Zhouzhuang is a famous water town in the south of the Yangtze River known to the world. In the town, waterways crisscross. Old buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties are built along the river. The Twin Bridges in the paintings of painter Chen Yifei depict the tenderness of a small bridge over flowing water and households. The Nanhu Lake in the south of the ancient town is broad and beautiful. At night, when Zhouzhuang is lit up, it has a different artistic conception. Highlights of the tour: Ancient residences in brick-carved gatehouses in the misty rain of Jiangnan. The buildings in Zhouzhuang are mainly Jiangnan dwellings, among which there are nearly a hundred ancient residences, mostly buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Surrounded by water on all sides, the ancient town is formed by rivers. Various waterways form a ‘well’-shaped pattern embedded in the ancient town, giving Zhouzhuang the characteristic pattern of streets formed by water and a market formed by streets. Above the water lanes of Zhouzhuang, 14 ancient stone bridges built in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties are well preserved. Ancient bridges, water lanes and ancient residences are truly ‘a small bridge over flowing water and households’. Visiting ancient dwellings and tracing the footsteps of celebrities. There are many ancient residential architectural relics here. The famous ones are Zhang’s Hall, Shen’s Hall, and the mysterious underwater tomb of Shen Wansan. It is said that it is Shen Wansan’s cenotaph. Shen’s Hall was built by descendants of Shen Wansan. It is a well-preserved Qing Dynasty residence in Zhouzhuang. With exquisite structure, you can visit and see the traces of life of the rich man in Jiangnan. You can also touch the legendary ‘treasure bowl’. Zhang’s Hall was originally named Yishun Hall. It was built in the earlier Ming Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, it was transferred to a family surnamed Zhang and renamed Zhang’s Hall. It is a typical official residence in the Ming Dynasty. The rowing boats in the water lanes are a beautiful water town dream. The ancient town of Zhouzhuang is not large. It is about one to two kilometers in length and width. You can visit the entire ancient town on foot. However, taking a boat ride on the waterways is highly recommended. The boats in the ancient town are wooden boats covered with blue flower cloth of the water town. One boat can carry one to six people. The aunt rowing the boat often sings some Kunqu tunes, which is full of water town charm. ‘Only Zhouzhuang’ immersive multi-dimensional space drama. ‘Only Zhouzhuang’ immersive multi-dimensional space drama aims to immerse the audience in a ‘journey of meeting oneself’ in a dream within a dream. The play breaks the traditional drama and stage performance model. It explores space and time issues in deconstruction and reconstruction. It combines Song Dynasty aesthetics with multi-dimensional technological creativity. It leads the audience to travel through time and space beyond three-dimensional space and thus obtain a super-sensory experience of emotions and souls. The story tells about a young traveler named Zhou He who comes to Zhouzhuang to attend a gathering of astronomy enthusiasts. In a dream, he witnesses the dreams and life of a Song Dynasty person with the same name who experienced in Zhouzhuang nine hundred years ago. And he has a cross-time and space dialogue with many famous people in Zhouzhuang. Within 80 minutes, enter the dreams of contemporary Zhou He and Song Dynasty Zhou He. Following the four chapters of ‘old dream, entering the painting, going on an expedition, and seeking the way’, enter the world of Song Dynasty aesthetics and the ancient and elegant water town nine hundred years ago. Witness the respective pursuits of old friends in Zhouzhuang.
Old Dream: Welcome to Zhouzhuang! At an offline gathering of astronomy enthusiasts, you meet a young man named Zhou He. He casually takes a copy of ‘Annals of Zhouzhuang Town’ from the front desk and plans to read it before going to sleep. That night, all the guests in the hotel strangely enter the same dream. You enter Zhou He’s dream. Outside the window, the rain is pattering. Zhou He sleeps with a book and embarks on a dream journey, returning to the water town 900 years ago and meeting a Song Dynasty person with the same name as himself. Come and enter the dream together. Highlight: In an immersive dome light and shadow space, an all-round immersive drama performance brings you a shocking visual enjoyment. Entering the Painting: There are dreams within dreams. You hurry along with a lantern in hand, following Zhou He’s footsteps and entering the dream of the Song Dynasty person with the same name. The dream is full of memories, including the bustling banquets and music in Tokyo in the past, the acquaintance and separation with the court singer Tao Xi, and people’s agreements and entrustments. At the moment of waking up, Zhou He of the Song Dynasty has an answer between leaving and staying. ‘There are beautiful sceneries everywhere outside the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River. Why does Brother Zhou stay here alone?’ Only because ‘Wherever the heart is at ease is home.’ Highlight: Restore the court musicians of the twelve cases of鼓吹 on site. The dancers of the Song Dynasty court dance gracefully against the backdrop of light and shadow, showing the prosperous court scenes. Expedition: Zhou He of modern times follows the light in the fragments of time and witnesses the half-life story of Zhou He of the Song Dynasty staying in Zhouzhuang. In order to protect the water town, he sends his son Zhou Xi into the army. Picking up a lamp while drunk and looking at the sword, dreaming back to the camps with blowing horns. Zhou Xi is brave and good at fighting. He leads 300 brave men from Zhouzhuang to join the army going north to resist the Jin army. Highlight: Boarding a ‘warship’, being in the fierce battle against the Jin army, and experiencing the war atmosphere of wind and rain, lightning and thunder, and cannons firing everywhere. Finding the Way: The ginkgo tree planted by the elders of Zhouzhuang to commemorate the brave men who resisted the Jin army has become a sacred tree for the people in the water town to pray for blessings. In the dream, time and space fade away. Zhou He of modern times takes over the guiding fish lantern and waits under the ginkgo tree. Zhang Han, Zhou Digonglang, Shen Wansan… Old friends from the town enter the dream and tell the sentiment of ‘Only Zhouzhuang’. Day breaks, and each of us wakes up from our own dreams, reminiscing about this ‘lucid dream’ where we once met each other. May all the white estrangements at least meet and embrace in dreams. Highlight: Hundreds of blessing lotus lanterns on and under the sacred tree illuminate one lost person after another. It is real, illusory, and like a dream. Slow Life, Leisurely Walk and Enjoy Leisure. Zhouzhuang is a very suitable place for relaxation. Get up in the morning and enjoy the breeze by the river and have some Jiangnan special breakfast. During the day, you can walk around in the town, listen to operas and drink tea in a teahouse, or read books and drink coffee in a café. At night, you can have a drink in a quiet bar. Many bars have singers performing. Special Shopping. Zhenfeng Cultural Street: Sells Jiangnan handicrafts, including homespun cloth, shoe art, olive pit carving, bamboo weaving artworks, etc. Most stores close at sunset.
The Carton King Theme Creative Park features a variety of decorative items and trinkets made entirely from paper, showcasing the unique charm of paper art. The Quanfu South Road Cultural and Creative Street is home to intangible cultural heritage shops such as Xiuniang Silk and Zhu Bingren’s Copper, as well as a variety of food and goods from Daoxiang Village, Crab Companion, Spicy Workshop, and Sen Cui Women’s Clothing. The Zhang Hall Fan Shop houses a collection of thousands of fans, including round and folding fans, with Suzhou embroidery and ink paintings that are highly distinctive, offering a deep understanding of the profound fan culture. If conditions permit, it is recommended to stay overnight in the ancient town to gain a deeper insight into the place. There are many guesthouses run by local families within the ancient town, mostly located along the river with backyards, offering a good and quiet environment, and can be chosen based on individual needs. Zhouzhuang Cuisine: When visiting Zhouzhuang, the local snacks are a must-try. There are many characteristic snack shops near Zhenfeng Street and around Shen Hall. Zhouzhuang’s snacks are very rich, including Wan San Pig’s Trotters, Grandma’s Vegetables, White Silk Fish, and Sanwei Yuan, as well as Jiangnan specialties such as Qingtuan, Wa Di Su, and Chang Yao Gao, which can all be found here. You can enjoy shopping and tasting at the same time. Delicious Wan San Pig’s Trotters: Longfeng Restaurant, Wan San Restaurant Grandma’s Vegetables: Shen Hall Restaurant, Zhouzhuang Huajian Tang Kikuko Restaurant Sanwei Yuan: Wan San Restaurant, Shen Hall Restaurant. Operating Hours: January 1 to March 31, 07:30-20:00; April 1 to December 31, 07:30-21:00. The opening hours of sub-attractions are subject to the actual situation on site. Preferential Policies: Children: Free for those aged 6 years (inclusive) or below, or with a height of 1.4 meters (inclusive) or below; Elderly: Free for those aged 70 years (inclusive) or above, with valid identification; half-price for those aged 60 years (inclusive) to 70 years (exclusive) with valid identification; Minors: Half-price for those aged from 6 years (exclusive) to 18 years (inclusive) with valid identification; Disabled: Free for the disabled and one accompanying person for severely disabled (level 1 and 2) with valid identification; Military Personnel: Free for active military personnel (including military academies) and retired military officers with valid identification; Drivers and Tour Guides: Free for drivers with A1 licenses and certified tour guides with valid identification; Journalists: Free for those with a journalist’s certificate issued by the News Office with valid identification; Honored Individuals and Preferential Subjects: Free for individuals who have won the National Voluntary Blood Donation Award, the Voluntary Donation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells Award, the Lifetime Honorary Award for Voluntary Blood Donation Service in this province, and preferential subjects who enjoy the consolation subsidy in Jiangsu Province with valid identification; Students: Half-price for full-time undergraduate students and below with valid identification; Preferential Subjects: Free for those with the ‘People’s Republic of China Veterans’ Preferential Certificate’, ‘People’s Republic of China Martyrs, Military Personnel who Died in Public Service, and Sick Military Personnel’s Dependents’ Preferential Certificate’ (excluding garden tickets, charges inside the garden, and night tour projects) with valid identification; Labor Models of Kunshan: Free for Kunshan city labor models, Kunshan city honorary citizens, and Kunshan friends with valid identification; Firefighters: Free for leaders and staff of the national comprehensive fire and rescue team with valid identification. Service Facilities: Parking Lot: [Zhouzhuang Visitor Center Parking Lot] Reference Price: ￥20 per time; Address: Located at Zhouzhuang Dian South Road Visitor Center; Spaces: 1006; Small cars 10 yuan per time, large cars 20 yuan per time, subject to the parking lot’s charging notice; Spaces for small cars 850, large buses 156. WIFI: Account: zhouzhuanglife; Password: No password required; Coverage: Full coverage. Luggage Storage: Reference Price: Free with ticket; Address: Ancient Archway Visitor Center; Dangerous items and valuables are not accepted for storage. Scenic Spot Interpretation: The scenic spot provides electronic interpretation services.
Follow the official WeChat account of Zhouzhuang for travel guidance, which includes an electronic tour guide accessible from the bottom left corner. The experience fee is 8 yuan (subject to actual charges at the scenic spot). Baby stroller rental: Reference price: Free, with a deposit of 500 yuan; Location: Ancient Archway Visitor Center. It is recommended for babies weighing 20 kg or less. Restrooms: Multiple restrooms are available within Zhouzhuang, located near the Ancient Archway main entrance, Zhang Hall, Shen Hall, and the Ancient Stage, all marked with conspicuous signs. Dining: Restaurants can be found within Zhouzhuang, near Shen Hall and marked with conspicuous signs. Alipay and WeChat Pay are accepted. Convenience Stores: Multiple convenience stores are located along the main streets of the ancient town of Zhouzhuang, where Alipay and WeChat Pay are accepted.
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