Zhouzhuang Ancient Town

Zhouzhuang is a historic water town in Kunshan, located roughly midway between Shanghai and Suzhou. Surrounded by lakes and crisscrossed by canals, the settlement traces its name to the late 11th century during the Northern Song dynasty and grew into a bustling trading hub in the Yuan and Ming periods. Today, a large portion of its waterfront architecture retains the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties, with whitewashed walls, dark tile eaves, and stone steps leading directly into the water.

The town's most famous landmark is the Double Bridge, a pair of intersecting stone bridges named Shide and Yongan, built during the Ming dynasty and made famous internationally by artist Chen Yifei's paintings in the 1980s. Notable historic residences include Shen House, built in 1742 by descendants of the wealthy merchant Shen Wansan, which features seven courtyards and more than one hundred rooms, and Zhang House, a 15th-century Ming compound where a canal runs through an inner courtyard so small boats could moor inside.

Visitors walk the narrow flagstone alleys or tour the waterways on wooden sculling boats. Other points of interest include Fu'an Bridge, built in 1355 with attached teahouses and shops on its corners, and Quanfu Temple overlooking Nanhu Lake. Throughout the town, shops and restaurants sell Zhouzhuang's best-known local food, braised pork shank named after Shen Wansan.

Booking & ticketsZhouzhuang Tickets [2026] - Promos, Prices, Reviews & Opening Hours | Trip.comBook Zhouzhuang tickets with limited-time offers, skip-the-line access, and instant confirmation. Get the best prices and enjoy a seamless booking experience on Trip.com.trip.com

Affiliate link: booking through it earns this site a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Show on the map