Ancient buildings in Zhouxin town. [Photo/WeChat account: news-wuxixinwen]

Winding lanes, flagstones with dripping water …… each corner of Zhouxin Ancient Town in Wuxi seems to tell a legendary story, while open-air cinemas, chic bookstores, and Black Pearl restaurants build up its prosperous modernity.

When the Zhouxinli Commercial Block in the town opened to the public in late 2022, Zhouxin town announced its return.

Zhouxin Ancient Town lights up at night. [Photo/WeChat account: news-wuxixinwen]

Zhouxin town means the town newly built by the Zhou family. The town was developed from a 10-household village more than 100 years ago.

With a relatively elevated position and rivers on both sides, the village boasts convenient land and water transportation, which rang true in the heart of Zhou Shunqin, known as the "king of coal and iron", inspiring him to build a town in the village.

A river runs through Zhouxin town. [Photo/WeChat account: news-wuxixinwen]

In just a few years, Zhouxin grew into a prosperous industrial and commercial town with numerous rice stores, teahouses, distilleries, and pawnshops and even Wuxi's first mechanical silk reeling factory.

Since the 1970s, machine building enterprises have sprung up in the town, laying a solid industrial foundation.

After more than 100 years, ancient fire walls, waterfront shade-sheds, and mottled stone bricks are still can be found in the town, displaying its lost prosperity.