Wuzhen, the picturesque watertown in Zhejiang Province that has more than 1,000 years of history, recently topped the list of Chinese watertowns known for their literary influences. As the birthplace of Mao Dun, one of the most prominent figures of Chinese modern literature, the town rose to fame thanks to his well-known prose work Lovely Hometown. Even today, the Mao Dun Literary Award, the Chinese equivalent of the Nobel Prize for Literature, has been presented in Wuzhen since 2000. The Global Times took a weekend trip to the Xizha (west area) of the town.


Literary connections

Apart from Mao Dun, the literary atmosphere of the watertown dates back to the Southern Dynasties (420-589) when Crown Prince Zhaoming was studying here during the Liang Period (502-557). The prince later compiled Selected Poetic Prose, the first book in Chinese history that collected literary works which became a classic reading material source for ancient Chinese scholars. Given the name of Xiao Tong at birth, the prince established a college in the town, which today is a library called Zhaoming Shuyuan. A five-meter-high memorial stone archway built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) commemorates this historical figure.

Inside the library the old-style decoration remains unchanged with ancient-looking chairs and bookshelves. Visitors are free to visit the library, and can borrow books, newspapers and magazines (in various languages), as long as they show proof they are staying in the town.

At the back of the library there is an exhibition introducing the various winners of the Mao Dun Literary Award and their works.
Traditional workshops

As a town famed for its cloth and silk production in ancient times, Wuzhen also retains some traditional workshops hidden down lanes where visitors can watch old techniques being demonstrated.

The Cao Mu Ben Se Dyehouse, whose name means "the original color of grass and trees," is a handmaking workshop which dyes blue cotton cloth from natural plants. Visitors can also pay 50 yuan ($8) to learn the whole dyeing process under the auspices of a local craftsman. They can either dye a piece of their own cloth, or pay 20 yuan to learn the first two steps of the dyeing process.

Yi Da Si Hao, a silk producing company established in 1875, demonstrates the process of silk reeling to visitors with huge, growling machines. This includes removing the silk threads from silkworm cocoons.

Visitors may also see craftswomen weaving brocade by way of a traditional weaving machine. According to one of the craftswomen, it takes three days for them to finish weaving one meter of brocade, and the cloth sells for as much as 300 yuan per meter.

An outlet of the traditional cosmetic company Xie Fuchun is located at Xizha Dajie. Established in 1830, the cosmetic products from this Yangzhou brand use only natural ingredients. They were once supplied to the Chinese royal family. Currently the most sought-after items are Yadanfen (face powder in the shape of a duck's egg) and Guihua Touyou (sweet-scented hair-end conditioner). Because of the strong fragrance of these products, the shop assistants suggest visitors scent their clothes by putting the products in their wardrobes. Small bags of scents are also on offer, which can be used to refresh or calm yourself down. Most of the products are priced between 20 yuan and 100 yuan.


Weekend water market

According to a boatman in Wuzhen, during the weekends there is usually a water market on the canals. Merchants fill their boats with fresh produce including fish, vegetables and fruits, as well as daily commodities. Residents living on the either side of the water will lower down their baskets from their windows to buy items from the boats.

A good time to visit is in the late afternoon to be able to travel along the canal when it is all lit-up on either side. An open air cinema screens old black and white films between 9 pm and 11 pm.
Travel info

Where to stay

Numerous hostels line Xizha Dajie, mostly renovated from the traditional homes of local residents. Many of the guest rooms feature a wooden four-poster bed with delicate engravings of traditional Chinese symbols. Shops, cafes and bars dotted along the town's lanes offer many different kinds of cuisines to visitors.

How to get there

Wuzhen is a two-hour's drive from downtown Shanghai. Shuttle buses from Shanghai South Long-distance Bus Station depart from 9:45 am to 3:45 pm with a one-way ticket costing 43 yuan. Entry is 120 yuan for Xizha during the daytime and 80 yuan at night. It costs 100 yuan to visit Dongzha.