Happy New Year Zhouzhuang | A Fortune-Seeking New Year Trip in a Jiangnan Water Town

Zhouzhuang · Year · 2022

This was my first time celebrating New Year’s Eve in a Jiangnan water town. On the first morning of 2022, I boated along the North-South City River, passing under centuries-old Ming and Qing dynasty bridges. At that moment, Zhouzhuang exuded its usual gentle elegance while also brimming with a New Year's atmosphere. You can wander aimlessly through her streets and alleys, admiring the timeless Ming and Qing residences; visit Shen Hall to hear the legendary tales of Shen Wansan; pop into a corner shop to try local snacks like Dingsheng Cake and Chengyao Cake; or venture 7 km away to Xiangcun · Qizhuang to soak in its serene pastoral beauty… I could stroll around this Zhouzhuang endlessly without ever getting bored.

Zhouzhuang Wandering: Day and Night, Dawn and Dusk in 'China’s No. 1 Water Town'

'In the Northern Song, named Zhenfengli, twin bridges lull boats homeward.' A network of rivers, 14 ancient bridges from the Ming and Qing dynasties, nearly a hundred classic courtyard houses… This is Zhouzhuang, hailed as the 'No. 1 Water Town in China.' Whether by day or as 'Night Zhouzhuang,' it deserves to be savored.

▼Aerial view of daytime Zhouzhuang

Water is the soul of Zhouzhuang; antiquity is its foundation. With gray tiles and white walls, crisscrossing canals, the drone’s perspective revealed the very Jiangnan water town scene that so often haunts my dreams, an endlessly enchanting sight:

Strolling through Zhouzhuang, every step frames a picturesque view.

'Everyone says Jiangnan is wonderful; visitors would gladly grow old here. Spring waters are bluer than the sky, painted boats lull you to sleep to the rain’s sound.' Today there’s no rain, but you can still doze off listening to the wind on a black-canopied boat.

Compared to daytime, 'Night Zhouzhuang' is even more vibrant. Since 2017, Zhouzhuang has focused on developing nighttime tourism, using light and shadow technology and art design to illuminate the lake bays, water lanes, small bridges, old streets, ancient houses, and famous temples. The North-South City River and waterfront streets are strung together like pearls by creative lighting, forming eight themed night tours: 'Night Fishing,' 'Night Opera,' 'Night Painting,' 'Night Celebration,' 'Night Banquet,' 'Night Zen,' 'Night Moon,' and 'Night Mooring.' Each theme has deep origins: 'Night Painting' pays tribute to modern art masters like Chen Yifei and Wu Guanzhong who left their marks in Zhouzhuang; 'Night Zen' links Buddhist culture and the legend of Zhou Digonglang donating his house to build the village with bells and Buddha’s light…

Painted boats sway, lanterns flicker. Sitting at the prow, drifting slowly along Zhouzhuang’s canals, listening to the oars churning the water and the occasional pingtan singing of an old lady from the shore… How could one miss such a Night Zhouzhuang?

The Flower Lane and Rain Lane at night are especially captivating; the immersive light show made us linger and truly understand what 'There is a lifestyle called Zhouzhuang' means.

Seeking Fortune: Bask in the Wealth Luck of Jiangnan’s Richest Man, Shen Wansan

Zhouzhuang offers not only the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan but also Shen Hall, themed around the Ming Dynasty’s ‘God of Wealth’ Shen Wansan. Every New Year, even many out-of-town visitors come here to worship the God of Wealth and soak up the fortune of this richest man in Jiangnan. Let’s take a look at what fortune-seeking activities Zhouzhuang has!

[1: Touch the Wealth Ox]

'First, touch the spring ox’s head, everything starts off great; second, touch the ox’s belly, a bountiful year ahead; third, touch the ox’s tail, good omens all year long!'

Each year, people usually touch the golden ox at the ancient archway. This time, we found a stone ox inside Shen Hall—let’s just treat it as the wealth ox of the richest family! Remember, touch from head to belly, then to tail!

[2: Absorb Wealth Vibes]

On Zhouzhuang’s Zhenfeng Cultural Street (also known as Zhenfeng Twelve Workshops), there is a Jubinglou. Here, you can listen to pingtan, savor 'wealth tea,' and eat 'wealth cake,' soaking up fortune as you relax amid the leisurely charm of a Jiangnan water town.

Pingtan performance schedule:

Sitting by the river window, watching black-canopied boats glide slowly by, sipping a bowl of 'wealth tea' and biting into a 'wealth cake'—life couldn’t be more pleasant.

The pastries are even stamped with '日进斗金' (make a fortune each day)!

[3: Seek Treasure]

Next, head to the God of Wealth’s Small Pavilion to seek treasure! It’s like a theme amusement park with many interactive activities: a wish-fulfilling golden abacus, a money tree, tying wealth connections, opening wealth boxes… there are so many ways to fill up on fortune.

Shake a small wealth box ball from the money tree, open it to see what’s on the prize ticket, then redeem it—some prizes are little Maitreya Buddhas, others are exquisite figurines… adding plenty of New Year’s joy!

[4: Gather Wealth Energy]

Shen Hall is an unmissable spot on Zhouzhuang’s fortune journey. The main hall, Songmao Hall:

The Wealth Corridor in Shen Hall depicts the life of Shen Wansan. Here, you can listen to the legendary stories of this richest man in Jiangnan, worship the God of Wealth, touch the treasure bowl, toss copper coins, and hang wish plaques… It’s said that tossing copper coins into the coin hole inside Shen Hall is very effective for praying for wealth in the new year～

I hung a wish plaque here, praying for the pandemic to end soon, for favorable weather and peace for the people in the new year.

Further inside, there are many cultural and creative products worth buying: golden toads, gold ingots, golden abacus, treasure bowls, and more.

[5: Savor Wealth Flavors]

How can you miss the Wansan pork knuckle at Shen Hall Restaurant? The 'Eight Bowls' here (Wansan pork knuckle, Three-Flavor Meatball Soup, etc.) are the legendary dishes Shen Wansan served at his banquets. Visitors can taste the most authentic Wansan family feast at Shen Hall Restaurant.

[6: Walk the Wealth Path]

Follow in the footsteps of the God of Wealth and take a boat through the water lanes, experiencing the Wansan Waterborne Wealth Path. Whether by day or night, Zhouzhuang’s views are well worth appreciating.

[7: Worship the God of Wealth]

The God of Wealth Residence recreates Shen Wansan’s former home, showing visitors where the richest man in Jiangnan lived. In the courtyard stands a huge bronze statue of Shen Wansan. You can worship the God of Wealth, pass through a copper coin-shaped door, make wishes, and soak up his wealth luck.

Recommended themed activity route for 'Seven Days of Fortune Fun':

[Route 1] Ancient archway (touch the Wealth Ox) → Zhenfeng Cultural Street (absorb wealth vibes) → God of Wealth Pavilion (seek treasure) → Shen Hall (gather wealth energy) → Shen Hall Restaurant (savor wealth flavors) → Wansan Wealth Path Pier (walk the wealth path, disembark at God of Wealth Residence) → God of Wealth Residence (worship the God of Wealth)

[Route 2] Ancient archway (touch the Wealth Ox) → God of Wealth Pavilion (seek treasure) → Shen Hall (gather wealth energy) → Shen Hall Restaurant (savor wealth flavors) → Old Town Water Lane Cruise Pier (walk the wealth path, disembark on Cultural Street) → Zhenfeng Cultural Street (absorb wealth vibes)

Folk Crafts: Zhenfeng Twelve Workshops

The 'Twelve Workshops' refer to the wine workshop, bamboo craft workshop, tofu workshop, cake and pastry workshop, blacksmith workshop, woodwork workshop, brick-making workshop, reed painting workshop, Chinese medicine workshop, handwoven cloth workshop, musical instrument workshop, and embroidered shoe workshop. Today, this area is also known as Zhenfeng Cultural Street.

The artisans are still plying their trades on the street; you can walk into any workshop that catches your interest to discover more.

In addition to the Twelve Workshops, the Cultural Street also has several especially famous specialty stores—Taihu Xue Silk is one representative.

Pastoral Scenery: The Poetic Charms of Xiangcun · Qizhuang

Apart from the ancient town of Zhouzhuang, we also visited Xiangcun · Qizhuang, 7 kilometers away. It’s truly a scene of free and poetic pastoral beauty, especially at dusk.

Entering the Village History Museum, on the right is the overall planning design of Xiangcun. The master plan covers 44 hectares and includes a visitor reception center, an agricultural culture exhibition area, special farming experience zones and other supporting facilities. All the photos in the museum are real scenes of Xiangcun, capturing its beauty in every season.

In July 2017, Xiangcun was named one of the top ten 'China Excellent International Rural Tourism Destinations' and was the only site in Jiangsu Province to be selected; that same year, it was also awarded the 'Jiangsu Province Characteristic Pastoral Creation Demonstration Site.'

Not far from the Village History Museum is Xiangcun Bookhouse, whose terrace overlooks the lake, with a tiny pet paradise at the back—perfect for bringing kids to play. The bookhouse even provides little straw hats and paints for children to do coloring.

Haha, my friend’s 'Chibi Maruko-chan straw hat' looked great; my 'clock straw hat' was so childish…

At the bookhouse, it’s also nice to read while basking in the sun or have a simple afternoon tea.

Beautiful Accommodations: From the 1960s to the 00s

On your Zhouzhuang trip, you have many hotels/guesthouses to choose from. First, you can stay in Xiangcun. The Xiangcun · Qizhuang guesthouses have been renovated with an 'Era Show' theme, featuring several houses in different vintage styles. The keyword for this one is 'The Richest Man’s House.'

The exterior looks ordinary, but inside it’s a different world, especially this limited-edition vintage BMW motorcycle that’s older than I am.

The interior is fully styled to match that era; you can tell just from the décor that the owner must have been cool and trendy.

Next, this guesthouse is Xiangcun’s only single-story bungalow, in a 1960s style.

Inside are old-fashioned TVs, sewing machines, oil lamps, and so on:

I heard the courtyard walls are the original old walls, specially treated and cleaned during renovation to preserve them. In the courtyard are Chinese roses planted when the house was built, now 20 or 30 years old. Every year they bloom with pale pink flowers, really beautiful—a pity I couldn’t see them in the dead of winter.

In addition to nostalgia-filled retro guesthouses, Xiangcun also has a modern one: the 'Future House.' It features a smart mirror, intelligent audio-visual system, and smart HVAC system, supporting a 'lazy living environment' with home automation. It includes six major systems: smart control center, smart gateway, smart curtain system, appliance control system, intelligent audio-visual system, and smart HVAC—making it a modern pastoral lifestyle guesthouse. And of course, it’s the priciest 😂~

Thanks to its contemporary design, the whole house enjoys excellent natural light, and the interior layout is simple yet stylish.

Second, inside Zhouzhuang old town, I recommend two guesthouses: Chunlu Zhi Si and Latte & Stone Art Inn (formerly Carton King).

Chunlu Zhi Si, besides its delicious water shield and perch soup and other dishes, offers a wonderful environment. From the room’s balcony, you can see South Lake, and the staircase design is unique—great for photo ops.

Latte & Stone Art Inn benefits from its prime location: step outside and you’re right by Zhouzhuang’s waterways, not far from the ancient town screen wall, Shen Hall, Wansan Water Wealth Path, and the North-South City River.

The inn’s walls are covered with various iron art pieces:

Cuisine: Where Traditional Delicacies Meet Trendy Creative Dishes

Zhouzhuang’s food is something you can’t sum up in a short while. [Wansan Pork Knuckle] is a traditional dish we ate every day during our three days in Zhouzhuang. Not a single restaurant disappointed—the chefs seemed to be telling visitors: If you can’t make Wansan pork knuckle, what kind of Zhouzhuang chef are you?!

[Recommended Restaurant 1: Shen Hall Restaurant] This place does classic Zhouzhuang dishes that really stand up. The 'Eight Bowls' (Wansan pork knuckle, Three-Flavor Meatball Soup, etc.) are legendary dishes Shen Wansan used to entertain guests. Diners can taste the most authentic Wansan family banquet here.

[Recommended Restaurant 2: Chunlu Zhi Si] 'Chun' refers to water shield soup, and 'lu' to finely sliced perch, from the Biography of Zhang Han in the Book of Jin: 'When autumn winds rose, Zhang Han missed the wild rice shoots, water shield soup, and sliced perch of Wu, saying: “Life is about following one’s heart; why should I be tied down by an official post thousands of miles away for fame and rank?” So he ordered his carriage and returned home.' Later, 'chun geng lu kuai' and 'chun lu zhi si' came to express homesickness. This restaurant specializes precisely in water shield and perch soup.

[Recommended Restaurant 3: Quangong Lou] Besides signature traditional dishes like Wansan pork knuckle and pastries, you can try creative cuisine that blends tradition and fashion next to Xianjiang Bridge. Surfing perch (the soup is amazing), flame-salt shrimp, cherry yam, baked swamp eel clay pot, crispy pigeon with abalone sauce, swan pastry and white rabbit buns, homemade black tofu… Each dish is a feast for the eyes and palate, packed with creativity, especially appealing to young foodies who love to Instagram their meals while enjoying great food—all for under 200 yuan per person.

Zhouzhuang’s pastries are also wonderful: qingtuan, Dingsheng cake, brown sugar cake, plum blossom cake… I specifically asked a pastry shop owner, and she said [Chengyao Cake] is the locals’ favorite. The name “chengyao” originally came from an elderly saying: “Eat it, and it will prop up your lower back so it doesn’t ache or feel sore.” I used to think it meant 'with someone to hold you up'!

If you’re interested in making pastries, visitors can also go to the Xiangcun Tofu Workshop to learn how to make these cakes. The auntie there is very sweet and teaches carefully.

Oh, and don’t forget the stinky tofu at the night market:

During the pandemic, if you’re traveling to Zhouzhuang, it’s best to arrive directly in Jiangsu Province. Due to epidemic control measures, Shanghai currently doesn’t allow cross-district taxis to Zhouzhuang. So if you land at a Shanghai airport, you’ll have to take a high-speed train to Kunshan, or take Metro Line 17 to Oriental Land and then catch a bus (Demonstration Zone Bus No. 8) to Zhouzhuang… It’s a bit of a hassle.

As always, it’s the little traveler Kaqin, with a head full of daydreams on the road, and once home, itching to turn every travelogue into a documentary. Follow me, and let’s explore the world together!