In Shanghai, when it comes to Jiangnan Ancient Towns, most people think of the bustle of Zhujiajiao. However, few know that in the west of Qingpu District, there is a more original and niche secret place known as “the First Bridge Township in Jiangnan” — Jinze Ancient Town. Away from the crowds in the urban area, it has gone through more than 1,300 years of precipitation. Thriving because of water and famous for bridges, its unique Culture of “every bridge has a temple and every temple has a bridge” preserves the remains of ancient bridges from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Without excessive commercial packaging, there are only clear rivers, ancient stone bridges, quiet old streets and authentic water town life, making it an excellent window for foreign tourists to immerse themselves in the true nature of Jiangnan water towns and understand Chinese ancient bridge culture. Here, you can walk on bluestone roads, watch stone bridges reflect the blue waves; sit quietly by the river, listen to the flowing water tell millennial stories; shuttle between ancient bridges, marvel at the ingenuity of the ancients. A slow trip will let you encounter the purest Jiangnan charm.
Jinze Ancient Town is located at No. 33 Yingxiang Street, Jinze Town, Qingpu District, at the junction of Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. It is the only ancient town in Shanghai bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, known as the “West Gate” of Shanghai. It is also a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, open to the public free of charge without appointment, allowing you to start a water town trip at any time. Tracing its history, Jinze Ancient Town, formerly known as “Baini Li”, was first built in the Tang and Song dynasties, with the saying of “prospering in the Song Dynasty and flourishing in the Yuan Dynasty”. According to legend, in ancient times, a farmer found stones like gold, and because this place is a water town rich in fish and rice as valuable as gold, it was named “Jinze” (Golden Marsh). According to the “Jinze Chronicles” of the Daoguang period in the Qing Dynasty, the ancient town once had “six temples, one tower, thirteen squares and forty-two rainbow bridges”, with a bridge density far exceeding that of other Jiangnan ancient towns. Although eroded by time, seven ancient bridges from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties still remain today. Their density, rich forms and long history are rare in Jiangnan ancient towns. The famous scholar and calligrapher Mr. Qian Juntao once wrote “Jinze Ancient Bridges Are the Best Under Heaven” in his handwriting, so Jinze is also known as the “Museum of Ancient Bridges”.
For foreign tourists, the most attractive feature of Jinze Ancient Town is its ancient bridge Culture. Every ancient bridge carries a period of history, and every detail shows the architectural wisdom of the ancients. Among the seven existing ancient bridges, the most representative one is Puji Bridge, which was first built in the third year of Xianchun in the Southern Song Dynasty (1267). Located in the center of the ancient town, it is the most well-preserved and oldest single-arch stone bridge in Shanghai. The bridge body is built of blue stone blocks, with a beautiful arc like a bright moon reflecting in the water. The two sides of the bridge are carved with simple patterns. Although it has experienced more than 700 years of wind and rain, it is still intact. Walking on the bridge, you can clearly see the interlocking traces between the stone blocks, as if you can touch the architectural context of the Song and Yuan dynasties. Standing on the top of the bridge, you can have a panoramic view of the river network and old street style of the ancient town, making it an excellent spot for taking photos and appreciating the beauty of ancient bridges.
Wan’an Bridge, adjacent to Puji Bridge, was also built in the Song Dynasty. It is a double-arch stone bridge, wider and more magnificent. The bridge railings are carved with exquisite lotus patterns, symbolizing peace and good luck. In the past, it was an important traffic artery of the ancient town, with an endless flow of pedestrians and boats. Today, although it is no longer as prosperous as before, it still stands quietly by the river, witnessing the changes of the ancient town over the years. In addition, Yingxiang Bridge and Linlao Bridge in the ancient town were built in the Yuan Dynasty, Fangsheng Bridge and Tianhuangge Bridge in the Ming Dynasty, and Ruyi Bridge in the Qing Dynasty. Each bridge has a unique architectural style: Yingxiang Bridge adopts a stone beam structure, with a flat bridge surface and no railings on both sides, simple and primitive; Linlao Bridge is small and exquisite, with exquisite patterns carved on the bridge body, showing the gentleness of Jiangnan water towns; Ruyi Bridge has a unique shape, with its arch stretching like a ruyi (a traditional Chinese symbol of good luck), implying all the best. Each bridge is worth foreign tourists stopping to taste carefully and feel the diversity and artistry of Chinese ancient bridge architecture.
In addition to the stunning remains of ancient bridges, the unique cultural landscape of “every bridge has a temple and every temple has a bridge” in Jinze Ancient Town is a rare folk custom in the Jiangnan region. Next to each ancient bridge in the town, there was once a corresponding temple, forming a symbiotic pattern of “the bridge as the temple gate and the temple as the bridge soul”. Although some temples no longer exist today, this unique cultural heritage still remains. Among them, the most famous is Yihao Zen Temple, which is accompanied by ancient bridges. First built in the early Jingding period of the Song Dynasty, this temple once dominated Jiangnan with 5,048 magnificent buildings. The “Songjiang Prefecture Chronicles” called it “even Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou and Chengtian Temple in Suzhou cannot match its grandeur”. Zhao Mengfu, a famous calligrapher and painter in the Yuan Dynasty, once left his handwriting “Endless Clouds” here, which was carved into stone carvings and preserved to this day. There is also an ancient ginkgo tree with a history of 700 years in the temple, which is lush and vigorous, witnessing the millennial rise and fall of the temple and the ancient town. Foreign tourists can visit the ancient temple here, understand the integration of Chinese Buddhist Culture and water town culture, and feel the humanistic heritage of the ancient town.
The charm of Jinze Ancient Town lies not only in its ancient bridges and temples, but also in its original charm without commercial carving. The old streets of the ancient town are mainly Shangtang Street and Xiatang Street, with a total length of about 1,000 meters, starting from Yingxiang Bridge in the south and ending at Jinying Bridge in the north. The bluestone roads wind and turn, with white-walled and black-tiled Jiangnan dwellings on both sides, scattered in an orderly manner. Every household lives by the water, with clothes dried at the door and small wooden boats Parked by the river. Occasionally, local elderly people sit at the door chatting and washing clothes, presenting a leisurely picture of water town life. There are no noisy shop hawkers, no crowded tourist groups, only gurgling water, singing birds, quiet and healing. Although there are a few small shops opened by local villagers on both sides of the old street, selling local characteristic foods such as euryale ferox cake, smoked bean Tea and water town rice wine, there is no impetuosity of excessive commercialization. Foreign tourists can taste authentic Jiangnan snacks here, feel the food culture of the water town, and also have simple communication with local villagers, understand their daily life, and immerse themselves in the comfort and peace of water town life.
For foreign tourists, it is very convenient to get to Jinze Ancient Town, and you can choose Subway, bus or self-driving. Take Metro Line 17 to Xicen Station, exit from Exit 1, then transfer to buses such as Qingjin Line and Qingpu DZ7 Line to reach the gate of the ancient town directly. The whole journey takes about 1.5 hours, and you can also enjoy the rural scenery of Qingpu District along the way; you can also choose to drive by car, which is directly accessible from Huqingping Highway and G50 Jinze Exit. There are Parking lots around the ancient town, making parking convenient, suitable for family trips; in addition, you can also take buses such as Qingjin Line and Qingshang Line to reach the ancient town directly, with very convenient transportation. The ancient town is open free of charge all year round, with no fixed closing time. It is recommended that foreign tourists visit in spring and autumn, when the climate is pleasant, the river water is clear, and the green plants are lush. Walking in the ancient town, you can avoid the heat of summer and the cold of winter, and also enjoy the four-season beauty of the water town. It is better to go in the early morning or evening, when the light is soft and there are the fewest people, allowing you to better feel the tranquility and charm of the ancient town.
It should be noted that the bluestone roads in the ancient town are slippery on rainy days, so it is recommended that foreign tourists wear comfortable flat shoes when visiting; the river water in the ancient town is relatively deep, so do not get close to the river edge and pay attention to safety; respect the living habits of local villagers, and it is best to ask for their consent before taking photos; there are no large supermarkets or convenience stores in the ancient town, so it is recommended that foreign tourists bring their own drinking water and a small amount of snacks in advance; in addition, there are many niche scenic spots around the ancient town, such as Qingxi Country Park, Lianhu Village and Cenbu Village. After visiting the ancient town, you can go there along the way to connect a small-scale trip of “ancient town + countryside”, and fully feel the water town and rural scenery of Qingpu District. Every year on the 28th day of the third lunar month and the 9th day of the ninth lunar month, the town holds the Jinze Temple Fair, a municipal intangible cultural heritage. At that time, there will be folk performances, food markets and other activities, which are very lively. If foreign tourists happen to visit at this time, they can personally experience the folk customs of the water town and feel the different Jiangnan culture.
Jinze Ancient Town is a water town secret place gently treated by time. It has no bustle of Zhujiajiao and no commercialization of Zhouzhuang, but it has the purest Jiangnan nature, the ancient bridge culture spanning thousands of years, and the leisurely water town life. For foreign tourists who want to escape the crowds and feel the original charm of Jiangnan water towns, this is undoubtedly an excellent choice. Here, you can walk between ancient bridges and marvel at the ingenuity of the ancients; you can sit quietly by the river and listen to the gurgling water; you can shuttle through the old streets and feel the comfort of water town life; you can visit ancient temples and understand the humanistic heritage. A short trip to Jinze can not only let you appreciate the unique beauty of Jiangnan water towns, but also let you understand the essence of Chinese ancient bridge culture, feel the humanistic charm of Oriental water towns, and leave an unforgettable memory of traveling in Shanghai.
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