Until the 1980s, most locals still got around Xitang in Zhejiang province by boat. The water town's maze of canals was often crammed with wooden boats transporting everything from people to livestock and building materials.

Visitors to Xitang can still get a taste of how life used to be in the ancient town, but these photos from the 1980s and 90s show how many things have changed since those days.

Xitang used to be a world of boats. Wooden boats with black awnings were the main vehicles for transporting people or cargo in 1980s and 90s. [Jiashan Fabu WeChat]