Zhouzhuang in snow [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Different from the heavy snow in the North, the snow in "Jiangnan", or the region in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, is gentle and soft.

Embraced by rivers, Zhouzhuang in Suzhou looks like a water lily on a pond. After more than 900 years, Zhouzhuang still retains its original scenes and structure.

Sixty percent of the local dwellings date back to either the Ming (1368-1644) or Qing (1368-1644) dynasties.

Zhouzhuang was lauded as a blending of water towns’ beauties by the contemporary Chinese painter Wu Guanzhong.

The water town Zhouzhuang has always been associated with refined scholars, such as Chen Yifei, the first contemporary Chinese artist to visit Zhouzhuang in 1984. Hometown Recall (or Twin Bridge) was one of his achievements from this tour.

This painting, along with 37 others, was later displayed in New York's Hammer Gallery.

All of them earned great favor among American audiences, especially the ones that combined techniques using canvas and Chinese monochromes.

Scenic features like small bridges, running brooks, and rural cottages take viewers into an extraordinary land.

Chen gained international success in the 1980s, repeatedly breaking auction records.

Traffic:

1. Take the No 11 subway line to the Huaqiao Station, transfer to the No 7 bus and get off in Zhouzhuang

2. Take the No 130 bus or the No 1 travelling bus from the Kunshan South Coach Station to Zhouzhuang

Tickets:

1. Ancient town: 100 yuan ($15.63)/person

2. Boat tour on the water alley:120 yuan/person (6 persons/boat)

3. Boat tour on the Shen Wansan wealth waterway (return fare): 220 yuan/person (6 persons/boat)

Boat tour around the town: 50 yuan/person

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Zhouzhuang in snow