Xitang Ancient Town is a tourist destination located in Jiashan County, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province. The scenic area spans 3.03 square kilometers, comprising a 1.01-square-kilometer core protected zone and a 2.02-square-kilometer township area.
With a history and culture stretching back a millennium, Xitang is an ancient town of great significance. Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn Period, Wu Zixu of the State of Wu undertook water conservancy projects and developed waterborne transport by excavating the "Wu Zi Tang" (Wu Zixu’s Canal). This channel diverted water from north of Xu Shan—located approximately 12 *li* (about 6 kilometers) southwest of present-day Jiashan County—directly into the area; hence, the town is also known as "Xu Tang." Due to its flat, expansive terrain, it is alternatively referred to as "Ping Chuan" (Level Expanse) or "Xie Tang." By the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, numerous settlements had already emerged, with residents building homes along the rivers and living by the water. During the Southern Song Dynasty, these settlements grew in scale, evolving into marketplaces. By the Yuan Dynasty, a formal township began to take shape around these waterside markets, and commerce flourished. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, Xitang had developed into a major hub for handicrafts and trade in the Jiangnan region.
On February 25, 2017, the National Tourism Administration of the People's Republic of China announced that Xitang Ancient Town in Jiaxing had been officially designated as a National AAAAA-level Tourist Attraction—the highest classification for tourist sites in China.