USEUROPEAFRICAASIA 中文双语Français
Travel
Home / Travel / Travel

Wuzhen villages offer authentic rural experience

By Xing Yi | China Daily | Updated: 2017-12-05 07:35
Wuzhen villages offer authentic rural experience

Tu Yuanqing runs his family teahouse in Maming village, a 30-minute drive from the ancient water town of Wuzhen. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

The temple's origins can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) when it was constructed in memory of a general named Pei Qu who protected the village against a rebel army. This heroic feat has since elevated him to a godlike status. Unto this day, villagers pray not to Buddha or other deities but to Pei. A worshipping ceremony is held every year during the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar. Activities include a temple fair and performances of traditional opera.

Another rural area worth visiting is Haihua village, which features an idyllic park and a number of canals and rivers that are popular fishing spots with the locals.

The village is well-known as the former residence of Jin Zijiu, a doctor who dedicated his life to helping others.

Born into a family of doctors in Hangzhou in 1870, Jin learned medicine from his father before getting married to the daughter of a rich businessman from Haihua village. He moved to the village following the wedding and earned himself a sterling reputation for his medical skills and compassion. Jin died in 1921. A museum documenting his life story is one of the attractions of the village.

Visitors to Haihua will also find a small museum that documents the lives of the "educated youth" - young people from cities who were sent to the countryside to work alongside the farmers during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76).

Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US