Zhouzhuang Day Trip

Every now and then it is necessary to vacate the noisy, polluted environment of Shanghai (上海). Yesterday, despite the cold, cloudy, and damp day, we travelled to the nearby town of Zhouzhuang. With over 900 years of history, this town epitomizes the Chinese the canal town, with waterways weaving through and defining the town, and Buddhist temples displaying hundreds of years of religious tradition. To my surprise, about 60% of the houses were built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, 1368-1644 and 1644-1911, respectively. Selling art, assorted candies, "pearl" necklaces, hair brushes, and Maoist memorabilia, the variety of goods sold paralleled the racial diversity of Utah.

When you see one temple or Qing dynasty home, you see them all. So, that part of the trip was a little boring because I've already been exposed to those in Suzhou and Hangzhou. However, it was good to walk about the and experience a Chinese canal town.