Tranquil Retreat Amid Mountains and Waters: Dreamscapes of Xixi Wetland

Regardless of the weather or season, Xixi Wetland remains a serene retreat with its mild climate and lush vegetation, perfect for drifting leisurely on its lakes. The mist rising from the streams offers visitors a glimpse into the fleeting beauty of life. Here, you’ll find classic Jiangnan scenes: the white walls and black tiles, fiery persimmons reflected in the water in autumn, the snowy reeds in winter, and the shimmering dusk light over the ubiquitous reeds. Wandering through the winding paths, one can step from the bustling world into a secluded sanctuary. It was perhaps this allure of the tranquil pool at Shentankou that inspired director Feng Xiaogang to film a memorable scene of If You Are the One with Ge You and Shu Qi aboard a boat here. The name “Shentankou” comes from an ancient text, describing its deep waters as impassable without a boat and said to be home to a mythical dragon. Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, the Xixi Dragon Boat Contest is held here, a lively celebration that blends tradition with ecology and culture.

The gentle waters wind through lush meadows, with nature painting a tapestry of vibrant life across the wetland. Morning mists drape Xixi like silk, while sunlight filters through the trees, casting golden threads upon the land. Here, villages are not relics of the past, but living poems that unfold with ecological farming, cultural workshops, and aesthetic courses, forming a harmonious ode to rural revitalization. Six rivers crisscross the park, forming a network of waterways and fish ponds interspersed with islands. Renowned poets and scholars like Li Shangyin, Su Shi, Yu Dafu, Xu Zhimo, and Guo Moruo have all admired Xixi, leaving behind a legacy of beautiful poems, couplets, inscriptions, and travel notes for future generations to enjoy.