Wuzhen is a historic scenic town, part of Tongxiang, located in
the north of Zhejiang Province, China.
It lies within the triangle formed by Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai.
Covering an area of 71.19 km², Wuzhen has a total population of 60,000,
of which 12,000 are permanent residents
The river and canals that crisscross across the town are flanked with
ancient residential houses, workshops and shops, built on raised
platforms of wood and stone pillars. Most of these riverside houses were
built during the 14th century Ming dynasties.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wuzhen was established in the late 9th
century, although the first settlers here were the New Stone Age people,
7,000 years ago. Over more than 1,000 years, Wuzhen has never changed
its name, water system or lifestyle. The traditional buildings, railings
and arch bridges, arched gates across the street, imposing dwellings
and spacious courtyards, river banks and verandas are all well
preserved. Within the town, there are now more than 40 hectares of late
19th century buildings, and more than 100 ancient stone bridges of
different shapes.
The numerous canals that run across Wuzhen divide the town into four
scenic sections, which are respectively called as Dongzha, Nanzha,
Xizha, and Beizha by the locals. Tourists prefer to visit Dongzha and
Xizha because they are relatively developed. Dongzha maintains the basic
original layout while Xizha has been reconstructed to reproduce the
ancient appearance of the water town. Xizha has few local residents and
has instead given over to accommodation for tourists.
Dongzha Tour Map
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