In the tranquil little village of Wuzhen, the light hangs over the Dong Shi River in a soft summer pallour, as though the clouds are making a deliberate effort to protect the residents from sunburn. Along the river, a select group of day-trippers enjoy a cruise aboard a pole-steered barge.

The authorities opened the 1,300 year old riverine settlement of Wuzhen to visitors in early 2001, Wuzhen's old buildings, an architectural symphony of stone, wood and tiles, have been preserved rather than restored, and lovingly maintained rather than tarted up. The result is a place that is a sheer joy to explore on foot.

Wuzhen lies in the far north-east of Zhejiang province, about 90 minutes by car from Shanghai. The name "water town" is especially apt; besides lying on the Grand Canal, the settlement is completely encircled by two rivers - the Dong Shi and a smaller tributary, which meet at a T-junction.