According to the research of the ancient cultural site of Tanjiawan near Wuzhen, about 7000 years ago, the ancestors of Wuzhen thrived in this area. At that time, it belonged to the Majiabang culture of the Neolithic Age. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Wuzhen was the border between Wu and Yue, and the Wu State stationed troops here to guard against the Yue State, known as "Wushu" in history.
In Qin Dynasty, Wuzhen belonged to Kuaiji County, bounded by Chexi (that is, the present Shihe), Wudun in the west, which belonged to Wcheng County, and Qingdun in the east, which belonged to Youquan County, which was divided and ruled by Wuzhen. Thereafter, Wuzhen was either under the jurisdiction of Huzhou or Jiaxing in Zhejiang Province, or under the jurisdiction of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province.
In the Qin Dynasty, today’s Wuzhen was a part of Kuaiji County. Che Stream (the present urban river) separates today’s Wuzhen into Wudun and Qingdun, belonging to Wucheng County and Youquan County respectively.
In the Tang Dynasty, today’s Wuzhen was administered by Suzhou. In the Later Liang Dynasty, Wuzhen is in the reign of Kingdom Wuyue. In the Later Jin Dynasty (A.D. 940), Wuzhen became a part of Xiuzhou in Jiaxing County.
In 992, Wuzhen became a part of Wucheng County in Huzhou. In 1077, five villages including Wutong, Yongxin and Qingfeng were under the administration of Chongde County and Qingzhen was a part of Qingfeng. So Qingzhen was a part of Chongde County, Xiuzhou. Later, to avoid the same character of the Emperor’s name, Qingdun and Wudun was renamed Qingzhen and Wuzhen. In the reign of emperor Jiading, Jiaxing was promoted from a County to a Province and Qingzhen was still a part of it. In 1226, Huzhou was renamed Anji and Wuzhen remains one of its towns. In the Song Dynasty, officials were assigned to Wuzhen to take charge of the use of fire and liquor tax. Local officials also started to recruit troops to guard against criminals and enemies.
In 1277, Wuzhen was a part of Wucheng County and Qingzhen a part of Chongde County. There was also local officials assigned by the central government.
In 1430, Muhua, Qianjin, Baoning, Qingfeng, Yongxing and Wutong were transferred to Tongxiang County. And Qingzhen became a part of Jiaxing. Wuzhen was still administered by Huzhou government. This administrative division remained the same until the end of the Qing Dynasty.
In 1912, Qingzhen and Wuzhen was still under different local governments. In May 1950, the two localities were integrated into today’s Wuzhen.
According to the research of the ancient cultural site of Tanjiawan near Wuzhen, about 7000 years ago, the ancestors of Wuzhen thrived in this area. At that time, it belonged to the Majiabang culture of the Neolithic Age. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Wuzhen was the border between Wu and Yue, and the Wu State stationed troops here to guard against the Yue State, known as "Wushu" in history.
In Qin Dynasty, Wuzhen belonged to Kuaiji County, bounded by Chexi (that is, the present Shihe), Wudun in the west, which belonged to Wcheng County, and Qingdun in the east, which belonged to Youquan County, which was divided and ruled by Wuzhen. Thereafter, Wuzhen was either under the jurisdiction of Huzhou or Jiaxing in Zhejiang Province, or under the jurisdiction of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province.
In the Qin Dynasty, today’s Wuzhen was a part of Kuaiji County. Che Stream (the present urban river) separates today’s Wuzhen into Wudun and Qingdun, belonging to Wucheng County and Youquan County respectively.
In the Tang Dynasty, today’s Wuzhen was administered by Suzhou. In the Later Liang Dynasty, Wuzhen is in the reign of Kingdom Wuyue. In the Later Jin Dynasty (A.D. 940), Wuzhen became a part of Xiuzhou in Jiaxing County.
In 992, Wuzhen became a part of Wucheng County in Huzhou. In 1077, five villages including Wutong, Yongxin and Qingfeng were under the administration of Chongde County and Qingzhen was a part of Qingfeng. So Qingzhen was a part of Chongde County, Xiuzhou. Later, to avoid the same character of the Emperor’s name, Qingdun and Wudun was renamed Qingzhen and Wuzhen. In the reign of emperor Jiading, Jiaxing was promoted from a County to a Province and Qingzhen was still a part of it. In 1226, Huzhou was renamed Anji and Wuzhen remains one of its towns. In the Song Dynasty, officials were assigned to Wuzhen to take charge of the use of fire and liquor tax. Local officials also started to recruit troops to guard against criminals and enemies.
In 1277, Wuzhen was a part of Wucheng County and Qingzhen a part of Chongde County. There was also local officials assigned by the central government.
In 1430, Muhua, Qianjin, Baoning, Qingfeng, Yongxing and Wutong were transferred to Tongxiang County. And Qingzhen became a part of Jiaxing. Wuzhen was still administered by Huzhou government. This administrative division remained the same until the end of the Qing Dynasty.
In 1912, Qingzhen and Wuzhen was still under different local governments. In May 1950, the two localities were integrated into today’s Wuzhen.
According to archeological evidence in the Tanjiawan relics in the near suburb of Wuzhen, ancestral residents settled here about 7000 years ago.
In the Spring and Autumn Period, Wuzhen is on the border of State of Wu and State of Yue. Wu garrisoned troops here in defense.
In the Qin Dynasty, today’s Wuzhen was a part of Kuaiji County. Che Stream (the present urban river) separates today’s Wuzhen into Wudun and Qingdun, belonging to Wucheng County and Youquan County respectively.
In the Tang Dynasty, today’s Wuzhen was administered by Suzhou. In the Later Liang Dynasty, Wuzhen is in the reign of Kingdom Wuyue. In the Later Jin Dynasty (A.D. 940), Wuzhen became a part of Xiuzhou in Jiaxing County.
In 992, Wuzhen became a part of Wucheng County in Huzhou. In 1077, five villages including Wutong, Yongxin and Qingfeng were under the administration of Chongde County and Qingzhen was a part of Qingfeng. So Qingzhen was a part of Chongde County, Xiuzhou. Later, to avoid the same character of the Emperor’s name, Qingdun and Wudun was renamed Qingzhen and Wuzhen. In the reign of emperor Jiading, Jiaxing was promoted from a County to a Province and Qingzhen was still a part of it. In 1226, Huzhou was renamed Anji and Wuzhen remains one of its towns. In the Song Dynasty, officials were assigned to Wuzhen to take charge of the use of fire and liquor tax. Local officials also started to recruit troops to guard against criminals and enemies. In 1277, Wuzhen was a part of Wucheng County and Qingzhen a part of Chongde County. There was also local officials assigned by the central government.
In 1430, Muhua, Qianjin, Baoning, Qingfeng, Yongxing and Wutong were transferred to Tongxiang County. And Qingzhen became a part of Jiaxing. Wuzhen was still administered by Huzhou government. This administrative division remained the same until the end of the Qing Dynasty.
In 1912, Qingzhen and Wuzhen was still under different local governments. In May 1950, the two localities were integrated into today’s Wuzhen.
Wuzhen was known as Wudun and Wushu in ancient times. About the word "Dun" of Wudun, Wang Yuzhou explained clearly in About Erxi that "Wuzhen was called Wudun in ancient times, for it was higher than its surrounding areas..." But why is it called "Wu"? There are many opinions. One version is that "Several sons of the emperor of Yue fought with each other for the dominion of the country here, and then one of them became the ruler of this place because of the emperor’s enfeoffment, his family was surnamed Wuyu, hence the name Wudun; the other version is that it was named after the land God General Wu; and the third version is that “Wu means Wutuo monument while Qing means Zhaoming cyan lock (Qing means cyan in Chinese)”, so it named Wu & Qing. Predecessors have objected all these claims. They believed that there was no evidence, or it was far-fetched, or lack of general historical knowledge. Lu Xuepu refuted them one by one when compiled Wuqing Records. At the same time, he put forward a more reasonable statement, which was proposed by local sages in Wuqing Reference in the twenty-seventh year under the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1688): “There was a long history about the name of Wudun and Qingdun… Just from the very beginning, how to name a place? All of the names are originated from people’s vivid depiction of the nature, such as ‘Mount Tai covering by boundless green is so high, I can see standing outside Qi and Lu’ by Du Fu and ‘The clear river is peaceful, just like silk’ by Xie Tiao, which are passed by people and then generally accepted by the public. And the names of Wu and Qing are the same.”
In Spring and Autumn Period, Wuzhen was on the border of State of Wu and State of Yue. Wu garrisoned troops here guarding against Yue. On a stele in King Suojingming’s temple (article and calligraphy by Zhu Hong and inscription by Wu Ye), the name Wuzhen was used for the first time. Another stele of the same era in Guangfujiao Temple calls this place Wuqingzhen. That may be the origin for Wuzhen to be called "Zhen" (literally means town).
Wuzhen is on an alluvial plain with fertile dark-colored soil, so it was named Wudun ("wu" means black in Chinese). Only several kilometers away, there was a village named Hongdun ("hong" means red). It was recorded that Hongdun was to the west of Wuzhen and was named Hongdun because it had red soil. And there was another town named Zidun (Purple) also because of soil color. These two recordings support the geography theory.
However, Wuzhen people prefer legendary explanation of the name. In the reign of Emperor Xianzong of the Tang Dynasty, General Wu Zan died in a battle against rebels. To commemorate him, people built a temple in Wuzhen and also named the town after him.
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