Zhouzhuang
Zhouzhuang boasts a vast number of buildings from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dinasties. It has been
recently declared an International Heritage Site by the United Nations.
Yunhai Pagoda
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The Yunhai Pagoda is the biggest in town. |
Bridge over water
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The Fountaineblean Double Bridge Holiday Inn has acceptable rooms with beautiful sights |
Sunset over water
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Evening and morning are still quiet, best time to stroll around. |
Despite the crowds, a day in Zhouzhuang is worthwhile. When you enter the town during the day, a
gang of bandits in uniform charge you 60 Yuans to pass the main door. It is actually a ticket giving
you the right to visit all the monuments.
One of the 14 bridges
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Within the old town there are 10 sights, temples, gardens...that can be visited |
Shen's Residence entrance
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Built by Shen Wansan, it has 7 courtyards with 5 doors. More than 100 rooms are connected to a main hall. |
Shen's Residence room
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South from Shen's the Hall of Zhang's Residence is also worth visiting, with 70 rooms over the Ruojing river. |
Visiting by boat
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Zhouzhuang became a large town outside the Fengmen Gate of Suzhou city, and an important centre for grain, silk, pottery and handicrafts |
Walking around
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As Wu Guangzhong, a famous poet said : Zhouzhuang contains all the beauty of water towns |
Nanhu Garden
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This garden was buit for Zhang Jiying, a literary man of the Jin dinasty, and consists of bridges crisscrossing over the water |
Nanhu Garden and Quanfu Temple
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The temple is surrounded by pagodas leading to the Nanhu Gardens |
Bridge in Nanhu Garden
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The temple was buit during the Song dinasty, has 4 courtyards and 21 gold buddhas |