Among several areas of ancient housing left standing in Shaoxing, this is perhaps the most pleasant, although it's been tidied up for tourists. The best entry point is from Zhong Xing Zhong Lu along Qiao Zhi Jie, just north of the junction with Shengli Dong Lu, at the memorial arch(paifang).
The two-story houses are constructed of stone and wood, painted white, often with their fronts to the stone-flagged street, and their backs to the waterways. At the first main junction, across the bridge, turn right into Fu Shan Jie, at the top of which lies theJiezhu Si(¥5/65¢; open 8am-5:30pm), a single hall five bays wide with circular stone screens at either end carved with images of playful deer. Once the residence of Wang Xizhi, the Master Calligrapher himself, the hall contains a small exhibition on his life, and copies of his work.
As you return down Fu Shan Jie, make your first left into a narrow street and you'll come immediately to a bridge giving views of people washing their clothes, and traditional housing hung with washing and lanterns. Across the bridge, the path at water level to the right offers plenty of photo ops and brings you back to Qiao Zhi Jie again. Turn back onto Fu Shan Jie and left onto Bijia Qiao (Pen Rack Bridge) at the end of which, you will find a carpenter who still makes paddles and boats.