ruined.
Special Snacks
Zimao Meatballs (粢毛肉圆) is one of the famous snacks in Tangxi. The meat is soft and delicious. The glutinous rice has a bright sheen, is as transparent as pearls, is glutinous but not oily, and is suitable for all ages.
The Fine Sweetened Bean Paste Sheep Tail (细沙羊尾) is named for its shape like a sheep tail. It is golden in color, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, and crisp and soft in the middle.
In the Streaky Meat Big Rice Dumpling (五花大肉粽), the meat is bigger than a palm, and the rice is enough to fill a bowl. One rice dumpling will definitely fill you up.
Fagen Foods (法根食品) is the golden name card of Tangxi, a thousand-year-old town in Hangzhou. It inherits the cakes and pastries making skills of the older generation and produces unique flavors.