Wuzhen Water Town: Venice of the East

Mo Tingitng

Finding the almost exact nostalgic places that you had visited before， is indeed hard to come by， not only does it also consists of the many heartfelt feeling at the same time. However， Wuzhen Water Town is one such example. There is every reason to believe that the splendor of culture and natural scenery can impress even the most indifferent persons. Wuzhen is a graceful town with clear waters， wingding paths， soft sunshine and ladies with graceful manners. The plain， simple sceneries of water towns in southern China will make you enjoy a vacation that one can free self in peace， and escape from the over-noising city.

With a history of over 6，000 years， Wuzhen Water Town located in the north of Zhejiang Province， China is one of the great ancient towns of Yangtze. In 2001， Wuzhen was named as a candidate for UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List. At the end of 2006， it was included in the revised List of China's Candidates for UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. In 2009， Wuzhen was named as the first PATA eco-tourism destination in the Mainland China.

A crisscrossing waterway， which is part of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal， the longest canal in the world， divides Wuzhen into four scenic sections， which are respectively called as Xizha， Dongzha， Nanzha and Beizha by the local people. Dongzha （East Street） maintains the basic original layout while Xizha （West Street） has been rebuilt and renovated in the original style with many charming architectural features.

As a historical old town， Wuzhen shows an integral beauty of the harmony between humane environment and natural environment. River is the soul of here. Over the rippling river span stone arched bridges in various designs， and by the babbling river stand lines of time-honored houses， all built in wooden or stone structure in white or brown. The sinuous river， along with the slabstone-paved alleys between the houses， stretches all through the town and joins the horizon in the far distance. The houses set the river off， and the river reciprocally reflects the houses in water — such an enchanting image is presented right here.

Like many other water towns in southern China， the town display its rich historical heritage through its ancient stone bridges， stone pathways and delicate wood carvings， which would certainly questioned your thoughts about its existence. There are countless homes that stand today that were directly influenced by the style of the Qing Dynasty （1636-1912）. Traditional buildings remain intact today even after hundreds years of weathering， contributing to a romantic atmosphere that hails to old China， and making the whole of Wuzhen something of a living， breathing museum， with some areas more aimed at tourists than others.

As night falls， there were still a pretty much of difference in the sightseeing experience around this old town！ The sight of yellow dim lights were switched on by the numerous shops & houses， turning the whole of Wuzhen Water Town into myriad of colours that is surrounded by water canals！ There are still some on the other hand who had preferred the traditional use of lanterns as a light source of energy， had contributed to the “flavour” of the old ancient China heritage！ Indeed， every spot was so photogenic that you could not helped but to snap as many pictures to remember this place.

Although Wuzhen Water Town can be enjoyed at any time of the year， spring is a particularly good time to visit， with comfortable temperatures and the spring scenery making it more pleasant. The mist and drizzle make the ancient town more beautiful. Even on a cold， rainy spring day， Wuzhen has a special beauty. Wuzhen in winter is quiet， pure and low-keyed， but the view is so different when you travel there in an early summer time.

History has enriched Wuzhen and its simple lifestyle and folk customs have been well preserved. With its thousands of years of history and culture， its honest and beautiful scenery of rivers and lakes， its unique flavor of the cuisines， colorful folk festivals， deep heritage and timeless lifestyle， Wuzhen has become a living fossil of ancient oriental civilization. For centuries， houses， shops， and markets have been built along the rivers edge， with stone railings， picturesque courtyards， and ancient bridges connecting traditional wood and stone structures. The citizens way of life revolves around the rivers and canals that cut the land like snakes in the sand. The bustle of traders near bridges and ports and piers seem relentless.

In addition， Wuzhen is most known for its natural beauty and for being the home of many talented people throughout the centuries. The prince of the Liang Kingdom， Zhao Ming， once studied here， and Maodun， a famous writer from the eras of modern China， have left cultural marks on the town. Maoduns former home where he spent his childhood is found on Guanqian Street. The construction is distinctly traditionally Chinese in the Qing Dynasty style.

Theres plenty to see and do on a visit to Wuzhen Water Town， and its best enjoyed as a full day tour. A trip will include a ride on a traditional wooden boat， plus a visit to East Street， where many of the towns attractions are based， such as the Ancient Bed Museum， Indigo Fabric Workshop， Sanbai Wine Workshop， and the Hongyuan Thai dye house. Taking a boat cruise along the waterway would be another way to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Wuzhen. Watching in the traditional art of shadow puppetry is also a must on a trip to Wuzhen. Often held in winter， the feast on the long street provides an opportunity for people from different places to sit around a long table and chat with each other. The Huagu Opera， a local drama depicting rural life through lively music and traditional costume， is not to be missed either. In summer days， villagers sell fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits on boats， forming a booming water market. These localized art forms invoke the rich traditional of the townspeople.

Whether you patron large restaurants to no-frills street stalls， food in Wuzhen is a delight to indulge in. The food here are more towards the local Chinese flavour. The food here may be a bit simpler than elsewhere in China， but the experience is always one to remember. Braised mutton with soy sauce， steamed Baishui fish and stewed duck in soy sauce are the most popular snacks of Wuzhen， especially the mutton.

It was indeed a romantic and slow pace way-of-life that is suitable for a great getaway or a place to sort out your thoughts from the busy and hectic suburb.