Laraine Armenti

student of painting

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Zhouzhuang Streets & Houses

January 18, 2016 by Laraine Armenti, visual artist

ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — ZHOUZHUANG, no. 40

Zhouzhuang

Early in my China artist residency in May 2015, I’d visited an imitation river town built in the 18th century for the enjoyment of imperial concubines. It was designed to recreate actual river towns such as Zhouzhuang, ninety minutes west of Shanghai by bus. It is one of thousands of similar towns with varying degrees of historical significance. Artifacts of civilization in the area date to 770 BC.

Three million visitors per year crowd the narrow cobbled streets, quaint scenes, cheap tourist shops, and private homes of wealthy 18th century merchants. Authentic reproduction canal boats navigate beneath 13th century Yuan Dynasty bridges. Sundays, when we visited, are discounted for students, making it its most crowded. Permanent residents cater to hoards of tourists within a living museum, authentic and recreated seamlessly interwoven. In many ways, Zhouzhuang has become an imitation of itself.

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

narrow streets of small tourist shops

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

street-side food counters abound

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

 Shen House, built in 1742, contains seven courtyards and over one hundred rooms

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

modern coffee shop tucked into antique building

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

Zhang house, built between 1436 and 1449 Ming Dynasty, has six courtyards and more than 70 rooms, with a famous 47 meter long hallway for servants, and a canal passing through the property.

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

the most beautiful writing room with stone floor next to a courtyard garden

Zhouzhuang

Zhang House canal in a courtyard garden

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

Confucian scholars room

Zhouzhuang

a famous 47 meter servants hallway in Zhang house

Zhouzhuang

outdoor passage between buildings of the Zhang house

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

delightful Shanghai University student group, on the water taxi to Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang

“No Frolicking, No Crowding, Please Look after Elders and Children”

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Filed Under: Artist Residency, China, Photo Tagged With: Shanghai, zhouzhuang

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