Hidden Beyond Zhouzhuang Ancient Town: Xiangcun·Qizhuang, Experience Another Side of Jiangnan Water Town Life!

In the water towns of Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River), Suzhou stands out with its traditional residences. Zhouzhuang, known as China's No. 1 water town, perfectly captures the iconic imagery of small bridges, flowing streams, and waterside homes. Zhouzhuang Ancient Town is a household name, but beyond the ancient town lies Xiangcun·Qizhuang—a hidden gem where you can discover a different side of Zhouzhuang life!

Xiangcun·Qizhuang is located in Sanzhubang Village, Zhouzhuang Town, Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, just 5 km from Zhouzhuang Ancient Town. It is a shining star in Zhouzhuang's all-for-one tourism strategy, leveraging the ancient town and surrounding resources with principles of respect, altruism, restoration, and integration. Through an 'embedded' approach to rural tourism development, it presents visitors with an authentic water village idyll where guesthouses double as immersive folk culture experiences.

Tucked away in the countryside just beyond the ancient town, Xiangcun·Qizhuang nestles within an unspoiled Jiangnan village. Idle farmhouses have been renovated with decade-themed interiors and turned into cozy country villas right among local villagers. Here, you can stargaze, wake to crowing roosters and barking dogs, pick vegetables and do handicrafts, fish, boat, or simply zone out in peace. This pastoral haven offers visitors a dose of nature, leisure, and freedom—a true retreat for the soul.

Blending leisure, lodging, and eco-agriculture, Xiangcun·Qizhuang has become a top pick for many seeking a rural getaway.

Leaving the glittering ancient town center for Qizhuang, the city’s clamor fades away. The village is peaceful, the countryside beautiful, and the warm, friendly neighbors give Xiangcun a heartwarming feel. As you wander among the houses, you’ll encounter a rural charm worlds apart from urban life. This guesthouse culture perfectly embodies the saying, 'There's a kind of life called Zhouzhuang.' Come to Zhouzhuang, come feel it at Xiangcun.

They say there’s a kind of life called Zhouzhuang, but truth be told, Zhouzhuang offers more than just one way of living.

Xiangcun·Qizhuang is weaving a pastoral water-town picture of tranquil living, where roosters and dogs can be heard from one house to the next and paths crisscross the fields. Days here are calm and peaceful, filling you with a sense of home and enduring hope. Its 'Decade Show' themed guesthouses bring rustic dreams to life—each one embodies an era and a distinct nostalgia.

In addition to a village history museum, book lounge, and other amenities, nine guesthouses are currently open, offering 32 rooms (8 standard twins, 24 king rooms, and 3 duplex suites). Each one, renovated from an old farmhouse, reflects a different rural home from the 1960s to the 2000s. The third-phase guesthouses, with white walls and gray tiles in a fresh neo-Chinese style, are a visual delight, featuring tea rooms, restaurants, and meeting spaces perfect for team-building or family gatherings.

Guesthouse No. 5 — 1980s

A memory from the 80s: a detached two-story home with a flower-filled courtyard that feels like a secluded retreat. Inside, an old leather suitcase in the living room, a push-top water kettle in the kitchen, and a silky bed scarf in the bedroom... every detail stirs up childhood nostalgia.

Guesthouse No. 9 — 1980s Shanghai-style

Featuring an old-fashioned clay stove, begonia-patterned glass, half-wall wainscoting, simple European touches, a flavor of Shanghai's petty-bourgeois chic, traditional Republican-era style, and memories of the stars we idolized back then... A spacious courtyard, a little treehouse, a fully equipped kitchen, and a seesaw—there’s something here to charm everyone.

Guesthouse No. 1 — 1990s

A private, minimalist courtyard house from the 1990s. Set along the river, it has two yards—east and west—with a bamboo grove in the west yard, offering quiet, serene beauty. The house includes a separate living room and kitchen equipped with everything you need, making it perfect for a getaway. With both east and west courtyards, it can host up to 11 guests. Upstairs on the west side, a loft room designed just for kids is a big hit with little ones. The west yard with its bamboo grove lets you dig bamboo shoots in spring, listen to cicadas on summer nights, cool off in autumn, and soak up the winter sun—a true taste of country life.

Every guesthouse brims with personality, and the rustic charm of Xiangcun permeates every detail. Far from the city’s din, you can shed your travel weariness in a cozy room and enjoy a stretch of quiet, leisurely time.

Beyond the guesthouses, you can explore the bamboo groves for a taste of wild nature or pick fruit straight from orchard-laden branches right outside your door and savor the flavor of the countryside.

With fertile fields and lovely ponds, the seasonal fruit and vegetable gardens of Xiangcun·Qizhuang offer freshly picked corn and radishes that burst with earthy freshness, conjuring up the tastes of childhood. And the homemade pickles—radish, head mustard, tender ginger—are unforgettable flavors and memories.

"Picking chrysanthemums by the eastern hedge, peacefully gazing at the southern mountains." This imagery has stirred in countless city dwellers a longing to retreat to a simpler country life.

Here, you can savor authentic farmhouse cuisine or cook for yourself, turning freshly picked vegetables into delicious dishes, and even taste the soybean milk you grind yourself.

In the morning, the housekeeper sets out warm congee and simple side dishes, leaving you plenty of time to relax. This cozy, private space becomes your own little world.

After breakfast, a stroll through Xiangcun·Qizhuang reveals ever-changing pastoral water-town scenery. Trumpet vines clamber over fences by the houses, and the untamed thickets hide delightful surprises. Or simply sit by the fields with a leisurely afternoon tea and soak up the slow-living vibe. It feels like returning to simplicity—isn’t this the idyllic life that the ancient poet Tao Yuanming retreated to over a thousand years ago?

Address: No. 82 Sanzhubang, Qibang Village, Zhouzhuang Town, near Zhouzhuang Ancient Town.