WUZHEN
- a Tang Dynasty water town -
2002-25-V36 - A part of Wuzhen - still very original - which has not yet been made into a tourist attraction - - -
Let me tell you right away, that a part of Wuzhen were already on the "Tourist Trail" in 2002, - whenKit Yu and I happened to dump into this beautitul city -, - and when that happens, the "feeling" and the spirit and soul of a place will normally disappear forever.
However, -in 2002 Wuzhen was stll largely original -, and Kit Yu and I had plenty of opportunities to explore a Tang Dynasty city, - still there after all those years - - -
Wuzhen is centered along a canal system named after the directions, north, - south, - east and west - - -
In 2002 it was the "South" area that was restored, - and it appears as it would have looked in the late Quing Dynasty. It is totally geared for tourism, and the beautiful, old houses now mainly contains restaurants and souvenir shops.
A huge parking lot is made for the many tourist busses, - and furthermore you have to pay a fee in order to get access to the tourist area - - -
The result is, that this part of Wuzhen were very crowded, - and it does indeed spoils a lot of the attraction,- that this old water town holds - if you cannot see it for people!
However, - if you go to the areas of Wuzhen, which is not geared towards mass tourism, you will be generously rewarded - - -
Everything is still there - unspoiled - and Kit Yu and I saw NO tourists! They were all concentrated around the "South Street"! And you could meet the local people, who ran their barber shops, - as they have done for hundreds of years -, as well as dentist's clinic, pharmacies, restaurants and small shops, - businesses that have been going on the same way for hundreds of years, - and you had children playing, cats and rusty bies in the narrow streets - - - AND IT IS GREAT - - - the real thing -
THerefore - most of the pictures I have chosen to submit here on the following pages about Wuzhen - are from the unspoiled "North Street" area, - and only few pics are from the restored tourist area around "South Street" - - -
2002-25-H47 - A Ming Dynasty bridge, - old and overgrown -, but still in use - -
2002-25-H48 - The same bridge again - old, worn and full of "soul" - and Kit Yu enjoying the magic of something old and beautiful - - -
2002-26-V27 - Another bridge - but not looking very old - like the Ming bridge - - -
2002-25-V40 - Kit Yu crossing the bridge - entering the street system along the canal - - -
- The street running parallel to the canal -
2002-25-V22
- a beautiful house with a lot of "feeling" -
A fastfood shop - -
People taking care of their small businesses -
2002-25-V21
Never seen a "foreign devil" before????
2002-25-V43
In deep wondering - -
Looks as if I stirred up a lot of attention - -
2002-26-V25 - Kit Yu exploring the maze of hidden courtyeards - one after the other - connected to each other by narrow and dark alleyways- behind the main road - - -
At this point it is necessary with some explanation - - -
Normally you do not get very easy access to a Chinese home, but since Kit Yu was my travel companion, - and of course knew the Chinese language -, a lot of doors opened for us.
At one point we were riding a bicycle "taxi", - and Kit Yu and the "driver" started to talk. When he found out, that we were looking for historical and cultural things - including old, original houses -, he told us, that his family once lived in such an old house. The house was still there, but now inhabited by an old lady - - - He suggested that we went there - and of course I could not refuse such an offer.
The trip to the house also introduced us to another side of the design of Wuzhen! From the main roads - parallel to the canals - there are small openings - like holes in the wall -, which gives access to hidden courtyards behind the main street. Sometimes not only one, - but several small, very picturesque courtyards, - one after the other - connected by very long and very dark passages!
See the picture above, where Kit Yu "wiggles" her way into the unknown - - -
An adventurous soul has struck gold here!
Please enjoy my impressions from the visit to "the old woman's house" - hidden away behind the main road - - -
2002-25-V26 - the innermost courtyard - the old woman's house - - - Could I get inside in order to take photos????
2002-25-V27
Yes! - and here she sits inside her old house - - -
2002-26-V28
- receiving friends from far, far away - - -
2oo2-25-V29
- an old, curved stairway leading to the upper floor -
2002-25-93 - In the courtyards - hidden from the outside World in a maze of dark and narrow alleyways -, you also can find fantastic, decorated stone houses showing signs of glory days - for long, long time ago - - -
2002-25-95 - and the maze of alleyways also hide beautiful, old wooden houses - - -
Old wooden walls with carved panels - and Kit Yu taking photos -
2002-25-100 - Here a contrast between the old wooden wall details - and a modern motor bike - -
2002-25-V45 - Back at the main street again - and Wuzhen girls getting a surprise by seeing a "Foreign devil" - - -
2002-25-V42 - The main street parallel to the canal -
And here we are sitting in our motor-bike-taxi- exploring old Wuzhen - - - When lunch time came around, we invited the driver to join us, - and then started the ususl stuffing of bellies with delicious dishes - one after the other - - -
2002-25-V37 - another canal view - - -
2002-25-V48 - The gate across the road is a passage through a fire-wall. This kind of fire-wall you can find in many old, Chinese cities - - -
2002-25-V42
Street life - as seen through the old fire wall - - -
2002-25-64 - and here we are at the end of the street - ending at another bridge -
Another look along the canal through the old part of Wuzhen - - -
Next chapter on Wuzhen will show images in the restored part of town - the tourist magnet - - -
See for yourself which Wuzhen you like best - thje old, original town - or the restored section geared towards tourists - - -