The Grace of Jiangnan— And the Town I Miss Most: Nanxun

A single visit to Nanxun made me realize how profoundly underrated this ancient water town truly is.
In Zhejiang, everyone knows Wuzhen and Xitang—but few have even heard of Nanxun.
Yet its beauty rivals, if not surpasses, both of them.

Here, Jiangnan unfolds exactly as one imagines it:
whitewashed walls and dark roof tiles, willows swaying in the breeze,
black-awning boats drifting past homes steeped in everyday warmth.
It is the Jiangnan of poetry, the one you long to return to again and again.

And this year, this stunning ancient town is completely free to all visitors.
So why hesitate?

Situated in Huzhou, Zhejiang, Nanxun is a national 5A scenic area.
Since the Southern Song, it has been a flourishing center of commerce—
the famed “land of fish and rice” and the “home of silk,”
rich in culture and history.
It has produced notable figures such as Zhang Jingjiang,
Zhang Shiming—one of the founders of Xiling Seal Society—
and the renowned poet and essayist Xu Chi.

Unmissable Spots in Nanxun

Baijian Lou – A Ming-era riverside residence complex, named for its hundred continuous waterfront rooms linked by long stone bridges.

Xiaolian Zhuang – The private garden of Liu Yong, the wealthiest of Nanxun’s “Four Elephants” in late Qing.

Jiayetang Library – A garden-style library blending Chinese and Western elements, now part of Zhejiang Library.

Former Residence of Zhang Shiming – A rare fusion of traditional Jiangnan architecture and Western Renaissance style.

Liu’s Red House (Liu Shi Tihao) – A distinctly Western-style building known locally as “the Red House.”

Former Residence of Zhang Jingjiang – A traditional Qing residence containing many historical relics.

Recommended Route
Xiaolian Zhuang → Jiayetang Library → Zhang Shiming Residence → Liu’s Red House → Zhang Jingjiang Residence → Baijian Lou Residential Complex