In Shanghai, an international metropolis with twinkling neon lights, there hides a millennium water town that allows people to forget the hustle and bustle and return to tranquility — Zhujiajiao Ancient Town. Located in Qingpu District of Shanghai, about 40 kilometers from the city center, it was founded in the Northern Song Dynasty, with a history of more than 1,700 years. It is the best-preserved and largest Jiangnan water town ancient town in Shanghai, known as the “Venice of Shanghai” and “Pearl of Jiangnan”. Different from the modernity of the Bund and the literature of Wukang Road, Zhujiajiao carries Shanghai’s millennium cultural heritage and urban vitality with the classic Jiangnan scenery of “small bridges, flowing water and families”. For foreign tourists, it is an excellent window to encounter Jiangnan charm and understand Chinese water town life. Wandering here, every step is in poetry, and every glance is an ink painting.
The soul of Zhujiajiao Ancient Town is the Caogang River running through it, which is like a green ribbon connecting every household in the ancient town, creating a water town pattern of “crisscross water lanes and frequent boats”. The total area of the ancient town is 138 square kilometers, of which the core tourist area is about 1.5 square kilometers. The Caogang River runs through the whole town from east to west. On both banks, there are row upon row of dwellings and shops from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The white-walled and black-tiled buildings are reflected in the clear river water, forming a vivid ink painting. In the early morning, mist shrouds the river surface, and Wupeng boats glide slowly. The sound of oars breaking the water and the morning conversations of the residents on the bank interweave, forming an original ecological morning scene of Jiangnan water town. In the afternoon, the sun shines on the bluestone roads through the branches and leaves, with dappled light and shadow. The cruise ships coming and going on the river carry tourists shuttling between the stone bridges. The breeze blows, full of the tenderness and comfort of Jiangnan. In the evening, the sun sets, the sunset glows red in the sky, and the lanterns on the bank are lit up one by one. The warm yellow lights are reflected in the water, creating a strong atmosphere. At this time, Zhujiajiao has both the depth of a millennium ancient town and the tenderness of urban life.
When it comes to Zhujiajiao, the most representative landmark is undoubtedly Fangsheng Bridge, which is also the first choice for foreign tourists to check in when coming to Zhujiajiao. Fangsheng Bridge was built in the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1571) by the Fangsheng Public Office of the gentry in Zhujiajiao. It is the longest and oldest stone arch bridge existing in Shanghai, and also a model of stone arch bridges in the Jiangnan area. This five-hole stone arch bridge is 70.8 meters long, 5.8 meters wide and 7.4 meters high, all built of bluestone slabs. The bridge body has smooth and beautiful lines, and the bridge holes are arc-shaped, forming a complete circle reflected in the water, like a bright moon inlaid on the Caogang River, which is very ornamental. The name of Fangsheng Bridge comes from the traditional custom of “releasing animals to accumulate virtue”. Historically, on the first and fifteenth day of each lunar month, local residents would come to the bridge to release fish and shrimp. Over time, this bridge was named Fangsheng Bridge. Today, Fangsheng Bridge is still intact, carrying thousands of years of historical memories. Standing on the bridge, you can overlook the panoramic view of the entire Ancient Town. The white-walled and black-tiled buildings on both banks of the Caogang River, the passing cruise ships and the scattered shops are all in sight, making it the best position to take panoramic photos of the ancient town. For foreign tourists, walking on Fangsheng Bridge, you can not only appreciate the architectural beauty of the ancient stone arch bridge, but also feel the folk Culture and humanistic feelings of the Jiangnan area.
In addition to Fangsheng Bridge, there are many scenic spots worth visiting in Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, each hiding the unique charm of Jiangnan water town. The core area of the ancient town is distributed with many ancient streets and lanes such as North Street, Dongjing Street and Xijing Street. The streets and lanes are paved with bluestone slabs, winding and tortuous. The Ming and Qing buildings on both sides are well preserved, with cornices turning up and carved window lattices, showing the delicacy and elegance of Jiangnan architecture. Among them, North Street is the most prosperous commercial street in Zhujiajiao, 3 li long, known as the “First Street in Jiangnan”. On both sides of the street, there are various characteristic shops, time-honored restaurants and cultural and creative stores, including shops selling Jiangnan specialties and workshops displaying traditional handicrafts. Foreign tourists can choose souvenirs here and feel the urban vitality of Jiangnan.
Zhujiajiao City God Temple is another iconic scenic spot in the ancient town. Founded in the Ming Dynasty, it has a history of more than 400 years and is one of the best-preserved City God Temples in Shanghai. The City God Temple faces south, with a rigorous architectural layout, carved beams and painted buildings, full of ancient charm. The temple enshrines the City God. During traditional festivals, lively folk activities such as temple fairs and lantern shows are held here, attracting many tourists to visit and pray for blessings. For foreign tourists, walking into the City God Temple, you can not only appreciate the ancient buildings of the Ming and Qing dynasties, but also understand China’s traditional folk Culture and religious beliefs, and feel the folk customs of the Jiangnan area. In addition, scenic spots such as Kezhi Garden, Yuanjin Zen Courtyard and Zhuxi Garden in the ancient town also have their own characteristics. Kezhi Garden is a classical Jiangnan garden integrating “study and reading” and “planting”. The garden has pavilions, terraces, small bridges, flowing water and green trees, quiet and secluded. Yuanjin Zen Courtyard, founded in the Yuan Dynasty, is an ancient temple with a long history. The temple preserves many precious cultural relics and historic sites, which is a good place to feel Buddhist culture.
The charm of Zhujiajiao lies not only in its unique Natural Scenery and ancient buildings, but also in its ubiquitous urban vitality and characteristic food. As a Jiangnan water town, most of Zhujiajiao’s food is related to water, delicious and unique, which can not only satisfy the tourists’ taste buds, but also let foreign tourists feel the unique charm of Jiangnan food Culture. Time-honored restaurants and characteristic food stalls are scattered all over the streets and lanes in the ancient town, and every kind of food is worth tasting carefully.
The most representative food of Zhujiajiao is Zha Rou (braised pork in straw), a traditional famous dish in Jiangnan. It selects streaky pork, cuts it into large pieces, ties it with straw, and simmers it with soy sauce, rock sugar, rice wine and other seasonings for several hours. The braised Zha Rou is bright red in color, fat but not greasy, tender and flavorful, with a full mouth of mellow fragrance. It is one of the must-try foods for foreign tourists. In addition to Zha Rou, Zhujiajiao’s Zhuangyuan Gao (Zhuangyuan Cake) is also very distinctive. It is made of glutinous rice flour, white sugar, sweet osmanthus and other raw materials, with a soft and glutinous taste, sweet and delicious, with a light fragrance of sweet osmanthus. It is deeply loved by tourists because it implies “passing the imperial examination with flying colors” and is also a good choice for souvenirs. In addition, foods such as smoked green beans, Euryale ferox cake, fresh meat zongzi and white water fish in the ancient town also have their own characteristics. Smoked green beans are crispy and delicious, Euryale ferox cake is soft and not sticky to the teeth, fresh meat zongzi has thin skin and large filling, fragrant, and white water fish has tender meat and delicious taste. Every kind of food can let foreign tourists feel the delicacy and deliciousness of Jiangnan food.
For foreign tourists, experiencing the cruise ship project in Zhujiajiao is the best way to feel the charm of Jiangnan water town. The cruise ships in the ancient town are mainly divided into two types: Wupeng boats and sightseeing cruise ships. Wupeng boats are traditional means of transportation in Jiangnan water towns. The boat body is small and exquisite, rowed by boatmen. Taking a Wupeng boat to shuttle through the water lanes of the Caogang River, you can closely appreciate the ancient buildings and Natural Scenery on both banks, and feel the poetic realm of “traveling in a painting”. Sightseeing cruise ships are larger, equipped with tour guide explanations, suitable for multi-person rides. Tourists can listen to the historical stories of the ancient town and understand the humanistic customs of Zhujiajiao on the cruise ship. The price of the cruise ship is moderate. The one-way ticket for Wupeng boat is about 40 yuan per person, and the round-trip ticket for sightseeing cruise ship is about 60 yuan per person. The boarding points are mainly distributed near Fangsheng Bridge and on both banks of the Caogang River, which is very convenient. It is worth mentioning that coming out of Exit 1 of Zhujiajiao Station on Line 17, there is a cruise ship ticket office on the left hand side. You can take a cruise ship directly to Fangsheng Bridge, which takes 20 minutes to arrive. There is no need to find a way or be exposed to the sun, and you can feel the artistic conception of Jiangnan water town in advance, which is an excellent choice for lazy tourists.
The transportation of Zhujiajiao is very convenient for foreign tourists to get there, and there are many popular scenic spots around the ancient town. After visiting Zhujiajiao, you can go to other scenic spots to continue your trip. To get to Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, it is most recommended to take the Subway. Take Line 17 to “Zhujiajiao Station”, get off, walk about 10 minutes from Exit 1 to the entrance of the ancient town, or take a cruise ship directly to Fangsheng Bridge after getting off to start the water town trip. You can also take a tourist special line or bus. There are many bus routes from downtown Shanghai directly to Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, such as Shanghai-Zhujia Express Line and Shangzhu Line, with a journey of about 1 hour. If you choose to drive by car, you can navigate to “Zhujiajiao Ancient Town Parking Lot”. The parking lot has reasonable charges and sufficient parking spaces around, which is convenient for tourists to park.
Zhujiajiao Ancient Town is adjacent to popular scenic spots such as Dianshan Lake and Oriental Land. After visiting the ancient town, you can go to Dianshan Lake, walk by the lake, enjoy the lake and mountain scenery, and feel the tranquility and beauty of nature. You can also go to Oriental Land, a large outdoor expansion base with rich entertainment projects and beautiful Natural Scenery, suitable for parent-child travel and leisure vacation. In addition, there are many cultural and creative stores, Teahouses and cafes in the ancient town. Foreign tourists can taste a cup of Jiangnan green tea in the teahouse and feel the slow life of Jiangnan. They can also choose cultural and creative products with both Jiangnan elements and characteristics in the cultural and creative stores, such as postcards, bookmarks and canvas bags printed with the beautiful scenery of the ancient town, as souvenirs to take home and keep the beautiful memories of Zhujiajiao.
To make foreign tourists’ trip to Zhujiajiao smoother and more pleasant, here are some practical tips for reference. The best visiting time is divided into three periods: 9 am to 11 am, with fewer tourists and suitable light, thin mist, ideal for taking photos, checking in and wandering leisurely, feeling the tranquility and elegance of the ancient town. At this time, the Caogang River and ancient buildings are more charming with the soft light, full of the charm of ink painting Jiangnan. 2 pm to 5 pm, the sun is just right, cruise ships are frequent, and the atmosphere of shops and restaurants is strong, suitable for in-depth tours, tasting food and experiencing cruise ship projects. There are many people on weekends, so it is recommended to avoid peak hours. 6 pm to 8 pm, the sun sets, lanterns are lit up, the night view of the ancient town is very beautiful, with a romantic and gentle atmosphere, suitable for wandering and enjoying the scenery, feeling the charm of the ancient town’s night view. Zhujiajiao Ancient Town is suitable for walking or taking a cruise ship. It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes to walk on the bluestone roads. The bluestone roads in the ancient town are relatively smooth, so you need to be careful when walking on rainy days.
In terms of tickets, Zhujiajiao Ancient Town is open to the public free of charge. No tickets are required, and tourists can enter and exit freely. Some scenic spots in the ancient town need to buy separate tickets, such as Kezhi Garden (20 yuan per person), Yuanjin Zen Courtyard (10 yuan per person) and City God Temple (5 yuan per person). Tickets can be bought on site or booked online in advance, with high cost performance. In addition, there are many rest areas, toilets and tourist service centers in the ancient town, which are convenient for tourists to rest and consult. For foreign tourists, most of the shops and restaurants in the ancient town have English menus and bilingual staff, and some scenic spots are also equipped with English explanations, which are convenient for communication. Pay attention to the traditional festival activities of the ancient town, such as Spring Festival Temple Fair, Dragon Boat Race on Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Lantern Show, to experience more characteristic Jiangnan folk activities and feel the different charm of Zhujiajiao.
Zhujiajiao Ancient Town is a water town with a millennium of Jiangnan charm. It has the poetic scenery of “small bridges, flowing water and families”, the profound heritage of ancient buildings of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the gentle and lively urban life, and the unique charm of traditional folk customs. There is no hustle and bustle of the city here, only quiet water lanes, ancient stone bridges, melodious boat songs and authentic food. It is an excellent place for foreign tourists to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, feel the charm of Jiangnan and understand Chinese water town life. When you come to Shanghai, you must take a day to go to Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, wander on the bluestone roads, take a Wupeng boat to shuttle through the water lanes, taste the authentic Jiangnan food, feel the history, humanism and urban vitality here, and let this water town trip become the most unforgettable memory of your trip to Shanghai.
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