Wuzhen Water Town

Wuzhen Water Town, lying in the northern part of Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province, is a typical ancient town in southern China. It is about 80 kilometers from Hangzhou and Suzhou and 140 kilometers from Shanghai.

As one of the top six ancient towns in the southern region of the Yangtze River, Wuzhen Water Town boasts more than six thousand years of history and has always been a fertile land with great rice, fish, and silk. It preserves the ancient appearance well and oozes the charm of the water town itself. The small town, with houses made of black bricks and gray tiles contrasting sharply with the white walls, appears like a Chinese ink wash drawing. Stone bridges are seen here and there. Small boats with black awnings are floating on the murmuring rivers. Whether wandering along the riverside or strolling in the lanes paved with blue flagstones, you will be deeply impressed by the picturesque scenery and slow lifestyle.

A crisscrossing river divides the whole Wuzhen Water Town into four scenic sections, which are respectively called Dongzha, Nansha, Xizha, and Beizha by local people. Since Nanzha and Beizha are less developed, tourists often visit Dongzha and Xizha. Dongzha maintains the original basic layout while Xizha has been reconstructed to reproduce the ancient appearance of the water town.