Wuzhen 乌镇

About Wuzhen

Dongzha concentrates traditional shops and workshops into a smaller area, while Xizha follows a longer old street with waterside houses, stone bridges and accommodation. Both have undergone organized conservation and tourism development. Select one district before adding the other, and compare the street-side view with the canal edges. Boat rides and inter-district transfers are separate parts of the plan, subject to current operation.

The settlement was once divided by the Shihe waterway (市河), also called Chexi (车溪). Wuzhen occupied the western bank under Wucheng County (乌程县), while Qingzhen (青镇) on the eastern bank belonged to Tongxiang County (桐乡县). The western settlement was later incorporated into Tongxiang, uniting the two under the present name. Most houses along the streets date from the Qing dynasty, with courtyards, waterside landings and arcaded passages.

The former home of the writer Mao Dun (茅盾) was built in the middle of the nineteenth century and housed several generations of his family. It was renovated and enlarged in 1984, opened to the public in 1985 and received national cultural-relic protection in 1988. The museum east of the residence occupies the former Lizhi Shuyuan, the academy where Mao Dun attended school as a child.

What to look for

• Xizha’s waterside houses and stone bridges reveal how buildings face the canal.
• Dongzha’s smaller street-and-workshop setting contrasts with the larger western district.

Location & getting there

Getting to Wuzhen

Choose the Dongzha or Xizha visitor centre before travelling. Dongzha’s parking approach is on Ziye Road; confirm the current connection if continuing between the two districts.