Trip back in time

Near the ancient water town of Wuzhen, the scenic villages of Maming and Haihua provide the perfect destinations for travelers seeking a taste of authentic rural life. Xing Yi reports.

While most people in Tongxiang city in East China's Zhejiang province are still nestled beneath the covers at 3 am, Tu Yuanqing and his father Tu Bingfa are already up on their feet, arranging cups, boiling water and preparing tea leaves.

The doors to their rustic, cozy teahouse in Maming village open just half an hour later. By 4 am, the space is a hive of activity as elderly residents, most of them aged 60 and above, chat animatedly with one another while sipping cups of tea and smoking cigarettes. Some villagers can also be found playing mahjong in a small room illuminated by a solitary light bulb.