Zhenze, sharing the same name as the ancient name of Taihu Lake, is located at the junction of Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province. It is only 12 kilometers away from Nanxun Ancient Town in Huzhou. In ancient times, it was called ‘the head of Wu and the tail of Yue’. The buildings in the style of Jiangnan water towns with white walls and black tiles are arranged along the river. The Ciyun Temple Pagoda is quietly reflected in the river.
Compared with Zhouzhuang and Tongli in Suzhou, Zhenze does not have so many tourists and one can quietly appreciate the soft beauty of the ancient town. Zhenze is also the hometown of basketball star Yao Ming. However, the former residence of the Yao family at No. 3, Daxiannong, is not open to the public. The Ditang River, a tributary of the Grand Canal, is blocked by small islands in the northeast-southwest direction and is divided into the canal scenic belt on the north side and the small river on the south side. The banks of the small river are the main tourist areas of the ancient town. Zhenze Bus Terminal is on the east side of the ancient town, so generally tourists enter the ancient town from the east. You can buy tickets at the tourist service center at the intersection of Zhenxin South Road and Ciyun Road. If you only visit the ancient town and do not visit small scenic spots, you do not need to buy tickets. The Yuji Bridge built in the Qing Dynasty to commemorate Dayu’s flood control is very suitable for taking pictures. It can bring the single-arch stone bridge, Ciyun Temple and the pagoda in the standard photo of Zhenze into the lens at the same time. Cross the bridge and step into the temple on the north bank. The Ciyun Temple Pagoda inside is a building remaining from the original temple. It was first built in the Song Dynasty and rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty. The spire on the top of the tower is particularly high. Climbing up the five-story ancient pagoda, you can overlook the ancient town. The scenery is beautiful at sunset. ‘The setting sun at Ciyun’ is a major scenic spot in the ancient town. Baota Street extends westward from Ciyun Temple, with a total length of 368 meters. It is the essence section of the ancient town. The street is paved with stone slabs. At the narrowest point, only a line of sky is left between the eaves on both sides. The Shijian Hall of the Qing Dynasty on the west side of the street is a house worth seeing in the ancient town. The wood carvings and brick carvings are exquisite. The magnificent six courtyards in front and back not only have houses and shops but also enclose the street. On the second floor of the third courtyard, there is an exhibition hall of Zhenze’s history, culture and folk customs, with pictures and texts about Zhenze’s history and celebrities. The Chujing Garden on the east side of the house is dotted with rockeries, half pavilions and long corridors. Although small, it is very delicate. The other scenic spots in the ancient town seem to be lackluster. On the east section of the Ban’an Road on the south bank of the small river, there is a modern reconstructed Wenchang Pavilion. Climbing up the three-story attic, you can overlook the Yuji Bridge, Ciyun Temple and the pagoda. Walking west along Ban’an Road, there is the China Taihu Lake Farmhouse Cuisine Culture Exhibition Hall displaying local dishes and the Jiangsu Agricultural Machinery Museum displaying agricultural tools. If there is enough time, continue to walk west on the north bank, and there are Zhenze Park and the Wang Xichan Memorial Hall for sightseeing. The shops on both sides of Baota Street sell local delicacies such as black dried tofu and malt cake. At the Four Bowls Tea House on the street, you can drink the four kinds of tea that are used to entertain new sons-in-law or distinguished guests locally. From the first to the fourth, they are poached eggs in water, rice cake tea, smoked bean tea and green tea respectively. The taste is ‘sweet first, then salty and then light’.Zhenze has been renowned for its silk industry since ancient times, with silk quilts being a specialty product. Shops related to silk quilts can be found on Baota Street and Zhennan Xinlu, the road leading to the ancient town. It requires certain discernment to judge the authenticity and quality of silk quilts. There are boat docks by the Yu Ji Bridge and in front of Dashun Rice Market in front of the Shi Jian Hall, where visitors can pay for a boat ride with a capacity of 4-6 people per boat.
There are no accommodations within the ancient town, but there are several options outside. However, since it is easily accessible for a day trip from surrounding cities, few tourists choose to stay overnight. The town is open all year round from 08:45 to 17:00. Service facilities include a parking lot: 【Zhenze Ecological Tourism Parking Lot (Main Visitor Center)】. Reference price: Free; Address: Ciyun Road, Zhenze Town, Wujiang District, Suzhou City (Main Visitor Center Parking Lot Address) at the west entrance of Baota Street; Capacity: 200. Essential tips for visitors to Zhenze Ancient Town: The visitor service center offers paid guides.
