Come to Zhouzhuang to recall old film scenes

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Zhouzhuang is a land of water, surrounded and divided by lakes and rivers. Almost as iconic as the water of the water town are the many stone bridges which straddle the rivers and streams.

In addition to the Grandma Bridge, Here are another five ancient stone bridges, which might drag your back to the old time.

Twin Bridges (Shuang qiao)

Twin Bridges, located in the northeast of Zhouzhuang, are a landmark of the water town. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Twin Bridges, which are Shide Bridge and Yongan Bridge, are considered the symbols of Zhouzhuang. Built in the Wanli era (AD 1573–1619) of the Ming Dynasty, the Twin Bridges are located in the northeast of the town. Shide Bridge crosses east-west and has a round arch, while Yongan Bridge runs north-south and has a square arch. Crossing Yinzi Creek and Nabeishi River and connecting in the middle, the Twin Bridges look like an old-style Chinese key. In 1984, some 38 canvases by the notable painter, Chen Yifei, were exhibited in a New York gallery. "Memory of Hometown", which depicted the Twin Bridges, was one of the pieces on display and garnered world attention for Zhouzhuang. The painting was chosen to be the first-day cover of the United Nations' postage stamps in 1985.

Fu'an Bridge

Fu'an Bridge, located at the eastern end of Zhongshi Street, Zhouzhuang, is built during the Yuan Dynasty. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Located at the eastern end of Zhongshi Street, Fu'an Bridge was built in 1355 during the Yuan Dynasty. The unique trait of the Fu'an Bridge is the consummate combination of a single-arch and the bridge towers. It is said the bridge was built by Shen Wansan's younger brother, Shen Wansi. In order to avoid sharing the fate of his elder brother, who was extremely rich but was exiled to Yunnan, Shen initiatively donated money to construct the bridge to pray for his well-being after getting rich.