Here, I learned that the custom, which involved using tools to break the bones so that the feet can be squeezed into tiny embroidered shoes, was driven by a number of motivations.
While many women endured the pain simply as a means of showing off that they are from the upper class, men saw tiny feet as a symbol of beauty.
I was told that some men even chose their wives just by looking at the size of the candidates' feet.
I left the museum in awe of what I had seen, partly because it was a stimulating reminder of how subjective beauty can be, and partly because I had never seen a museum in an old town that is so well-designed.
This sense of wonder endured as I stepped into places that were once patronized by world leaders during past World Internet Conference meetings.
The shop where President Xi Jinping bought a gift for Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in 2015 was packed with tourists the night I was there. Many were examining the pair of chopsticks that Xi bought for his Russian guest.
Located a short walk down the street is Dan Cha Fan, a modern Chinese restaurant where world leaders dined during one of the conferences.
The exquisite chinaware and table decorations used on that very day are on display in a separate room that is off-limits to diners.
Again, a motion picture started rolling in my head as I imagined how the world leaders interacted with one another at these places. How did Medvedev react to the chopsticks? What did the head of states say to one another at the dining table?
I was impressed by the fact that I did not find any stalls selling cheesy "I Love Wuzhen" keychains or purses with Chinglish phrases.
Many of the shops featured zenminimalist interiors and sold items such as calligraphy brushes and silk clothing that were far more exquisite than banal tourist kitsch.
The boisterous bars at the end of the town and the two wonton stalls I came across were perhaps the only repetitive elements I noticed.
I only came across one stinky tofu shop, and the odor was almost indiscernible as it was masked by the saccharine scent of osmanthus from the snack stall across the walkway.
The skies opened up as I made my way back to the entrance, and the stone pathway glistened in the rain, reflecting the brilliant colors inside a shop selling traditional handcrafted lanterns.
This emulsion of vibrant hues on the ground, combined with the pitter patter of rain drops and the warm glow of the street lamps, filled the air with a sense of romance.
The first thing that came to mind was the final scene in the Woody Allen film Midnight in Paris where the characters Gil and Gabrielle meet on a bridge at night as the rain comes pouring down.
"Actually, Paris is the most beautiful in the rain," says Gabrielle, moments before the credits roll.
I thought the same could be said of Wuzhen.
I later learn that this gorgeous water town has a nickname.
Quite befittingly, it is called "the Venice of the East".
