A Night in Zhouzhuang, a Day in a Water Town

Talking about this trip

The gentle charm of Jiangnan's water towns always haunts my dreams. After being cooped up at home for far too long, ever since the quarantine was lifted, I've found myself drifting to Zhouzhuang every chance I get. With the pandemic keeping visitors away, the town is quieter than ever—so peaceful it feels like it's slipped back to its old, lovable self. I wander the ancient streets, sometimes with my camera, sometimes just my phone when I don't feel like lugging gear. So in this travelogue, the watermarked shots are from my phone. Instead of a typical point-by-point itinerary, I've gathered my favourite recent photos and grouped them into a few themed highlights, packed with practical tips. Take advantage of this rare tranquillity—come and let loose in Zhouzhuang.

Grasses grow, warblers fly, spring blooms warm the air. The world's most beautiful place is Jiangnan in springtime, and spring's tenderness hides in water towns. Whitewashed walls, dark-tiled roofs, tiny bridges, flowing canals, and waterside homes—every detail is a signature of Jiangnan. Here, spring is gentle, elegant, soft, sweet, and dreamy…

Bai Juyi, homesick, was haunted by Jiangnan: "When spring comes, the river is green as blue—how can I not recall Jiangnan?" Wang Anshi, sojourning far away, would gaze toward it: "Spring breeze greens Jiangnan's shore again—when will the bright moon shine on my return?" No matter where you roam or what you've seen, spring in Jiangnan is unforgettable.

Zhouzhuang, a town born of water, ringed by rivers, its lanes following the waterways, bridges linking streets where every short journey needs a boat—this is the water town of dreams. Without Zhouzhuang, there is no true water town. When spring arrives, I just have to go back.

Day 1: Xiangcun Qizhuang

Morning: Windmill season, canola and tulip flower seas, perfect for photos, picnicking, windmill bikes, countryside views, crayfish delivery / dining at Chunfengl

Afternoon: Handicraft experience at Xiangcun, then head to Zhouzhuang

Evening: Zhouzhuang nightscapes, dinner at Mao De Tian Kong (Cat's Sky café)

Accommodation: Zhouzhuang

Day 2:

Early morning: Ancient town morning scenes

Morning:

1. Boat ride: past Fu'an Bridge, Taiping Bridge

2. Rainy lanes in search of blossoms

3. Little bridges and flowing water: Fu'an Bridge, Twin Bridges / Yifei's Home

Green willows line the banks, clear water ripples, oars creak as boats slip under arches—like drifting through a watercolour painting. Spring in Zhouzhuang shimmers on the waves! One of the top six ancient water towns in Jiangnan, Zhouzhuang is likened to jade by Ruan Yisan, and he must have meant how it feels right now.

Zhouzhuang is watercolour after watercolour! On both sides of the North-South River and Hougang Street, weeping willows have sprouted tender green shoots, birds sing in the branches, and hand-rowed boats weave through the willows. On the water, a folk tune drifts: "Everyone says Zhouzhuang is lovely."

Willows dressed like jade, ten thousand silk ribbons hanging down. In spring, Zhouzhuang is no longer a simple ink wash of grey, black, and white—it becomes a refreshingly elegant watercolour.

Zhouzhuang is tenderness with every oar stroke. The water town's roads are paved with water and cloud. To enter and leave, one relies on an oar. The river flows slow, the oar rocks slow, all the way to Grandma's Bridge. Grandma calls me her good baby, and I call her silkworm baby... When in Zhouzhuang, take a boat ride and feel what it's like to glide through the landscape. There are four different boat routes, each with its own character, though due to the pandemic only two are open: Ancient Town Water Lane Tour and Caishen Residence Water Tour.

In a poet's words, Zhouzhuang's paths are laid with water and misty clouds. Canals, little bridges, and light boats in the morning fog look like a light-coloured ink wash on xuan paper. In spring, Zhouzhuang is a delicate young lady—narrow, crisscrossing canals barely wide enough for two rowboats to pass, slender as a maiden's snowy arms.

Night in Zhouzhuang: A Dream, a Water Town

Falling in love with a town often begins at night. Jiangnan is a dream—a gentle, lingering dream swaying in the dim glow of lanterns. Spring boats carry silk; a thousand lamps bustle in the night market. In poetry, Jiangnan nights have flourished since the Tang and Song dynasties, blossoming on green ripples.

Lanterns blaze like day; the hum of market voices stretches ten miles. Suzhou's night tours, themed "Gusu at 8:30 PM," are turning the city into a Jiangnan never-night, and Zhouzhuang at night is a Peach Blossom Spring within it. Zhouzhuang's night is serene, gentle, with dim, romantic lights!

Oar sounds, lantern shadows—the water town grows more enchanting as night deepens. This rare quiet has returned Zhouzhuang to its most authentic self. Those who truly love Jiangnan now slip quietly into town, losing themselves in its tranquil, tender nightscapes.

Here are some classic spots to capture the night in Zhouzhuang: landscapes, performances, portrait backdrops, and night markets. Follow along and check them off!

01 Night Moon · Cloud Sea Pagoda Reflection

Night Zhouzhuang is the white moonlight reflected on Baixian River. Surrounded by water, Zhouzhuang was once cut off from the world, reachable only by boat. Even today, only one quaint bridge connects to the ancient town. Beside it stands Cloud Sea Pagoda on Jishui Port, the town's only high point. When night falls and lights come on, the pagoda dons a gorgeous illuminated gown, casting a lovely reflection in the clear water. Sit on the waterfront terrace of the Starry Sky Bar in Taiwan Old Street, bathed in pale moonlight, gazing at the radiant pagoda as boats pass with low horns.

02 Night Moon · South Lake Autumn Moon

Night Zhouzhuang is the lake breeze blowing across Quanfu Bridge. If you take a painted barge from Jishui Port into the ancient town, you can circle it and disembark at South Lake Bay. In the distance, the long Quanfu Bridge arcs like a rainbow over the lake, with pavilions, willows, and trees along the shore.

In the night, a breeze stirs the lake; willow branches sway gracefully. Strolling arm in arm on the waterside boardwalk is utterly refreshing.

Music starts softly, lights flicker, and a serene, rustic, romantic living scroll unfolds on South Lake Bay: the light show begins. Water fountains, screens, and walls interplay to recreate the eight famous scenes of Zhouzhuang, such as "South Lake Autumn Moon," "Eastern Village Snow," and "Zhuangtian Geese."

03 Night Painting · Hometown Memories

Night Zhouzhuang is an oil painting thick with nostalgia. As daytime bustle fades, every step in the night-bound ancient town paints a picture.

Below the Twin Bridges, where round meets square, mist rises, and a hand-rowed boat slides through the soft lamplight, turning Chen Yifei's ink-wash vision into a riotous oil painting.

04 Night Painting · Screen Wall Phantom

Night Zhouzhuang is the cycle of seasons on white walls and dark tiles. The screen wall by Azure Dragon Bridge is carved with a panoramic view of Zhouzhuang. At night, secrets hide behind it: the mottled wall becomes a canvas for seasonal beauty—spring, summer, autumn, winter—all exquisite.

Water town maidens with oil-paper umbrellas and flowing sleeves dance gracefully, their silhouettes merging with the projected figures in a dreamlike, borderless blend.

05 Night Opera · Pear Garden Feast

Night Zhouzhuang is a lyrical opera feast. The delicate, velvety Kunqu singing echoes through the ancient stage; the real-yet-unreal love of Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei suffuses the romantic night air.

06 Night Opera · Four Seasons Zhouzhuang

Night Zhouzhuang is a grand show spanning a thousand years. Understand Zhouzhuang in one night, starting with "Four Seasons Zhouzhuang."

A live water-town spectacle with real bridges, water, and local households. It crosses four seasons from spring to winter, traverses a thousand years from Shen's trade to modern life, and weaves folk customs from farming to water-town weddings—a living picture of Zhouzhuang's native life.

07 Night Nuptials · Wedding Chamber Candlelit Bliss

Night Zhouzhuang is the red bridal veil of a water-town maiden. In front of Zhang Hall, a bright red wedding boat is moored. On the opposite wall, wedding customs are projected, and music fills the air with ceremony. Inside Zhang Hall, red lanterns and curtains recreate the joyful bustle of a traditional water-town wedding.

A couple in embroidered wedding attire lifts the red veil, faces radiant with happiness.

08 Night Nuptials · Hand-in-Hand Lane

Night Zhouzhuang is clasped hands witnessed by the bamboo-pierced stone railing. By the canal, boats with blue-flower canopies rest; horse-hoof lamps glow orange. The sky is purely blue in the distance. Walk hand in hand down Lovers' Lane.

09 Night Nuptials · Marriage Bridge

Night Zhouzhuang is a sweet embrace by Moonlight Bridge. Deep in the ancient town, through narrow alleys, all is quiet. Fuhong Bridge appears, its red arch and reflection forming a perfect circle. Under the bright moon, this Marriage Bridge has witnessed countless love-filled embraces.

10 Night Fishing · Xianjiang Fisherman's Song

Night Zhouzhuang is a living ode to waterborne fishing life. There is a life called Zhouzhuang, and a fisherman's life. The Xianjiang fisherman's song is one of Zhouzhuang's eight scenic sights. The Xianjiang Bay light show uses mist, water screens, laser projections, and LED lights to paint the fisherman's world.

13 Night Feast · Wan's Family Banquet

Night Zhouzhuang is a feast for the taste buds. From the water-lane embankment, hand-rowed boats drift past Fu'an Bridge outside the window. The aroma of Wan's Family Banquet's eight signature bowls is irresistible. At Shen Hall Restaurant, a water-town culinary encounter, your palate can't miss this—savour a different Zhouzhuang.

14 Night Feast · Waterside Night Market

Night Zhouzhuang is the bustling energy of everyday life. Beneath the covered walkways, crowds come and go. Tables are set along the river, the scent of fresh river seafood mingles with shops' offerings, full of human warmth. A few friends clink glasses; an elderly woman trills a local tune. Mist rises from the canal, sometimes swirling around your feet like a fairyland, as you leisurely admire the riverside nightscape.

12 Night Fishing · Returning to the Embankment

Night Zhouzhuang is the dim glow of late-returning fishing boats. Across the hazy Tongxiu Bridge, boats moor in a row along the bank. Fishing lamps sway, nets hang drying—a quiet fisherman's life, set against poetic light and shadow.

15 Night Zen · Ancient Temple Chimes

Night Zhouzhuang is the serene, meditative sound of temple bells. At South Lake scenic spot, Sanskrit rhythms and zen melodies drift in the hazy night. The thousand-year-old temple hides in the thoughtful quiet. My mind wanders, and a sense of zen arises. Water-town girls release floating lanterns on the river, the little lights bobbing like a Milky Way.

16 Night Zen · Qin Seeks a Bosom Friend

Night Zhouzhuang is the deep, lingering resonance of a qin. At the South Lake Guqin Society, melodies float through the night—now sonorous as a bronze bell, now crystalline as gemstones, now crisp as wind chimes. Sip tea, burn incense, play the qin, seeking a kindred spirit. This is the refined, "acoustically moving" Zhouzhuang.

17 Night Mooring · Quiet West Bay

Night Zhouzhuang is a tranquil, warm dream. Warm lights and pale moonlight intertwine. Deep in the water lanes, boats moor for the night. West Bay sinks into peaceful slumber; in the mist, it is the Jiangnan dream poets yearn for.

Jiangnan in spring: willows green, sunny earth dust-free, warm sand pecked by fledgling swallows, flowering trees enchanting visitors. Spring in Zhouzhuang is not just fresh willows—it's also flowering trees you stumble upon around deep-lane corners.

The longtang alleys are deep and quiet, as if you've accidentally stepped into a time machine. On both sides, old houses with white walls and black tiles bear the mottled marks of centuries…

In the antique Zhang Hall, magnolias bloom before the Jade Swallow Hall, pure white as snow. Have the jade swallows of old returned yet? Redbuds push out purplish-red clusters, hiding among the white walls and dark roofs of North-South Street, like a shy maiden's blush! At Yifei's Home, the weeping crabapple in the courtyard has burst into rosy splendour.

Wandering absentmindedly through the hidden lanes of the ancient town, it's easy to get lost. Narrow alleys where only one person can pass sideways, flower lanes where all sorts of blooms vie for attention.

Encountering Sanmao Teahouse

Lane: Getting lost just to see flowers

Lane: Getting lost just to see flowers

The Hand-in-Hand Lane with bamboo-pierced stone railings

Countryside: Ten miles of fragrance, Xiangcun Qizhuang

Beside the water town lies idyllic farmland. Willows dance in spring breezes, cherry blossoms bloom pink, splashes of bright yellow, peach red, and pear white—this is the water-town countryside's most brilliant spring palette! Perfect for an outing, perfect for flower viewing, don't waste a ray of this fine spring sunshine.

In spring, Xiangcun in Zhouzhuang is a patchwork of gold. When Sanmao visited, it was canola season. "Orchard wind blows, peach leaves green; spring dew presses canola flowers yellow." The fields are covered in golden blooms, like a palette upset with yellow pigment, pouring out resplendent spring right before your eyes.

The golden canola sea brightens all of Xiangcun Qizhuang. Only on approaching do you realise yellow has so many layers: golden, duck-yolk, orange, pale yellow… this must be what they mean by colourful yellows.

Flocks of chickens and ducks, angry birds, cute frogs—whimsy fills the fields. This is a paradise for children, who can run free on the ridges and frolic among the flowers.

In spring, Xiangcun in Zhouzhuang is a rainbow of fragrant colours. By the countryside fields and tranquil valleys, tulips bloom in a riot of spring. Entering Xiangcun Qizhuang, you're greeted by a sea of tulips, complementing the golden canola. Clusters and patches of them, like a multicoloured neon dress, sway in the Xiangcun sunshine.

Tulips of every hue—red, purple, brown, yellow, orange, white, pink, black, flesh—weave together, flowering in profusion. Some are like jade bowls, like wine cups, like lilies, like parrots, like tassels…

I think what "makes the host so drunk he knows not where is his hometown" is not only Lanling's tulip wine, but also Xiangcun Qizhuang's tulip sea and Wansan wine—both can make you forget the way home.

In spring, Xiangcun in Zhouzhuang is tree after tree in bloom. Peach blossoms glow fiery and bright. In Xiangcun's peach orchard, blossoms open in deep or light shades, set against the canola like a beauty's subtle, well-balanced makeup—utterly refreshing.

Peach blossoms rush to bloom before other flowers in the warming spring breeze. Who can resist those radiant, lovely colours? Aunties are busy hand-pollinating in the orchard, not daring to miss the fleeting spring, anticipating autumn's joyous harvest.

Children not yet in school play about the orchard. Ducks in the distant pond glide over the green water, evoking sweet childhood memories.

Long ago, to flee the Qin dynasty's chaos, people found a haven where men tilled and women wove. Without calendars, they knew a new year had come only when peach blossoms appeared. Xiangcun Qizhuang in the spring breeze, far from city clamour, is just such a Peach Blossom Spring—fragrant with flowers, alive with butterflies and bees, a perfect place to "escape" the modern world. Peach red once more, and another spring has come.

Now is the windmill season at Xiangcun Qizhuang. Ride a cute bicycle through the lush wheat fields, breathing in the fresh air. Or try hand-printing, imprinting flowers from the fields onto a handkerchief to take home as a cherished keepsake.

Cuisine: River Delicacies, Wild Greens – A Taste of the Water Town

Time to reawaken the taste buds dulled by winter. After two months of hibernation, they need releasing. In springtime Zhouzhuang, fragrant wild greens, sweet and soft Jiangnan pastries, and sumptuous river-fresh feasts reopen the memories of the palate.

Spring in Zhouzhuang tastes of freshly picked wild greens. The bountiful water town teems with them in spring—after a whole winter's growth, the greens seem to wave in the breeze, calling out: "Come soon, or I'll be past my prime!"

Wontons stuffed with wild greens, rice porridge with greens, pickled Grandma's greens, stir-fried malantou, fermented golden vegetables… In the clever hands of local cooks, these wild greens become all sorts of delicious dishes. In Zhouzhuang, even a meal of greens alone can be deeply satisfying.

Spring in Zhouzhuang is the sweet, soft chew of pastries. Gentle and glutinous, they melt on the tongue and pamper the soul. Water-town pastries also follow the seasons—only the freshest ingredients make the most soulful treats.

In spring, qingtuan (green rice balls) are a must, filled with red bean or lotus paste, not too sweet or greasy, with a light, lingering grassy fragrance. Around Qingming, there are also sweet wine-fermented pancakes, either meat or plain, sweet and stretchy, with rose, red bean, or mint flavours.

Dried cabbage flower pancakes, made from dried caixin flower tops, are glutinous, soft, sweet without cloying—a blend of wild-green aroma and sweet bean paste that can only be tasted in spring.

Spring in Zhouzhuang is a series of sumptuous river-fresh family feasts. Living on the water, spring brings the fattest river catches. White clams, whitebait, and sea bass are the three treasures of Xianjiang. The wild sweetness of yellow rape flowers pairs with the first-rank Tangli fish—exactly the time to savour Tangli fish in rape flower season, or with steamed egg custard, a children's favourite. "Snails in Qingming rival goose in flavour"—another top delight for food lovers.

Stuffed field snails are a dish of the Wan Family Banquet. Speaking of which, beyond the famous Wansan trotter, the three-delicacy meatball soup, made with shrimp, pork leg, and chicken breast, is a springtime taste-bud awakener. One spoonful of the fresh broth and your whole being feels comforted.

Spring bamboo shoots that have absorbed winter's essence, sun-cured bacon—the finest, simplest ingredients from Xiangcun, cooked into a braised "Yan Du Xian" soup, a dish so fresh it will knock your socks off.

Accommodation: Sleeping on a Jiangnan Dream

Zhouzhuang offers many lodging choices across a wide price range, from 100+ RMB guesthouses to 1000+ RMB luxury hotels. Based on my own stays, here are some personal favourites:

1. Blossom Hill

2. Chunlu Zhi Si (Thoughts of Perch and Water-shield)

3. Yaocheng Inn

4. Xiangcun Qizhuang, Time-show Homestay

5. Fantasy+ Homestay

As I love photography, I used to carry a DSLR and tripod. Now smartphone cameras are increasingly powerful and let you share directly to social media.

Multi-spectral colour temperature sensors and AI AWB algorithms deliver richer, more accurate colours. Zoom and wide-angle switch effortlessly, saving the hassle of carrying multiple lenses. You can shoot far or near, bright or dark, even in complex lighting, and still get stunning shots.

A larger sensor crushes the rest: the largest-ever 1/1.28-inch super-sensing sensor delivers all-day ultra-clear quality, full-pixel octa-phase detection autofocus, and incredible detail. Powerful image processing brings high performance even after sunset and in low light. Whether in low-light quick shots or night mode, uncover the beauty in darkness. The imaging power has been upgraded again, fusing super-sensing Leica quad cameras into one compact device—from near to far, all crystal clear.

I. Self-Driving Routes

45 minutes from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport

90 minutes from Shanghai Pudong International Airport

100 minutes from Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport

From Shanghai:

① Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway - Kunshan exit - Kunzhou Highway - pass Jinxi - arrive Zhouzhuang

② National Highway 318 - (via Qingpu) - Grand View Garden - Shangta - arrive Zhouzhuang

③ A9 Expressway to Jinze exit - turn right onto G318 - turn left toward Grand View Garden, Shangta - arrive Zhouzhuang

From Nanjing:

① Via Hu-Ning Expressway - Kunshan exit - along Kunzhou Highway

② Via Hu-Ning Expressway - Su-Jia-Hang Expressway - Zhouzhuang exit - along Zhoutong Highway

From Hangzhou:

① Huzhou - G318 - Pingwang - Grand View Garden - Shangta - Zhouzhuang

② Hu-Hang Expressway - Jiaxing - Pingwang - Grand View Garden - Shangta - Zhouzhuang

③ Su-Jia-Hang Expressway - Zhouzhuang exit - Zhoutong Highway - Zhouzhuang

II. Public Bus Routes

1. From Suzhou:

(1) Suzhou North Station: first bus 07:00, roughly every 40 minutes, 18 departures/day, fare ¥16, about 1 hour.

(2) Suzhou South Station: first bus 08:05, last 17:45, every 40 minutes, 16 departures/day, fare ¥13, about 1 hour to Wujiang Jiangze, then a 10-minute walk to Zhouzhuang.

2. From Kunshan:

(1) Kunshan South High-Speed Rail Station: Bus 133, fare ¥6, about 45 minutes.

(2) Kunshan Long-Distance Bus Station: 05:45–20:00, about 1 hour 20 minutes, fare ¥6.

3. From Shanghai:

(1) Shanghai Hongqiao – Wujiang Jiangze (Zhouzhuang): first bus 7:30, about 1 hour, fare ¥20.

(2) Shanghai General Bus Station, North District Bus Station, and Qingpu Bus Station all have direct buses to Zhouzhuang.

III. Rail Transit from Huaqiao Station:

(1) Tourist Bus 7: fare ¥1 per 12 km, full trip ¥5. Route: Xingpu Street Hongchuan Road, Puyuan, Shuguang Road Shuangma Road, Dianshan Lake Bus Station, Zhengwei Group, Jinxi New Station, Zhouzhuang Bus Station.

(2) Tourist Bus 1 (Zhouzhuang Bus Station - Jinxi New Station - South Long-Distance Bus Station): 6:00–18:30, about every 30 minutes.

May you row into fragrant splendour, where a thousand reds and greens drink in spring. All the beauty of spring is in Zhouzhuang—are you here yet? Thanks for reading my travelogue, and feel free to leave a comment!