someone had spread a rumour:

that there never existed the western district of wuzhen. 

what is now touted as the preserved ancient district of wuzhen, is in fact newly designed by either wangshu or liu jiakun.

that what seems old is actually new.

a contemporary interpretation of what is old by some contemporary architect. 

i was so intrigued that i decided to take a look.

 

the long-distance bus stopped everyone at the eastern district.

i take a free 10-minute bus ride to the western district.

the trip ends in a clean new holding area where there is a centralised hotel booking counter.

i pay the 120 RMB here to get into the old town.

from here, you could either take a boat or tram to the town proper.

no sign of the town yet.

it all seems mysterious, these stagings of arrival.

you could not go there any other way.

finally, after a winding tram ride through a beautiful landscaped asphalt road over little canals, we stop at a parking lot that leads to a plaza.

the main town street is just off this plaza. 

i am immediately struck by the beauty of the town the moment i turn onto the street.

it is as if someone had planned all this.

imagineering.

the street is paveed with large rough flat stones. 

they look old but clean.

the streets look scrubbed and clean. 

there are rubbish bins in the shape of oak barrels everywhere.

two storey buildings with timber facades and timber windows line both sides.

the dark timber facades are beautiful, textured, old.

i can’t resist taking photos.

the shops are either restaurants, hotels, or museums.

occasionally there are breaks inbetween where you catch views of the canals behind.

there are no big garish shop signs, no neons, no fluorescent lights.

the street lamps are tungsten bulbs in old-fashion european gas lamps.

i see only natural textures and materials. 

the only colours greys, browns, beiges, black.

there is a strong consistent aesthetic sense here.

a kind of john pawson /david chipperfield world.

along the way there are small open spaces – plazas.

where there are plazas, there will be a stone bridge, or a cafe.

to one side of the wall, there will be a creeper-clad wall, lush green broad leaves.

i start to understand the code.

i take more photos.

there is commercial activity, but no signs of anyone living here.

they say at night the town is beautifully lit.

the crowds along the street are all tourists. 

everyone’s trying to have a good time.

i have a cold beer at a cafe called the lotus lounge next to a canal.

there are small wooden boats with shelters made from woven mats ferrying tourists.

there is a boat with two workers hard at work, clearing rubbish from the water.

this is just perfect, i thought. too perfect.