Successfully bet on National Day, Shen Dang in Yu Hua's writing is such a great place to explore…

This National Day holiday, don’t want to struggle in the crowded popular scenic spots? Then I strongly recommend you come to Shen Dang Ancient Town in Haiyan, Jiaxing — this Jiangnan water town that even Yu Hua can’t stop thinking about!

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✅️ Why Shen Dang?
🔸 The literary world in Yu Hua’s writing: Yu Hua has lived in Haiyan for more than thirty years and once said, "As long as I write, I am going home."
Many scenes in his works are based on Shen Dang. The "Sun Dang" in "Cries in the Drizzle" is Shen Dang (the local dialect pronounces "Shen" and "Sun" the same), and the Victory Hotel in "Chronicle of a Blood Merchant" is authentically restored here.

🔸 Truly niche and quiet: Compared to the commercial hustle and bustle of Wuzhen and Xitang, Shen Dang still maintains the authentic water town life. Usually, there are few tourists, and even locals from Jiaxing rarely visit, making it a rare pure land during the National Day holiday.

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✅️ Must-visit experiences
🔸 Victory Hotel - Taste the same dishes as Xu Sanguan
"A plate of fried pig liver, two taels of yellow wine, the yellow wine should be warmed" — this is a classic scene from "Chronicle of a Blood Merchant."
Today’s Victory Hotel perfectly recreates this scene and has become a must-visit spot for tourists. Remember to go early, queues can be long during peak season!

🔸 Shen Dang Old Street - Stroll through 2,000 years of history
Bluestone roads, white walls with black tiles, small bridges and flowing water — this place perfectly preserves the scenes from Yu Hua’s literary world. The old street has over 2,200 years of history, without excessive commercialization, only the simple atmosphere of everyday life.

🔸 Shen Dang Brewing Factory - Smell the sauce aroma while touring the ancient town
The century-old brand "Shen Dang Brewing" still insists on traditional methods to brew soy sauce and yellow wine. As soon as you enter the factory area, you can smell the rich aroma of sauce, and the sight of thousands of neatly arranged sauce vats is very impressive.

🔸 Shen Dang Granary - A gathering place for artistic youth
The cultural industry park transformed from an old granary has now become a bookstore, café, and creative space.

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✅️ Itinerary
· Morning: Stroll Shen Dang Old Street, check in at Victory Hotel
· Noon: Taste the same fried pig liver and yellow wine as Xu Sanguan
· Afternoon: Visit Shen Dang Brewing Factory, try white soy sauce ice cream; have coffee and read at the Granary Cultural Industry Park

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The charm of Shen Dang is not in how spectacular it is, but in the magic that slows down time. Here, you can drink tea and daydream in an old teahouse, watch local elders weave bamboo… everything feels so natural and effortless.

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