Zhouzhuang, about 30 kilometres Southeast of Suzhou City and 90 kilometres from Shanghai, is a famous water township standing on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and Taihu Lake.

An ancient Chinese poem described Zhouzhuang as a town with small bridges, murmuring streams and thatched dwellings. The four streams in the town including Chenghu, Baixian, Dianshan and Nanhu, which flow through the town in a criss-cross fashion, earning the town the epithet of “The Venice of China”.

Another attractive feature of the exquisite town is the well-preserved architecture. More than half of the residences were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In June 2000, the town was added to the Global 100 Best Practices List in improving the living environment under the UN Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT).

The principle sights the town include Twin Bridges, Fu’an Bridge, Zhang’s Compound, Shen’s Compound, Chengxu and the Taoist Temple.

Twin Bridges (Shuang Qiao), considered the symbol of Zhouzhuang, is comprised of an arched bridge, Shide, and a beam bridge, Yongan. They meet at a right angle, and their complementary shapes create the image of an ancient Chinese key, which is why Shide and Yongan are also known to the locals as Key Bridges.

Fu’an Bridge is located at the eastern end of Zhongshi Street and it was built in 1355 during the Yuan Dynasty. One unique feature of Fu’an Bridge is the four structures built at each corner of the bridge. The unique trait of the Fu’an is the consummate combination of the single-arch bridge and the bridge towers. The bridge towers were used as tea-rooms, restaurants and stores, and are good places to appreciate the views while taking a rest.

Zhang’s Compound, one of the few existing buildings dating back to the Ming Dynasty, was built by Xu’s Family. It comprises six courtyards, has over 70 rooms and takes up about 1,800m^2. Zhang’s Compound serves as a graceful and tranquil residence, complemented by Ruojing River which flows serenely through it.

Built in 1742, Shen’s Compound is a 2,000m^2 compounds near the southern end of Fu’an Bridge. It boasts seven courtyards and approximately 100 rooms. Perhaps the most interesting feature of Shen’s Compound is its symmetrical design.

Located in Zhongshi St. and built in the Song Dynasty, Chengxu Taoist Temple is also known as Sanctity Hall. As one of the most famous Taoist temples in ancient Suzhou, Chengxu Taoist Temple boasts many exquisite works and masterpieces of Taoist architecture.