Nanxun: The Silk Tycoon's Water Town of Zhejiang

Nanxun, in northern Zhejiang Province, is the quietest and most refined of China's famous water towns. Unlike Zhouzhuang or Xitang, which draw massive tour groups, Nanxun maintains an atmosphere of understated elegance. This was once the silk capital of China, and the wealth of its 19th-century tycoons built a unique architectural legacy blending Chinese and Western styles.

Silk Dynasty

During the late Qing Dynasty, Nanxun was the center of China's silk trade. The town's merchants controlled the production and export of silk, amassing fortunes that rivaled those of Shanghai taipans. The "Four Elephants" — four merchant families — dominated the trade. Their wealth built grand mansions, gardens, and public works that still define the town today.

Little Western Manor

The most remarkable building in Nanxun is the Little Western Manor (Xiao Lian Zhuang), built by the silkmillionaire Liu Yong. This sprawling compound includes a classical Chinese garden, a European-style mansion, and a library containing 200,000 ancient books. The blend of Chinese and Western elements — carved fireplaces next to traditional pavilions — reflects the cosmopolitan outlook of Nanxun's merchants.

Zhang Shiming's Former Residence

The Zhang family mansion showcases an even more dramatic fusion of styles. Built in the 1920s, it combines traditional Chinese layout with French, Italian, and Baroque decorative elements. Stained glass, marble columns, and painted ceilings coexist with carved wooden screens and tiled courtyards. The building has been called "the first mansion of Jiangnan."

Baijianlou: The Hundred-Room Building

Along the Old Canal stands Baijianlou ("Hundred-Room Building"), a continuous row of traditional houses stretching for 400 meters. Built by a Ming Dynasty official for his servants' families, it remains a living neighborhood. The covered walkway along the river provides shelter for residents and visitors alike.

Jiaye Hall Library

The Jiaye Hall Library, founded in 1920, was one of China's great private libraries. At its peak, it held 600,000 volumes, including rare Song and Yuan dynasty editions. Though dispersed during the Cultural Revolution, the library building remains, its gardens and reading rooms a monument to scholarship.

Cultural Legacy

Nanxun produced not only merchants but also scholars, artists, and revolutionaries. The town's library culture fostered a tradition of learning. The writer Xu Chi, who popularized the term "Nanxun style" for the town's blend of Chinese and Western aesthetics, was born here.

Practical Information

Nanxun is about 1.5 hours by bus from Shanghai or Hangzhou. The town is compact and easily walked. Compared to other water towns, it receives relatively few foreign tourists. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit; summer can be hot and humid. An overnight stay allows you to experience the town's tranquility after day-trippers leave.