Because of its canals and waterways, Zhouzhuang has been dubbed the Venice of the East, boasting the best-preserved water town in China. The town has a history of over 900 years, and most of its residencies and houses were built in the Ming (1368-1644) or Qing Dynasties (1644-1911). The rivers and streams in Zhouzhuang crisscross the town and are spanned by 14 stone-arch bridges that were constructed in the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Thanks to these waterways, the town avoided the chaos caused by the many wars in dynasties past. Most of its architectural layouts have remained intact.
Twin Bridges, Fuan Bridge, Shen House, Milou Tower, are among the wonderful places to see in Zhouzhuang. The most amazing view off one of the town's many bridges focuses on a house where a boat can enter through the front gate and sail through the courtyard.
The town has been listed with the highest ranking in China among the national tourist attractions, and this year, the town has once again been selected as one of the top 50 China's tourist attractions in a nationwide survey.
Zhouzhuang is a township of Kunshan City, which is a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Suzhou City in Jiangsu Province. The town is situated between Suzhou and Shanghai, 30 km to the southeast of Suzhou and 60 km the southwest of Shanghai. There are more than 1 million tourists visiting the small water town each year.
