A sign, bearing the Chinese characters “Zhouzhuang Shenting”, meaning “Shen’s House in Zhouzhuang”, hangs on the outside of a building. It was the private property of Shen Wansan, the first millionaire of Jiangnan region in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The interior of the grand hall at Shen’s House. [Liu Zhaoming / IC]

The outside view of the Zhang’s House, another ancient building of the Ming Dynasty. [Liu Zhaoming / IC]

The backyard of the Zhang’s House.