By JIALEI TANG, 6/11/2016. I visited Wuzhen on a gloomy day. The moisture from the raindrops permeated my skin as my soaked feet trace the stone pavements of Wuzhen.
Wuzhen, a preserved Ancient Town, is a manifestation of a Wuxia fantasy. One can imagine skipping from one roof to another, throwing darts to send signals. The river that carves the town’s geography is lined with historical architecture that dates back to the Three Kingdoms. Although in 2016, it is a tourist attraction in its entirety.
Most of the locals were relocated from the scenic town and ticketed area was created. Inside this area in which a ticket, which costs ¥150, is required to enter, the streets that were once the corridors of residents have become a shopping alley. Most houses have been converted for commercial or cultural purposes, such as retail, food, and museums.
This is a town that is economically strong, with agriculture, agriculture processing and garment manufacturing, and tourism as its primary, secondary and tertiary industries. Wuzhen capitalizes on vernacular architecture as it becomes the backdrop for its tourism industry.
The cultural goods of fabric dyeing, weaving, shoe-making, wine brewing (mostly by hand) etc. are exhibited and commercialized. The large crowd despite the wet weather suggested that this dreamy ancient town is a place of desire and interest for people. The Chinese share a long history and perhaps many wish to look deeper into their past.
Within the West side of Wuzhen sits two very contemporary buildings, the Wuzhen Opera House and the Muxin Art Museum.
It was very peaceful to walk in the museum as the orthogonal windows framed my vision outside. The structure existed serenely in its context.
