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Zhu Jia Jiao

In the area surrounding Shanghai, there are a number of small towns on the water that date back a thousand years or more. Their locations on the water made them ideal spots for trade, and they flourished in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Thankfully, in recent years, these small water towns have not seen much change. Many of the original bridges and buildings are still standing, which allows us to step back into history when we visit these water towns.

At each water town, you can do the following:

· Visit local museums and attractions (usually included in the entrance fee to the city)

· Hire a boat to take you up and down the rivers (approx. RMB 80/boat, depending on location)

· Enjoy delicious local snacks and dishes

· Purchase local handicrafts and art

· Tour the town in a rickshaw (bargain to RMB 5/hour)

Staying in the water towns overnight is suggested, so you can still be there when the rest of the tourists get back on their buses and head home. Evening and early morning are the perfect times to truly experience the traditional lifestyles of these small communities. Each town has hotels available, but you can also find private homes on the water with rooms available for about RMB 100-150 (except in ZhuJiaJiao, where they are not allowed). A local rickshaw driver or shop keeper should be able to point one out to you.

This guide features three popular water towns and should tell you everything you need to know – popular attractions, local foods, handicrafts to buy, and transportation information.

ZhuJiaJiao

Step into ZhuJiaJiao and come face to face with a town that dates back 1,700 years. What began as a bustling country market, flourished during Ming and Qing Dynasties. Once an old shipping port, ZhuJiaJiao (meaning “Pearl Stream”) is one of the most preserved ancient water towns in the area. However, due to its proximity to Shanghai, ZhuJiaJiao has been hit hard by tourism, so expect crowds and plenty of hawkers.

Location and Cost

Located an hour to the west of Shanghai, on the bank of Dianshan Lake, the ancient town covers 2.7 square kilometers. Admission is RMB 10.

Attractions

Bei Da Jie (North Street) - Take a stroll down North Street to enjoy ZhuJiaJiao’s best preserved architecture. Appreciate historic buildings, such as a post office dating back to the Qing Dynasty that is now open to the public. Visit the Temple of Town God, built in 1763, also on North Street.

Kezhi Yuan (Kezhi Garden) - Located on Xijin Street, this is the largest manorial garden in the town. Decorated with Chinese-style pavilions and scattered with peach and apple trees, this garden took 12 years to build.

Ancient Bridges - Only 20 of the towns’ original 36 ancient bridges remain fully in tact. Two of the most popular are the FangSheng and Lang bridges:

· FangSheng Qiao (Bridge of Setting Fish Free)

Built in 1571, this stone-arch bridge is the longest and largest of its kind in Shanghai. Once a year in ancient times, locals would set free living things that were being held captive in hopes to be blessed by God. You can also choose to purchase a fish from a vendor to set free in the waters at the foot of the bridge, but you can bet the vendor will scoop the fish right back up, and sell it to someone else.

· Lang Qiao (Veranda Bridge)

The only wooden bridge in Zhu Jia Zhao, it looks much like a narrow corridor.

Foods

Recommended Restaurants

Yihong Noodle Restaurant – Try the noodle soup with shredded eel (shan si mian)

Recommended Snacks

Tang Ou - Sweet lotus with sticky rice

Ruzhi Doufu Gan – Dried tofu in soy sauce

Sheng Jian Mantou – Pan-fried pork dumpling

Yang Rou Mian - Lamb noodles

Shao Mai – Steamed dumplings with pork and sticky rice

Ji Rou Huntun - Chicken wonton in soup

Zha Rou - Braised pork in tied rolls

Zongzi - Glutinous rice wrapped in reeds

Xun Qing Dou - Baked soy beans

Mei Gui Dou Fu Ru - Fermented bean curd with rose flavor

Recommended Dishes

Hong Shao Tipang-- Braised pork joint with soy sauce

Cong You Shansi—Fried eel shred with green onion

Caoji Bao—Farmer raised chicken casserole

Hong Shao Heman—Braised white eel with soy sauce

Angci Yu (xie) Bao—Angci fish (with crab) casserole

You Bao Hexia—Fried shrimps

Xia Bao Shan—Fried shrimpwith eel shred.

Heye Ya—Steamed dark steamed in lotus leaves

Shopping

Every where you walk in Zhu Jia Jiao, vendors and shop owners call out to you. Try to find unique art, such as painted plate carvings depicting scenes of ZhuJiaJiao. Be sure to bargain hard. With the multitude of tourists, prices can be obnoxiously high.

Accommodation

Caiyuan Hotel 021-59246666 No 100, Xinxi Rd, Zhujiajiao, Qingpu Shanghai

Jingyuan Shuizhuang Hotel 021-59249477 No 300 Xijing Street Zhujiajiao, Qingpu Shanghai

Jahwa United Ltd training center 021-59248100 No1 Nanhuan Rd Zhujiajiao, Qingpu Shanghai

There are no private guesthouses in ZhuJiaJiao.

Transportation

Bus from Shanghai Stadium:

Buses o ZhuJiaJiao run every 30 minutes from 7:30 to 11:10 a.m. at the Shanghai Sightseeing Bus Center located under the no. 5 staircase at Gate 12 of the Shanghai Stadium (666 Tianyaoqiao Lu; 021/6426-5555; www.ChinaSSBC.com). Buses return at 4 p.m.

Price for round-trip bus ticket including entrance fee: RMB80

There are also buses leaving from people square: leave from Laochendu Rd and Dagulu start form 5:00-17:30

Also, you can refer to the appendix to find more bus taking point of Shanghai Sightseeing Bus Center

Appendix:

Other bus taking point of Shanghai Sightseeing Bus Center

Shanghai Sightseeing Bus Center (Hongkou Station)
444 East Jiangwan Rd. (Gate 2 Hongkou Football Field)
56963248

Shanghai Sightseeing Bus Center (Yangpu Station)
640 Longchang Rd. (Shanghai Yangpu Stadium)
65803210

Shanghai Sightseeing Bus Center (Circus City)

2266 Gonghe Xin Rd ( Shanghai circus city, Metro line 1 Circus City station)
56659121

Detailed time table:

	Hongkou	Yangpu (weekend only)	Circus City (weekend only)
Zhujiajiao	8.45 AM weekend only	8.15AM	9.15AM
Wuzhen	8.30AM everyday	7.20AM	8.30AM
Xitang	7.40AM everyday	8.30AM	9.20AM

Ticket booking hotline: 63771917, 63770961 63769868

Consulting hotline: 64265555, English some times is available.