China is host to many little water cities where lakes and rivers interconnect
. However Zhouzhuang is one such water city which is in the limelight. In fact the city which is about one hour away from Shanghai has been dubbed the Venice of the East.
What propelled Zhouzhuang to its high esteem, tourism wise, was a painting by Chen Yifei. This artist exhibited 38 of his paintings in New York. One painting was titled Memory of Hometown and depicted the infamous twin bridges. This painting was elected to be the visual for the United Nations postage stamp first day cover in 1985.
These twin bridges are in much demand and tourists and artists flock to Zhouzhuang to paint the magnificent views it affords. The view is amplified when the stone bridges are set off by the colour schemes of the white washed houses which lie around it.
Most houses in Zhouzhuang are built by the waterways. However Zhang Ting one of the oldest mansions and most well preserved of them has the river running right through it, making it possible for boats to dock in the backyard of the house itself.
Another much visited mansion is Sheng Ting. Once the residence of a wealthy merchant, this mansion is a two storey building which contains more than 100 rooms. Maintained to preserve the opulence of a bygone era, the mansion is a regular feature in many Chinese movies.
Zhouzhuang can be covered by boat or on foot within a day and offers an ideal day trip option. Official gondolas are on hand to give visitors a complete tour. One must not forget to also sample qingtuan - small dumplings with sweet bean paste - which is a delicacy of the area.
If a visitor wants to base themselves from Shanghai and seeks a hotel in Shanghai then The Langham Yangtze Boutique Shanghai with its elegant and refined atmosphere is one of the ideal Shanghai hotels to choose.