Water lanes & Stone bridges

The layout of the water lanes in Zhouzhuang is perfectly arranged that it looks like a Chinese character "#". Many stone bridges are built over them, linking up the households on both sides of every stream. These stone bridges are very old, 14 of which were built respectively in the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The most representative among them are the Twin Bridges, Fu'an Bridge, Zhenfeng Bridge and Fuhong Bridge, etc.

Experience from the "Heaven on Earth" to the water village

Suzhou is China's well-known "city of gardens", you may feel the charm of mountains,forest and springs without going out of the noisy surroundings of the town. You will have a distinctive flavor when touring the city by rickshaw and sailing down the rivers by boat, passing by the old-style bridges and the ancient houses.

The Twin Bridge

It consists of the Shide and Yong'an Bridge built between 1573 and 1619, and is situated to the northeast of the town.

The area is crossed by the Yinzi and Nanbei rivers, and the bridges are built in one in the direction of north-south and the other east-west, with one square and one round opening. Because they look like an ancient key, it also known as Key Bridge. Chen Yifei, a young artist residing in the U.S. created a picture of "Memories of Hometown" based on the Double Bridge in 1984. The painting, with Chen's other 37 works, were exhibited and bought by Dr. Armond Hammer, an American oil tycoon, and later presented to the late Deng Xiaoping.

Fu'an Bridge

Fu'an Bridge is located at the east end of Zhongshi Street, crossing the Nanbeishi River and leading to the Nanbeishi Street.

It was built in 1355, and rebuilt by Shen Wansi, younger brother of Shen Wansan. It has towers on all four corners. Each side has carved beams and painted rafters. People can now enjoy local foods and shopping in the towers.

Zhenfeng Bridge

Zhenfeng Bridge is sitting on the west mouth of Zhongshi River, and connects the Zhenfeng Lane and Xiwan Street. It was rebuilt in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and is well-preserved today.

Zhouzhuang has about 1000 households who are living in the old dwelling quarters. More than 60% of the houses built in the Ming and Qing dynasties and the early Republic of China as well are well preserved. Among which there are 100 houses with each having a courtyard and 60 of them have an arch gateway for each made by carved bricks. The houses of both Zhang and Shen families remain intact and are rated as the best heritages among all of them for their ancient style.

Shen's House

Shen's House is located to the southeast of Fu'an Bridge, on Nanshi Street. It was built in 1742 during the Qing Dynasty by Shen Benren, a descendant of Shen Wanshen who was a man of wealth in southern China in the late Yuan (1206-1368) to early Ming Dynasties.

It consists of seven courtyards, five archways, more than 100 rooms of different size along two sides of a 100-m-long axis road, covering an area of 2000 sq.m, offering a unique traditional Chinese architectural style.

It has three sections. The first includes the water gate and wharf for mooring boats and washing. The second one consists of the Tea Hall and Main Hall for receiving guests and holding wedding or funeral ceremonies. The rear part serves as living quarters.

The Main Hall covers 170 sq.m. The 6-m-high carved brick archway, facing the Main Hall, is the most magnificent among the five, with a horizontal inscribed board bearing the inscription, Jihouliuguang ( do more good for ever). Around the board are relief sculptures of figurines, animals, pavilions and opera characters.

Zhang's House

Zhang's House is located at the south of the Twin Bridge on Beishi Street. Built between 1436 and 1449 by the offspring of Xu Kui, the brother of Zhongshan King Xu Da, it was sold to Zhang's family in the early Qing Dynasty, after which it was called either Yuyan (Jade Swallow) Hall or Zhang's House.

It has 6 courtyards and more than 70 rooms, covering more than 1800 sq.m. The first courtyard has side buildings on the east and west, with long and short windows. Yuyan Hall is the main building, large and bright with grand column on big nanmu pier bases, a rare Ming style. A river flows under the hall, with a square pool built in the middle section to allow boats to turn round. Its rear hall has open windows and balconies facing the water with a backyard of various plants and flowers.

The place now is an important cultural relic under protection of the provincial government.

Ye Chucang Residence

Ye Chucang (1887-1946), born in Zhouzhuang, was a poet of the South Society and a statesman, and was graduated from Suzhou High School. When he came home during winter vocation, he saw many people involving in gambling and opium, so he organized a group of young people to publicize the harm of these activities.

His residence, Zuyin Hall, located on Xiwan Street facing north, was built in the Qing Dynasty, consisting of five courtyards. The Main Hall is a studio and the Rear Hall is a place where Ye received friends.