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The Water Theater is a charming open-air theater located at the west end of Xizha Street. It is an open-air gathering and performance venue.
The auditorium, paved with more than 2,300 logs, fanned out in a fan shape, offering a panoramic view of the main stage in the crescent-shaped lake of nearly 7,000 square meters.
Behind the stage, the cluster of old buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, including the horse-head wall, Guanyin Porch, the towering Bailian Ancient Pagoda and the Wenchang Pavilion with its flying eaves and pointed corners, outline a vibrant skyline.
There are no scheduled performances on the stage on weekdays, but there are performances during drama festivals.
Attraction Location: Wuzhen Xizha Scenic Area (乌镇西栅景区), Tongxiang, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
History: The Water Stage (水上戏台) in Wuzhen was originally constructed during the late Qing Dynasty, reflecting the ancient Jiangnan tradition of performing arts. It was designed for locals and merchants to enjoy operas and folk shows while seated in boats or on surrounding bridges and waterfront houses.
Architecture: Built on wooden stilts above the river, the Water Stage features traditional Jiangnan wooden architecture with tiled eaves and carved beams. Its floating design integrates harmoniously with the canal scenery, making it both functional and picturesque.
Cultural Value: The stage is an important venue for Kunqu Opera (昆曲), Peking Opera (京剧), and Wuzhen’s own local folk operas. It reflects the Jiangnan culture where waterways, trade, and performing arts converged, preserving the intangible heritage of riverside entertainment.
Other Information: The Water Stage has been revitalized as part of Wuzhen’s tourism and cultural revival. Today, it hosts scheduled traditional performances and sometimes modern artistic shows, offering travelers a glimpse into the lifestyle of ancient canal towns.
Opening Hours: 9:00 – 21:00 (performance schedules vary by day and season)
Ticket Price: Included in Wuzhen Xizha Scenic Area ticket (approximately CNY 150–200)
Special shows may require additional tickets (CNY 30–50)
Best Photo Spots: From stone bridges facing the stage
On boats docked near the canal
Night performances under lantern light
Time Reference: Plan around 1–1.5 hours to enjoy a performance and explore the riverside scenery nearby
Other Information: Evening shows under warm lanterns are particularly atmospheric and recommended for photography and immersion.
The Water Stage, located near the main gate of Xitang Ancient Town, is built on the waterfront and is a place dedicated to opera performances. Visitors can enjoy classic operas from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions here.
One of the attractions we are looking for for company team building, haha.
Very unique and interesting! ! ! ! ! !
The background of the stage is so beautiful. It would be great if I could watch a performance here.
To be honest, I went to Wuzhen during the National Day holiday, and the score of Wuzhen dropped a lot. It is really small inside, which makes it seem crowded. The water stage is spacious. After this season, a rose flower bloomed. It was quite comfortable to sit in the audience seat and rest.
There was no performance on the water stage when I went there, and it was also closed due to rain. The place is very large, with the stage built in the water and the audience seats on the shore, which can accommodate nearly a thousand people.
The performance venue is in the Xizha Scenic Area of Wuzhen, with a stand on the opposite bank.
In a very open place, there is a bridge that is deliberately broken?
Xizha's floating stage has a broken bridge next to it. I went there at night and there were no performances, so the lights were off and it wasn't very interesting. I haven't seen any performances here, so I won't give it too much credit.
The scenery is beautiful, but it's a pity that I didn't see the show
It's just a stage. When I went there, I only saw the exterior and didn't catch the performance.
Personally, I think the Broken Bridge here is one of the best views!
The Water Stage—the performance stage for the Wuzhen Theater Festival—is also a popular spot for leisure. Imagine the characters performing across a small pond, and the audience feels as if the events unfolding on stage are happening right next to them.
This is a favorite spot in Wuzhen's West Bank. It was dusk when I went there, and the sky was dark. The reflections of the black roofs and white walls on the clear water trembled slightly on the shimmering water, which was very beautiful. The tiered auditoriums under the stage were perfect for sitting down and relaxing. I didn't catch the show, so I don't know when it will be back.
These are all scenic spots in Wuzhen West Gate. I passed by them when I was walking around West Gate.
I watched from a distance, but unfortunately I didn't catch it, and I don't know if there will be any performances.
It has local characteristics, although I don't understand what they are singing.
The special thing about the stage is that it is built on water, so people also call it the "water stage".
The special thing about the stage is that it is built on water, so people also call it the "water stage".
The floating stage looks stunning in the sunset. It's huge, and I think it could hold tens of thousands of people. It would be a delight to watch a play unfold across the lake. However, there wasn't a performance when we went, so it was quiet and sparsely populated.
This is my favorite place in Wuzhen Xizha during this trip. It can be regarded as the highlight of Xizha Street. Because there are no performances now, there are relatively few people going there. It is the best place to sit quietly and daydream.
Sitting on the stands, the stage across the water is right in front of you. It seems as if you can see the prosperous past when this place was here, with the actors on the stage, the tourists in the audience, and everyone passing by each other.
I rested here when I was tired. It is also a waterside stage. I heard that the sound of the waterside stage can be heard from far away. I also heard this from the electronic commentary when I went to the Forbidden City before.
It is already very dilapidated and incomplete, but you can still feel and imagine the scene at that time.
The stage is located on the north side of Xizha Old Street. What makes it unique is that it's built on water. The large, curved stands, separated by a water barrier, create a stage. The stage design is quite unique, with ruined walls and a broken bridge. It's large and unique.
It was closed when I went there, and weeds were growing in the gaps between the stone steps.
On the Xiuzhen Temple Square on Wuzhen's East Street, there's a "temple platform"—an annex of the temple, hence the name "Xiuzhen Temple Ancient Stage." The water stage at Xizha and the ancient stage complement each other beautifully, serving as important cultural and entertainment venues for the residents of Wuzhen and surrounding towns and villages.
An ancient stage, surrounded by a crescent-shaped pool. The audience sits on the open-air stands opposite to watch the performance. However, the performance is not held every day, so many people just stop here to rest.
The stage is located on the north side of Xizha Old Street. What makes it unique is that it's built on water. The large, curved stands, separated by a water barrier, create a stage. The stage design is quite unique, with ruined walls and a broken bridge. It's large and unique.
The stage on the water stage is connected on both sides, which is convenient for stage change; the audience seats are divided into two levels, with a spacious seating area in the middle, which is for ordinary people.
It is a place for drama fans to watch dramas; on both sides are attics, which are equivalent to today's boxes, mostly booked by wealthy people.
The central performance stage is magnificent, especially the caisson ceiling in the center, which is resplendent in gold and jade. The roof is engraved with lifelike carvings of the Eight Immortals, both visible and invisible. The central beam depicts a scene of Tang Dynasty Emperor Li Longji attending a play, with images of the Eighteen Arhats carved into it.
Standing on the stage, you can also see the carved beams of the Qimen Gate opposite, which are engraved with the reign title of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, in the early period of his reign - Kaiyuan.
I really like the floating stage. It's quite old, but it's also quite interesting and unique. The stage is semi-circular, like a gymnasium. There are long wooden benches... and there are a lot of art students sketching there. It rained when I was there, so I was glad I had an umbrella. It's the innermost part, after all—if you count Tong'an Inn as the beginning.
As the name suggests, it is a stage built in the middle of the water. Unfortunately, there was no performance to watch. I just sat there for a while and then left.
Xizha is part of the newly redeveloped Wuzhen. While retaining its original character, it's also incorporated modern leisure and entertainment options. Although it's become somewhat commercialized, I still love Wuzhen, its small bridges and flowing water, and its relaxed atmosphere...
It is a very distinctive, very beautiful place with a particularly good environment.
In the evening, the stage next to the floating market began to perform Huagu Opera, a local opera performed in the local dialect. The themes are all based on life. Although I don’t understand it, it is nice to experience the rich local culture up close.
The water stage was probably used for performances in the past.
Wuzhen has many unique things and many special performances. If you can time it right, you can see them all. It is definitely a visual enjoyment and an enjoyment of ancient things. There will be no performances on rainy days, which is too dangerous.
The water stage in Xizha, Wuzhen, is opposite the pier. On the left is the water market, which is very spacious.
Is it originally like this, or is it because it has not been maintained? It feels very dilapidated. This side is close to the end of the scenic area and there are very few people.
I visit Wuzhen every year for a relaxing break, and I've been there no fewer than five times. I've stayed at waterfront guesthouses twice, but the overall value wasn't great. The rest of the time, I've stayed at Zhaoming Shushe, a very affordable hotel that usually requires booking a month in advance. It's a quiet and elegant retreat nestled in the city. The Shusheng mutton stall in the alleyway is absolutely amazing—a must-try in autumn and winter. I've visited all of Wuzhen's attractions more than a dozen times, most recently with my 50D and 1740 lens. Feel free to ask me any questions.
The water stage is on the north side of Wuzhen Xizha Old Street. There was no performance when I went there.
It was night when I went there, but there were people singing... It felt very romantic... It was drizzling, and the opera music started...
There was no performance when I went there, I was just attracted by the seats and took some photos
It has the characteristics of Wuzhen and is worth watching. I was lucky enough to encounter the performance that day. If you want to watch it, you can check the time.
When you come to Wuzhen, you have to see everything there. Although it is a bit commercialized, the town is really clean.
There was no performance when I went there, and I don't know if there was any performance, but I remember there was a broken bridge nearby.. It was pretty cool
The viewing angle is very wide and the stage is very impressive. It’s great to watch the performance!
It's a pity that I didn't get to watch a play on the water stage. It's a very empty place. There are a lot of people during the day. If you want to take pictures of the empty water stage, you must come here before 10 o'clock in the morning. It's a good place for a person to be in a daze.
Because it is cooler by the lake and there are fewer people
I arrived at the water stage at around 3pm in the afternoon, so I just missed the performance. There are performances here every day from 2-3pm, and it can accommodate more than 100 spectators at the same time. The stage was a bit deserted without performances. But it was really clean here, with no paper towels or garbage. You don't need a ticket to enter the stage, but the gate closes around 5pm. The stage is very close to the White Lotus Pagoda Temple, and you can overlook the entire White Lotus Pagoda Temple. It looks a bit like the pagoda held by the gods in TV dramas.
It seemed like it would be interesting, but it was drizzling the day I went, so I didn't get to see the show.
There is no fixed performance time. The semi-circular stands and the stage on the water seem to bring people back to the feeling of a theater in the early years of the Republic of China.
I don't know if there was any performance, I didn't see it anyway.
It was empty and not much to see, but the rows of circular wooden benches in the auditorium looked nice.
Now it's just a scene, no performance.
The water stage was deserted, as if something was missing...
There are performances in the evening. It is a unique experience to watch the performances here.
The water stage is located on the north side of Xizha Old Street, a relatively secluded place.
It's fun, a comfortable place to sit.
The scenery is nice, but I didn't see the performance at that time. I don't know if there was no performance or I didn't catch it. You can go and see it when you go to Xizha
I came here specifically to watch the show around 8pm. There were a lot of seats, and the stage was across the water. It looked pretty good when the pharmacist used it, but it was a waste of time. Maybe we have to wait for major festivals and peak seasons to have large-scale song and dance performances.
It’s the first time I’ve seen a stage standing on the water. It’s quite a fresh feeling.
I was told there would be performances here, but I didn't see any when I went there. It was nice to just sit there.
This place is not easy to find, but the scenery is beautiful, the water is like a mirror, and it is a good place for photography.
This stage is really good. Even if there is no performance, it is very comfortable to sit there alone. The environment makes people calm down easily.
If you are tired of walking, you can sit nearby. There was a performance when you went there, so it seemed deserted.
It's a very special place worth visiting. Although I haven't watched a drama here, I can still feel the uniqueness of the water town drama.
The background scenery is very beautiful. It felt a bit desolate when I went there. I wonder if it will be more lively at night.
Located on the north side of Xizha Old Street, the special thing about this stage is that it is built on water, so people also call it the "water stage". Its scale and exquisiteness are rare in China.
The performance stage of the water stage was connected on both sides, making it easy to walk around and change scenes; the audience seats were divided into two levels, with a spacious seating area in the middle, which was a place for ordinary drama fans to watch the drama; and on both sides were attics, which were equivalent to today's private rooms, mostly reserved by wealthy people.
The central performance stage is magnificent, especially the caisson ceiling in the center, which is resplendent in gold and jade. The roof is engraved with lifelike carvings of the Eight Immortals, both visible and invisible. The central beam depicts a scene of Tang Dynasty Emperor Li Longji attending a play, with images of the Eighteen Arhats carved into it.
Standing on the stage, you can also see the carved beams of the Qimen Gate opposite, which are engraved with the reign title of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, in the early period of his reign - Kaiyuan.
From the Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China, Peking Opera was popular. Stages were often improvised in open spaces using wooden planks, known as "grass stages." Some temples had permanent stages, attached to the temples, known as "temple stages." Tickets were not sold, and audiences watched from the empty space. A "temple stage" stands in the Xiuzhen Temple Square on Wuzhen's East Street. This structure, ancillary to the temple, gave it the name "Xiuzhen Temple Ancient Stage." The Xizha Water Stage and the Xiuzhen Temple Ancient Stage complement each other beautifully, serving as important cultural and entertainment venues for the residents of Wuzhen and the surrounding towns and villages.
The bridge at one end of the water stage is broken. It is in the center of the lake, and it looks very beautiful just looking at it quietly. I didn't see any performance when I went there, so it may be that it is not being performed.
The surrounding scenery is nice and there are not many people. It is worth a visit.
This place is a must-see, it's in the innermost part of Xizha and it's really beautiful.
I heard there would be a drama performance there, but I didn't catch it when I went there.
There is a Huagu Opera performance every half an hour from 17:00 to 22:00
It was raining the whole day I went there, and there was no one on the stage.
The performance stage of the water stage is connected on both sides, which is convenient for changing scenes; the audience seats are divided into two levels, with spacious seats in the middle, which is a place for ordinary drama fans to watch the show; on both sides are attics, which are equivalent to today's private rooms, mostly booked by wealthy people.
The central performance stage is magnificent, especially the caisson ceiling in the center, which is resplendent in gold and jade. The roof is engraved with lifelike carvings of the Eight Immortals, both visible and invisible. The central beam depicts a scene of Tang Dynasty Emperor Li Longji attending a play, with images of the Eighteen Arhats carved into it.
Standing on the stage, you can also see the carved beams of the Qimen Gate opposite, which are engraved with the reign title of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji, in the early period of his reign - Kaiyuan.
From the Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China, Peking Opera was popular. Stages were often improvised in open spaces using wooden planks, known as "grass stages." Some temples had permanent stages, attached to the temples, known as "temple stages." Tickets were not sold, and audiences watched from the empty space. A "temple stage" stands in the Xiuzhen Temple Square on Wuzhen's East Street. This structure, ancillary to the temple, gave it the name "Xiuzhen Temple Ancient Stage." The Xizha Water Stage and the Xiuzhen Temple Ancient Stage complement each other beautifully, serving as important cultural and entertainment venues for the residents of Wuzhen and the surrounding towns and villages.