Zhouzhuang Water Town

Zhouzhuang is one of the best-known water towns in the Jiangnan region, located in Kunshan, Suzhou, Jiangsu, about 30 km southeast of Suzhou and 60 km west of Shanghai. The settlement dates back about 900 years and grew wealthy on trade along the Grand Canal network. It is built around a grid of canals crossed by stone bridges, with whitewashed houses, black-tiled roofs, and covered walkways running along the water. The most famous landmark is the Twin Bridges (Shuangqiao), a pair of interlocking bridges, one arched and one square, which inspired an oil painting by Chen Yifei that made Zhouzhuang widely known. Other sights include the Shen Residence, a large Qing-era merchant house with many halls and courtyards, the Zhang Residence, built over a canal so that boats could pass through, and the Fu'an Bridge, a traditional stone bridge with shops. Visitors can take a rowboat ride through the canals, which is the classic way to see the houses and reflections. A visit typically takes three to four hours, and the town is at its most atmospheric early in the morning and in the evening after day-trippers leave. During the day, the main streets are crowded and full of souvenir shops, so visitors often wander into side lanes for quieter views. Staying overnight in a guesthouse allows the evening lantern light and the early morning mist to be seen. Local specialities include braised pork elbow (wansan ti) and Zhouzhuang rice cakes. Buses run from Kunshan South Station, and Didi from Shanghai Hongqiao takes about an hour. Night-time performances are ticketed separately.