Zhouzhuang – “The Venice of the East”

Zhouzhuang at night

Most tourists that visit Shanghai have probably never heard of a small water-village located just less than 80 km away from the city called Zhouzhuang.  This small city is famously known as the “Venice of the East” and any tourists planning a trip to Shanghai should definitely try to schedule at least one day to visit this ancient village.

Some gondolas in Zhouzhuang

Located just 30 km outside of Suzhou, Zhouzhuang can easily be accessed via Suzhou or Shanghai.  There are many water towns that surround the area but Zhouzhuang is the oldest and the most famous. Zhouzhuang is a popular tourist destination for Chinese tourists and is rapidly becoming more popular for foreigners.  When I first visited the city back in early 2009 my 2 friends and I were the only foreigners around.  On subsequent visits late last year and just this past month I have seen a lot more foreign tourists while visiting the town.

Beautiful Zhouzhuang

This is not necessarily a bad thing as many hostels and budget hotels have popped up inside the ancient village (by renovating old buildings) that has most of the amenities those of us in the West are accustomed to.  This makes an overnight trip to the city a must if you can afford the extra day. If you do plan on staying overnight I recommend staying at Longxing Inn because it’s in a great location (right on the main commercial street), the owners are friendly and accommodating, and the rooms are incredible cheap!

There are loads of attractions and places to visit within and around Zhouzhuang making it impossible to thoroughly enjoy them all during a day visit. If you purchase a roundtrip ticket from Shanghai you will arrive around 10:30 or 11:00 depending on traffic and your departure time. The bus then departs from Zhouzhuang between 4:30 and 5:00pm. If you do decide to stay overnight you can arrange with your bus driver to allow you to take his bus on the following day (you will need to pay an additional 30-40 RMB per person, which you will pay when you board the bust the following day).

One of the many bridges that can be found in Zhouzhuang

When you arrive the bus will drop you off at the second stop in the loading zone near the new development area (unless you are a part of a tour group you, which is the first stop).  The new development area (which was new when I first visited in 2009) is desolate and not very well maintained.  There isn’t much to see here, but before you head into the old village (which will require a 100 RMB entrance ticket; included in the roundtrip fare purchased in Shanghai) I recommend making a quick trip to Shen Wansen’s mansion.

Shen Wansen was a famous silk merchant who is largely credited with turning Suzhou and Zhouzhuang into a bustling merchant-based economy due to their convenient waterways.  His old mansion compound has been well maintained and restored throughout its long history and the price of admission is included in the price of the ticket to the ancient village.  His mansion serves as an excellent example of how the traditional Ming aristocracy lived.

Shen Wansen's Mansion

After popping in for a brief visit you can head on over to the old village to spend the rest of the afternoon. The village contains tons of narrow streets littered with souvenir shops, restaurants, and residences of famous residents of the past.  If you want to do some shopping please keep in mind that most of the products there are not hand-made like the shop owners would like you to believe.  Most of them are mass produced and can be found at multiple shops around the village.  A lot of shops will even have a half-painted picture sitting out in plain view near the entrance of the shop to give the illusion that their products are hand made by either the shop owner or someone who works there. At some point during the day I recommend a visit to the Quanfu Temple and the Confucian temple (if you have to choose one, make it Quanfu).

One of the entrances to the historic village

One of the downsides to the recent commercialization of Zhouzhuang is that the prices of everything are much higher than they used to be (the entrance tickets to the village used to be only 60 RMB). This doesn’t mean that you can’t get a good deal though.  After spending quite some time doing some serious haggling I was able to get a framed painting (large one at that too) for around 100 RMB.  If it’s later in the evening after most of the tourists are gone you can get even lower prices. Always be willing to walk away if you feel the price is too high.

I usually like to listen to what the Chinese tourists are offering for the souvenirs and paintings. Most shop owners assume that if you are a foreigner you can’t speak Chinese so ifZ you do, use this to your advantage.  If you are friendly to the shop owner and stand your ground, you can get quite a deal of anything in Zhouzhuang.

A pedestrian bridge near Quanfu Temple

If you do stay the night make sure to attend one of the several night performances that can be seen around the village. The different performances try to recreate some of the cultural activities and celebrations that have long been a part of Zhouzhuang’s cultural history.  There is even an evening performance in which tons of beautifully lit gondolas make their way along the canals of the village.

Overall I absolutely love the charm and culture of Zhouzhuang.  The close proximity of all the main attractions, the shopping, and cultural performances are what keep bringing me back again and again.  A lot of people will complain that the village has become too commercial and will opt to visit other water cities (which are lovely to visit as well, look for more posts on this in the future).  Whether you are looking for a quick day trip or an overnight trip Zhouzhuang is sure to please.