This book introduces the long history, rich culture and the development of modern and contemporary art in Wuzhen, and its nearly twenty years of 'rebirth', with an attempt to explain to readers how the ancient China town of rivers and lakes can not only attract millions of tourists every year, but also become the permanent venture of 'World Internet Conference'. In this process, the author of the book, the British historian Ke Ruisi (Nicholas Chrimes), sets Wuzhen in the background of Chinese history and culture to compare with the major European countries and the United States, trying to present Wuzhen and how the whole country represented by Wuzhen perfectly combines tradition with modern to world readers with the hope that the western readers can develop a full knowledge of Chinese history and culture, and understand modern China through Wuzhen and other similar ancient towns.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Author's Note
Major Imperial Chinese Dynasties
Preface
Introduction
1 Wuzhen
A Home in Southern China
2 The Story of Wuzhen
The Town's Pathway Through China's History
3 Wooden Wuzhen
The Architectural Traditions of China
4 The Gardens of Wuzhen
Paradise on Earth
5 Literary Wuzhen
Its Place in the History of Chinese Literature
6 Wuzhen's Wealth
A Land of Fish and Rice， Silk and Tea...
7 ‘Big Project’China
The Path from the Great Wall to Wuzhen
8 Food in the Middle Kingdom
A Taste of Wuzhen
9 A Cultural Education in Wuzhen
The Story of Foot—Bindingand the Place of Women in China
10 Wedding Rituals
Marriage in Chinese Society
11 From Literati to Technocrati
The Internet，Wuzhen and China
12 The Path of Learning
Education in China
13 Wuzhen's Place
Past，Presentand Future
Appendices
Joseph Needham，Li Yuese
The Consequences of Peace，or‘Lord Elgin No 1 and Lord Elgin No 2’
Sloth and Want of Industry：The Verdictonthe English Attemptat Sedmd 2 ure
An Imbalance in Intellectual Trade
Bibliography
Index
Sample Pages Preview
In the time of the Song， Wuzhen merchants would have prospered through access to distant new markets and learnt about the world from traders who sought out their silk and tea.They would have played a part in the social welfare programmes pioneered by the Song governmenr covering rerifemenr homes and health clinics， which as ir happens are both fields which are served through Wuzhen's pioneering use of the internet in the twenty—first century.Such are the pleasures of the historian who notices anaent patterns in histofy， be they immutable administrative boundafies or the precedent of a welfafe structure from 800 years earlier.
Wuzhen's schools would have become more established in this period.Generally they were run privately by rich and public spirited men， pefhaps retired from the imperial court or from business.These learned men， generally retired from government office and selected on merit through the Impefial Examinations system， shared with the local elites a distain of trade.However， many of these elites employed intermediaries to conduct their business ventures.
