One short day trip to a 1700-year-old Chinese town
As we had to cancel our trip to Hainan during the Chinese New Year 2020/2021, we decided to make a short trip to close the old Zhujiajiao Ancient Town. It was an “easy” choice in the surroundings of Shanghai. Take Metro Line 17 and get off at Zhujiajiao Station; after arrival, walk north for about 15 minutes to the town.
This is 1700 years old and has a long history. Archaeological findings dating back 5,000 years have also been found. 36 stone bridges and numerous rivers line Zhujiajiao, and many ancient buildings still line the riverbanks today.
Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, very close to Shanghai
Zhujiajiao (Chinese: 朱家角; pinyin: Zhūjiājiǎo; lit. ‘Zhu Family Corner’; Shanghainese: Chukakoq) is an ancient town located in the Qingpu District of Shanghai. The population of Zhujiajiao is 60,000.
Zhujiajiao is a water town on the outskirts of Shanghai and was established about 1,700 years ago. Archaeological findings dating back 5,000 years have also been found. 36 stone bridges and numerous rivers line Zhujiajiao, and many ancient buildings still line the riverbanks today.
The traffic was not as bad as usual during the Chinese New Year. The ticket line moved fast, and we were inside within half an hour—fast during festivities or holidays. Safety is still very high; everybody must enter the town wearing masks and green codes from the health app. Distancing was an issue, as everybody needed to queue to get inside.
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Eating and tasting the whole day
Hand-made sugar candies. Many foods here are made locally; tasting everything is always a new experience. I’m not so picky regarding food, and the girls can eat almost anything if it is not spicy. Seafood, all types of meat, local style BBQ, and there is one old flavor of ice cream which is just mouth melting, Dong Be Da Ba. We did not plan any lunch as the whole day was a tasting tour, and we picked whatever looked good. In the early phase, it was clear no lunch was needed to choose from all the small shops for different kinds of delicious foods.
My favorites are the rice triangles, Zongzi (粽子) with pork meat inside, and the old-fashioned ice cream named Dong Bei Da Ban (famous in China from 1960 to 1980s), which is yummy. Sorry for the many pictures of food, but I needed to share all the delicacies by picture.
The Zhujiajiao Ancient Town has preserved its historical houses and alleys, and wandering through the narrow streets feels like going back in time. There are many small shops with “antiques” and handicrafts, mostly made recently, but it is nice to have them as a memory.
Sightseeing review
上海市青浦区新溪路180号
Our experience
Summary
Pros
- An overall historical place with a feeling, with many small shops and narrow alleys.
- You will not step out of this place hungry with plenty of traditional foods and snacks.
- Easy accessible by car or metro from Shanghai
- If you don't fancy traditional foods, McDonald's, Starbucks, and other western-style coffee/fast food are available just outside of the historical center
Cons
- It will be crowded when the tourist season or holidays when people are escaping Shanghai
- Parking space as usual if driving by yourself
Location
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