Fengjing Ancient Town
2024-03-18 /
228 Hits
枫泾古镇
Fengjing Ancient Town, located in the southwest corner of Shanghai, is a quintessential Jiangnan water town. As early as 2000 years ago, Fengjing had a settled population, and the town's boundary river served as the dividing river between the states of Wu and Yue during the Spring and Autumn period. Due to its location straddling both Wu and Yue territories, Fengjing is hailed as a "Famous Town of Wu and Yue."
The ancient town is crisscrossed by rivers and canals, with as many as 52 bridges, including the Zhihe Bridge, which dates back nearly 700 years to the Yuan Dynasty. Compared to other popular Jiangnan water towns, Fengjing is less crowded, allowing visitors to leisurely enjoy the picturesque scenes of small bridges and flowing water.
The town has two main streets: one is a continuous street divided into three sections—South Street (Nandajie), Middle Street (Zhongdajie), and North Street (Beidajie)—and the other is Heping Street. These two streets intersect at the Fengjing Three Bridges, forming a "T" shape. The Fengjing Three Bridges is the center of the ancient town, where two rivers meet, and visitors can see the Qingfeng Bridge, Zhuxing Bridge, and Beifeng Bridge all at once.
Fengjing is the birthplace of Jinshan peasant paintings, and visitors can admire these rustic artworks at the Jinshan Peasant Painting Exhibition Center located in Shengtang Alley on South Street. The town also features numerous galleries and ancestral homes of famous painters. The Ding Cong Cartoon Exhibition Hall on North Street displays furniture used by the late Mr. Ding Cong, and the second floor showcases his satirical cartoons, vividly portraying characters. The Lv Jiren Art Gallery on Heping Street exhibits works by Lv Jiren, a classmate of Chen Yifei, and the Cheng Shifa Ancestral Home houses many of Cheng's watercolor paintings. Typically, visitors enter the town from the main entrance in the south, walk along South Street, and begin their exploration of the ancient town by the river. Moving northeast from South Street, visitors pass the Zhihe Bridge to reach Zhong Street. At the end of Zhong Street, one can see the Wu Yue Boundary Record, with a boundary marker standing in front of an inconspicuous river that once marked the division between Wu and Yue.
Continuing northeast past the Fengjing Three Bridges leads to Bei Street. On Bei Street, visitors can explore the Shiwang Temple with red walls, dating back to the Ming Dynasty, and the Ding Cong Cartoon Exhibition Hall, among other attractions. The town's covered长廊 (corridors) are also worth a visit, providing shelter from the sun or rain. Walking on the bluestone paths, visitors return to the Fengjing Three Bridges and then proceed to explore Heping Street. First, they can visit the Three Hundreds Garden (Banlan Gallery, Baideng Gallery, Baixing Gallery), next to the Lv Jiren Art Gallery. A little further southeast, the People's Commune site is worth a visit, preserving relics of the era, including old thermos flasks and telephones, with a red sun painted on the wall.
Further ahead is the Fengjing Ancient Theater, which faces both the street and the river. During the peak tourist season and holidays, free traditional drama performances are held on the stage. Opposite the theater, at the Chen She Tea House, visitors can sit by the window, enjoying tea and the performance, a truly delightful experience. After visiting the Cheng Shifa Ancestral Home at the end of the street, visitors cross the bridge to the Production Street on the other side of the river, where they can also see the site of a modern fire-fighting institution—the East District Fire Administration.
At the head of South Street in Fengjing Ancient Town, there is a boat dock where visitors can take a boat ride to experience the water town's charm. The town's signature dish is Ding's Pig's Trotters, with a workshop on South Street near the Zhihe Bridge, introducing the development and production process of Ding's Pig's Trotters in the town. The Wu Niao Wo Li Restaurant (meaning "my home" in Fengjing dialect) on Production Street near the Fengjing Three Bridges is a nice restaurant with a long atrium styled like a small bridge and flowing water, known for its stuffed snails and Wu Yue tofu. Along the river on Production Street, shops sell Fengjing steamed dumplings and Qieshi cake, among other local delicacies.
**Opening Hours**
From May 1st to September 30th: Open from 08:00 to 17:00;
From October 1st to April 30th: Open from 08:00 to 16:30.
**Service Facilities**
- Parking lot: [Fengjing Ancient Town - Parking Lot] Reference price: Buses 15 yuan/entry, cars 10 yuan/entry; Address: No. 28, Lane 8588, Tingfeng Highway, Fengjing Town, Jinshan District, Shanghai; Spaces: 300.
- Luggage storage: Free.
- In-park transportation: Address: Jinbu Mansion Dock.
- Stroller rental: Reference price: Free, with a 200 yuan deposit required; Address: Parking Lot Information Center.
- Nursing room: Address: Fengjing Ancient Town Information Center has a nursing room available for free use by visitors.
**Address**
No. 28, Lane 8588, Tingfeng Highway, Fengjing Town, Jinshan District, Shanghai
**Opening Hours**
Open from 08:00 to 16:30 (ticket sales stop at 15:30, entry stops at 16:00)
**Official Phone Number**
021-57355555
