Chairman of the Culture Wuzhen Co. Ltd., President of Wuzhen Tourism Co. Ltd. Chen was born in Wuzhen, and initiated the plan for Wuzhen's construction, protection, and development in 1999. Known for his commitment to the protection of Wuzhen, Mr. Chen was the lead designer and organizer for the historical preservation of the town. The safeguarding of the streets, canals and architecture of the original city was the driving force behind his vision of Wuzhen as not only a wonderful tourist destination, but also a site of historical value. For his work, Mr. Chen was given the Award of Distinction from the Asia Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2003. As testament to his vision, the new Wuzhen has attracted the attention of Chinese and international artists since the inaugural Wuzhen Theatre Festival in 2013.