Only in China.
Wuzhen is a beautiful place and the attention to detail in terms of conservation is extraordinary. The reason for this is that, as with parts of Beijing before the 2008 Olympics, the place was cleared of residents!
The waterways of Wuzhen are kept topped up with water by the adjacent Hangzhou to Beijing Grand Canal, which is still used to supply the dry north with water from the wet south and local goods transport. It was a major transport artery in times gone by, which led to the rise to prosperity of water towns like Wuzhen.
Dong Zha (the East Sector) is basically a single waterway, about 400 meters long sandwiched between two streets of original Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) houses. The street has souvenir shops and restaurants on one side of the street and various museums exhibiting beds, clothes, blue flower printed fabric, etc on the other. In the peak season the streets are thronged with Chinese tourists (few foreigners) and the waterway is busy with single-oar skiffs carrying up to six passengers up and down the waterway.
Many find Xi Zha (the West Sector of Wuzhen) a much better experience than that of Dong Zha - most non-Chinese visitors will find Dong Zha interesting, but Xi Zha positively charming. Xi Zha is quieter (during the day) and is more spacious. There is a marsh with a firefly aviary and wooden water-drawing system, and a sizable pagoda at one end by the Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal. It is similar in layout to Dong Zha with a main waterway and streets either side, but larger at 1000 meters long, with a good number of side alleys, bridges, ancient docks and secondary waterways, which makes it a fascinating place to stroll around.
Xi Zha has been rebuilt and renovated in the original style (it is still being constructed (August 2009) in the western corner), with many charming architectural features: colonnades, small bridges, balconies, piers, wooden windows and doors, and gray stone walls and paving. Xi Zha has few local residents and is instead given over to accommodation for visitors. There are three main accommodation providers. The largest and cheapest is Min Su (Wuzhen Guest House), with antique style wooden furnishings and all the modern conveniences including internet access and satellite TV.
To enter Xi Zha visitors need to take a short single-oar ferry ride across a man-made lake. The streets of Xi Zha are lined with guest houses, restaurants, bars and souvenir and arts and crafts shops. Xi Zha has a similar feel to West Street of Yangshuo (the backpackers mecca and highly-developed tourist town in Guilin, South China), but it is less crowded and hasn’t really been discovered yet. Xi Zha has the potential to become East China’s Xi Jie (West Street).
The karaoke and bars at both ends of the waterway are noisy during the evening, though still little frequented, but the middle of Xi Zha is peaceful. Xi Zha is beautifully lit at night, subtly highlighting various architectural features and the bridges. There is a silent flow of skiffs making night cruises on the main waterway. Xi Zha is well-constructed, tastefully decorated and well-kept. The streets are immaculately clean and even the eaves of the buildings are given a dusting in the mornings. Xi Zha is pleasing to the eye and draws one in - into a forgotten time in China when waterways were used like road and rail, and life was simpler. Wuzhen combines new and old really well.
Wuzhen is a beautiful place and the attention to detail in terms of conservation is extraordinary. The reason for this is that, as with parts of Beijing before the 2008 Olympics, the place was cleared of residents!
The waterways of Wuzhen are kept topped up with water by the adjacent Hangzhou to Beijing Grand Canal, which is still used to supply the dry north with water from the wet south and local goods transport. It was a major transport artery in times gone by, which led to the rise to prosperity of water towns like Wuzhen.
Dong Zha (the East Sector) is basically a single waterway, about 400 meters long sandwiched between two streets of original Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) houses. The street has souvenir shops and restaurants on one side of the street and various museums exhibiting beds, clothes, blue flower printed fabric, etc on the other. In the peak season the streets are thronged with Chinese tourists (few foreigners) and the waterway is busy with single-oar skiffs carrying up to six passengers up and down the waterway.
Many find Xi Zha (the West Sector of Wuzhen) a much better experience than that of Dong Zha - most non-Chinese visitors will find Dong Zha interesting, but Xi Zha positively charming. Xi Zha is quieter (during the day) and is more spacious. There is a marsh with a firefly aviary and wooden water-drawing system, and a sizable pagoda at one end by the Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal. It is similar in layout to Dong Zha with a main waterway and streets either side, but larger at 1000 meters long, with a good number of side alleys, bridges, ancient docks and secondary waterways, which makes it a fascinating place to stroll around.
Xi Zha has been rebuilt and renovated in the original style (it is still being constructed (August 2009) in the western corner), with many charming architectural features: colonnades, small bridges, balconies, piers, wooden windows and doors, and gray stone walls and paving. Xi Zha has few local residents and is instead given over to accommodation for visitors. There are three main accommodation providers. The largest and cheapest is Min Su (Wuzhen Guest House), with antique style wooden furnishings and all the modern conveniences including internet access and satellite TV.
To enter Xi Zha visitors need to take a short single-oar ferry ride across a man-made lake. The streets of Xi Zha are lined with guest houses, restaurants, bars and souvenir and arts and crafts shops. Xi Zha has a similar feel to West Street of Yangshuo (the backpackers mecca and highly-developed tourist town in Guilin, South China), but it is less crowded and hasn’t really been discovered yet. Xi Zha has the potential to become East China’s Xi Jie (West Street).
The karaoke and bars at both ends of the waterway are noisy during the evening, though still little frequented, but the middle of Xi Zha is peaceful. Xi Zha is beautifully lit at night, subtly highlighting various architectural features and the bridges. There is a silent flow of skiffs making night cruises on the main waterway. Xi Zha is well-constructed, tastefully decorated and well-kept. The streets are immaculately clean and even the eaves of the buildings are given a dusting in the mornings. Xi Zha is pleasing to the eye and draws one in - into a forgotten time in China when waterways were used like road and rail, and life was simpler. Wuzhen combines new and old really well.