On the waterlogged land of Jiangnan, the south of Jiangsu province, nestles an ancient town with delightful scenery in peace and tranquility, Wuzhen. It's well-known for its "low bridges, running water and small villages", for its customs and traditions, as well as for its rich collection of antiques and historic sites.

17 kilometers from Suzhou, 80 kilometers from Shanghai, and 200 kilometers from Nanjing, Wuzhen settles on the shore of Lake Taihu and the Grant  Canal, Dayunhe. It enjoys an advantageous geographical position, maybe heaven-sent, and the transport convenience via land and water. It has a long history, and being a typical town floating on the water, the history could be dated back to 1000 years ago.

Surrounded with abundant water, this ancient town, Wuzhen is embedded into five lakes--Lake Guaizhi , Lake Jiuli, Lake Yeze, Lake Nanxing, and Lake Pangshan. It's divided by 15 streams into seven islands, in the pattern of "III". While 49 old bridges built in different ages connect these islets as a whole.

All the houses have been built along the waterfront, and it's very easy to visit any household by boat. Wuzhen, is the most intact ancient water town preserved in Zhejiang Province.

In 1981, Wuzhen was approved as one of the Lake Taihu Scenic Spots at state level, and the next year, it was announced as Wuzhen's only town featuring culture relics preservation. Also it was among the first list of famous historic towns approved by Zhenjiang Provincial government in 1995.

In 1998, Wuzhen became a candidate to be inscribed on World Cultural Heritage list. In November, 2000, Retreat Garden was recognized by UNESCO as one of World Culture Heritages. In June, 2001, the Garden was announced by the state council as Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit on the 5th list. And in November, 2001, Wuzhen scenic spot was ranked 4A at the state level.

Compared with other similar towns in Jiangnan, Wuzhen enjoys these superiorities not to be overlooked.