In Songyang county, Zhejiang province, 78 traditional villages remain lived-in communities, not just for tourist attractions. Since 2012, local authorities have upgraded infrastructure and reviewed every restoration plan, while developing each village around its own character. Entry is free with no rows of souvenir shops. Visitors can stay in century-old rammed-earth homes, hike ancient trails, pick tea and herbs, take in Songyang Gaoqiang Opera, and try traditional paper making and brown-sugar making. What visitors see is a living portrait of the region south of the Yangtze — quiet, authentic, and still vivid.
