charming china towns

Chinese towns all have long histories. Certain small towns, which have existed for hundreds of years are especially full of charm. One of these is Lijiang in Yunan Province, which has made the World Cultural Heritage list. The history and culture of some small towns, along with the combination of past and present culture has attracted visitors from home and abroad. Thus, Zhouzhuang, Phoenix Town, Yangshuo, Wuzhen, Nanxun and Dali have become key destinations for travelers.

Zhouzhuang
Located in Jiangsu Province in the east of China, Zhouzhuang is only 38 kilometers away from Suzhou. Wu Guanzhong, the famous Chinese painting artist, once wrote, "Yellow Mountain gathers the landscape beauty of China, Zhouzhuang gathers the water town beauty of China". Overseas press calls Zhouzhuang the "No. 1 Water Town of China".

There are more than 30 rivers throughout Zhouzhuang, Deng Lake, White Inkstone Lake, Dingshan Lake and South Lake. Large houses with ancient aromas are all built along rivers presenting a scene of simplicity, tranquility and neatness. 60% of the local residential houses were built during the Ming dynasty. There are nearly one hundred classical houses and over 60 brick carving doors within no more than half a square kilometer. 14 ancient bridges are well protected. Zhouzhuang is a quiet place suitable for reading, and boasts over 20 Jinshi and Juren during its history. Countless scholars added to the culture and reputation of the small town in the forms of literature and art. Zhang Han (the litterateur in West Jin Period), Liu Yuxi and Lu Guimeng (poets in Tang Dynasty) all lived in Zhouzhuang.

Some major sights in Zhouzhuang include Quanfu Temple, Chengxu Taoist Temple, Shen's House, Fu'an Bridge, and Milou Tower. The picture is of the Fu'an Bridge.

Since Zhouzhuang lies between Suzhou and Shanghai, the transportation is very convenient. Zhouzhuang is so close to Shanghai that travelers can have a round trip in a single day. As a result, there are not many hotels in Zhouzhuang. Those that exist are operated by the locals. While they don't have all the amenities, they are good facilities and are quite clean.