Bridge painting changes water town's fate

(chinadaily.com.cn)

A photo shows Chen Yifei visiting Zhouzhuang. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A painting featuring a bridge has changed a rustic water town's fate.

For Chen Yifei, a notable Chinese painter, it was in 1982 that he visited Zhouzhuang. What he saw then reminded him of his hometown. Marveled at the town's views, Chen said that Zhouhuang is "beautiful when seen from different angles".

Two years later, the painter visited Zhouzhuang again and crafted a picture, which was later exhibited among some 38 canvases by him in a New York gallery.

Memory of Hometown, which depicted the Twin Bridges in Zhouzhuang, was one of the pieces on display and garnered world attention for Zhouzhuang since then.

The painting was chosen to be the first-day cover of the United Nations' postage stamps in 1985.

Built in the Wanli era (1573–1619) of the Ming Dynasty, the Twin Bridges, which are Shide Bridge and Yongan Bridge, 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.

The Twin Bridges now are considered the symbols of Zhouzhuang, where has emerged as one of the hottest tourism destinations in China.