“Venetian Mirage in China”

25 Aug 2011 42 Comments

by Sherry in Travel Photos Tags: China, Travel Photos

On a balmy but cloudy summer day in Shanghai, we head westward to a nostalgic place reminiscent of Venice, Italy.  Here on the bank of the Dianshan lake lies a 1,700 year old Chinese town built on several rivers.  Though there are other similar towns on the outskirts of Shanghai, we head to the closest and most popular – Zhujiajiao which is about  31 miles (50 kilometers) away.  Zhujiajiao features beautiful waterways, arched bridges, stone paved streets, and more than a thousand homes older than the town itself dating back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.  And although this is still in the municipality of Shanghai, it feels like you are a world away.

Getting here from Shanghai is easy.  If you are lucky, your first option would be to drive yourself or take a cab.  There’s plenty of parking around town and a cab fare is surprisingly affordable.  Another option would be to take a tourism bus straight from Shanghai Stadium or Hongkou Soccer Stadium.  Buses leave at these sites in the morning and return in the afternoon.  Alternatively, you may also book yourself  on one of the many tour that provides roundtrip transportation from Shanghai.

Once here, there are many things to do, but if you do nothing else, you must take a ride on one of these wooden flat boats.  It’s the best way to see this town.  These boats  serve as a water taxi of sorts taking passengers from one end of town to the other.  Each boat are covered for the rainier weather, which is typical in this part of the country. Without motors, they are manually maneuvered along the rivers by an oarsman who are often wearing the traditional Chinese conical shaped hat.

One of the town’s most serene and secluded places  is Kezhi Gardens. As the largest garden in town, it is typically Asian, filled with traditional pagodas, various ponds, artistic rockeries, tropical faunas, and lily pads.  Here is a place that encourages inspiration.  And we’ve found that it’s also a great place to relax  and eat snacks.

The town’s most famous tourist attraction is the famed, Fangsheng (rainbow) Bridge.  So nick named because of the five arches that supports it.  There are two very steep stairwells that goes all the way to the top of the bridge affording you a great vantage point to take a panoramic photo of the town.  Built in 1571, it is the longest and tallest stone bridge in the region, and perhaps even in all of China.

An interesting photographic stop is the old but still surviving Qing dynasty post office.  One of the taller buildings in town, its set on a narrow street, which makes it a little difficult to photograph.  But definitely worth at least one shot.

If you are interested in eating or shopping, there’s plenty of vendors around town that satifies these cravings.  You can buy anything from fake Fendi bags to homemade dumplings. On every corner you will find  mom-and-pop shops, some of which have been around for centuries.  And even more are the vendors who venture in town from other parts of the region and set up make-shift  stations all throughout the narrow alleyways.

Restaurants along the riverfront is also quite abundant. But, regretfully, I have say I was very disappointed with the food.   Bring some snacks or even buy a few things from street vendors to keep you tied over. But save your appetite for the delicious fares all over Shanghai’s city center – its more worth your money.

We spent a great deal of time going on the boat rides  along the rivers as well as walking around town.  As a result, we didn’t get to see all the town’s attractions.  Some of the more popular ones not mentioned are:  the Baoguo and City God temples, Tong Tian He Chinese Pharmacy, Yuanjin Buddhist Temple,  Shanghai Handicraft Exhibition Hall, and the Y-Art Gallery.   But, you shouldn’t feel obligated to go to all these places.  The essence of the town is felt just by being part of it, walking down the streets, and interacting with its people.

Despite the obvious similarities, this ancient town deserve far more than a breezy comparison to Italy’s famous Venetian port.  Sure, they both have waterways, boats, bridges, and even narrow stone streets in common.  But the differences are dramatic.  Zhujiajiao boast a rich history, mystical scenery, and traditional architecture that is distinctly and unmistakably Chinese.

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