The Twin Bridges of Zhouzhuang, China. -- Photos by Diane Slawych

When U.S. businessman Armand Hammer presented a gift to former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping several years ago, no one could've predicted the result would be a boost in tourism for Zhouzhuang, a picturesque town 60 km from Shanghai. But that's what happened.

The gift was a painting of Zhouzhuang's Twin Bridges by Chen Yi Tei, a Chinese artist living in the U.S., and the official presentation received widespread media coverage. Soon, word got out about a quaint town called Zhouzhuang, and its popularity soared.

Though annual arrivals are now pegged at about 2 million, the town still maintains an unhurried pace and air of tranquility. The Twin Bridges, which at one point even appeared on postage stamps issued by United Nations, still top the "must-see" list. Guides will almost certainly take you to the 400-year-old structure, sometimes called the "Key Bridge" because one arch is round and the other is square, resembling an ancient Chinese key.

Centuries-old stone bridges are everywhere in Zhouzhuang, a town of canals whose beauty could easily rival that of Venice, though on a much smaller scale. The historic centre, with its Ming and Qing dynasty-era architecture, is compact and easy to explore on foot. In fact, for its size there's an amazing amount to see and do here.

In half a day we toured a mansion, saw an outdoor Chinese opera performance, and spent a few hours wandering narrow alleys where artisans in stalls produced a range of traditional crafts.

"Have a look," one vendor beckoned in English, as she continued to paint a miniature scene inside a tiny bottle. Jimmy Carter had visited this very same stall once. A prominently displayed photograph of the former U.S. president shows him admiring the unusual bottle art.

At another shop, a man showed me a unique invention -- a vase made from coconut husk that can be reshaped in seconds into a hat that can be worn two different ways. The price was just 15 RMB (about $2.75).

Chinese ingenuity seems to extend to the written word as well. Who could've guessed it was possible for caligraphers to express "good luck" a hundred different ways. My guide pointed to the Chinese characters on a wall hanging as proof. Beneath it was the word "longevity," also written a hundred different ways.

Long life and good fortune seem to be Zhouzhuang's mantra. The town has a history dating back 900 years, while its luck, you could say, was to be spared the ravages of the Cultural Revolution. The many rivers and canals apparently stalled the armies and allowed many antiques to be hidden and protected from destruction.

Some of those precious treasures can be seen in Shen's Residence, a mansion that once belonged to a wealthy businessman, but is now a museum.

Outside, a gentle breeze blew through the branches of a weeping willow tree, as wooden boats glided by in the canals. We hopped aboard one of these vessels for a half-hour ride, one of the most relaxing things to do while in Zhouzhuang. The fare is 80 RMB (about $16) for up to eight people -- a little extra if you'd like to be lulled by a Chinese folk song.

Along the banks of the canal, red lanterns hang from white washed homes with tiled roofs. Beneath a large shady tree, a few student artists with sketch pads and pencils sit on a bench surveying the scene. I glanced up at their chosen subject matter and then I noticed our boat about to pass under the rounded arch of one of the Twin Bridges.

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HISTORY LESSON

Two men sport coconut husk hats that convert to a vase.

Zhouzhuang was named in honour of a local official, Zhou Digong, a devout Buddhist, who donated land for the construction of the Quanfu Temple. The town's Golden Era occurred during the 1400s when businessman Shen Wansan turned the quiet fishing town into one of the most important stops on China's north-south trade route. Later, as more efficient routes developed, the town declined. By the late 1800s, an intellectual and artistic community began to flourish. Since the late 1980s Zhouzhuang has evolved into a popular tourist destination, with 35% of its visitors coming from outside China.