What to See

Shadow Plays are put on with folk-art shadow puppets. The puppets are hand-crafted, translucent so the light shines through and made with threaded joints so the puppets can move freely. Accompanied by traditional Chinese musical instruments such as the flute and urheen, shadow plays are very popular.

East Street has been a prosperous business center of Wuzhen since ancient times. More than 700 local households are established along this street, most engaging in traditional craftworks that visitors can admire and purchase.

Many interesting exhibition centers are also here, including the Wood Carving Museum and Hundred Bed Museum. Take in the Huagu Opera played on a hundred-year-old stage, or delight in the daring acrobatics and martial arts that are performed on boats just offshore.

Several local workshops and stores that have been operating for over a century also provide glimpses into a past life Check out the Hengyitang Chinese Medicine shop and the historic Wuzhen Post Office.

For a look at the rich silk industry, visit the Yida Silk Store, dating from 1875, to see beautiful brocades being hand-woven by skilled craftsmen.

Also drop by the Chinese Footbinding Culture Museum, which offers a glimpse into a tradition that seems unreal in today's world. The museum features a collection of 825 pairs of tiny boots and shoes from various regions of China, all beautifully preserved and displayed together with footbinding tools.

If you are familiar with Chinese literature, don't forget to take a look at the Former Residence of Mao Dun. Mao Dun is a famous writer in modern China, best known for the novel Midnight. His former home is located in the middle part of Guan Qian Street, where he lived during his happy childhood. The home is a traditional Chinese style house built during the Qing Dynasty.