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The century-old Xianheng Hotel, located in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, bustles with visitors. [Photo/Tide News]

In Shaoxing, the century-old Xianheng Hotel is currently bustling with visitors. Celebrating its 130th anniversary this year, the hotel has become a unique landmark of the ancient city of Shaoxing.

As a five-star Lu Xun culture-themed hotel, the Xianheng Hotel covers an area of 57,000 square meters and has a range of accommodations that integrates regional culture, celebrity influence, and unique operational characteristics.

The hotel became famous after it was depicted in the Chinese classic Kong Yiji, written by Lu Xun (1881-1936), who is widely hailed as the leading figure of modern Chinese literature, and published in 1919. In 1894, the hotel was funded by members of Lu Xun's family.

Song Jincai, who took over management of the Xianheng Hotel in 1990, recognized the commercial potential of Lu Xun's cultural heritage and the burgeoning cultural tourism industry. This vision propelled the hotel from being a mere adjunct to Lu Xun cultural sites to a thriving business, ushering in a 30-year golden age of rapid development.

Song expanded the premises and recruited talent. The first expansion brought the hotel from 270 square meters to nearly 1,000 square meters. It has since undergone two more expansion and renovation projects, creatively preserving the imagery from the novel and the authentic Jiangnan (south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River) water town style.

The Xianheng Hotel is embracing new growth opportunities amid the rapid rise of cultural tourism in the ancient city. It aims to become a famous brand in the ancient city, establish a unique position within the cultural tourism industry, and become a model for innovation in Shaoxing cuisine.