寻古探新：Seeking the old, exploring the new

I’m Junlin, a high school student based in Shanghai, China. Ever since fourth grade, my mom has taken me to Wuzhen every year for the annual Wuzhen Theatre Festival. Over the years, returning to the same ancient town again and again sparked a deep curiosity in me: how has Wuzhen managed to thrive and stand out while so many other historic towns have faded from attention? My fascination with Wuzhen, along with my interests in Chinese culture, travel, and economics, inspired me to create this research project. Through it, I hope to explore the history, cultural identity, and economic development of Wuzhen and other ancient towns across China, and to understand what makes them so special and enduring in a rapidly modernizing world.