The Huiyuan Pawnshop is located in the Dongzha scenic area, between Yingjiaqiao Bridge and Nanhuajiao Bridge. It is one of the well-preserved pawnshops in Wuzhen. The five-bay facade and the 1.8-meter-high counter, as well as the huge character ‘pawn’ on the wall, are very imposing. Many tourists take pictures imitating the poses of the shopkeeper and guests in front of the counter, which is very interesting. The pawnshop is surrounded by high walls. The foot of the outer wall is built with bluestones as high as a person’s head, making it impossible for thieves to climb over the wall or dig holes. There is also a watchtower higher than the roof with people keeping watch day and night. The gate is made of thick ginkgo wood that is not easy to catch fire and is covered with iron sheets. Inside are solid bolts and floor bolts, making it difficult for outsiders to break in. Entering the door is the Guandi Hall, showing loyalty and righteousness as the foundation and also having the expectation of expelling evil. The back store hall is the transaction place for receiving and redeeming pawned items. In addition to Huiyuan Pawnshop, all have high counters and wooden fences. After the pawner hands over the item, he listens to the pawnbroker in the pawnshop shout out the price condescendingly, giving people a feeling of being inferior. The back row is the warehouse. For fire prevention, the houses in different rows are not connected to each other. Moreover, many seven-stone vats filled with water are placed in the courtyard, which are called ‘peace vats’. For specific opening hours, please consult the scenic area.
