Fengjing Town

If you want to skip the big, busy and touristy watertowns like Zhujiajiao, this one is your stop. A very quaint but much smaller ancient watertown close to the west border of Shanghai. Quite calm most of the year, except during Chinese holidays when you can expect more local tourists. A nice spot for a 1 day get away. Take a car if you are planning multiple stops around the area. Fengjing is accessible by direct public bus from Shanghai. Takes around 1 hour if you take that bus at the Mei Long Bus Station/美龙汽车站right next door to the Lianhua Road/莲花路 metro stop. #china #shanghai

Ancient stone bridges, colourful wall art and a water network that meanders through local residences, Fengjing Watertown makes for a great afternoon out of Shanghai’s city centre and exploring one of the city’s famous watertown locations. With a history of 1,500 years, Fengjing Watertown is known for preserving the old culture and customs of China. Strolling through the streets, you really get a glimpse into the local’s way of life, alongside some pretty panoramic views of the old houses in the area. One thing that really caught my eye was the unique artistic style and flair that was showcased throughout the village - even on the houses themselves! We heard that the area was sometimes referred to as the “Home of Chinese Folk Painting” and there was even a local workshop that we were able to visit housing numerous pieces of artwork created by professional artists and local children boasting the artistic style of the area. I bought two adorable little paintings that I can’t wait to have framed! Find it: Fengjing Watertown, Shanghai, China #momentsmission

If you're looking for a less crowded ancient town to stroll around on the weekend near Shanghai, China, Fengjing Ancient Town is a good choice. 🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃 ✨"Fengjing Ancient Town" is located in Jinshan, quite a distance from the city center, but thankfully accessible by high-speed train. ✨At the Fengjing archway, you'll find many tricycle drivers offering to take us in for xx money, claiming no entrance fee is needed; in reality, the ancient town is free to enter, and you only need to buy tickets to visit certain attractions. ✨The town is neither too big nor too small. If you just walk without taking photos, it can be done in two hours, but if you take your time and snap pictures, it could be a good half day's visit. I personally find Fengjing very photogenic, with its traditional bridges over flowing water and local residences. In winter, many elderly come out to bask in the sun, creating a strong sense of local life, and both the scenery and culture are commendable. I won't go into too much detail about the route; just follow your own ideas and feelings, and hopefully, you'll find your own pleasant surprises. 🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃 🌈Practical Tips: 1.🚄Transportation: From downtown Shanghai, you can take a high-speed train from Hongqiao Railway Station to Jinshan North, which takes between 18 to 30 minutes. After leaving Jinshan North Metro Station, take the Fengjing No. 7 bus to the Fengjing archway; 2.🎫Tickets: The ancient town is free to enter, but a joint ticket for some attractions is 50 yuan (cheaper on platforms) 3.🔥Food: Braised pig's trotters, shumai, zongzi, fragrant dried tofu, and smoked shredded meat (I've only seen this in Fengjing in Shanghai, 'shredded' is the Shanghai dialect for toad, and smoked shredded meat should be pickled bullfrog, as toads are no longer edible).

🧚‍♀️Spend the weekend in the bustling Fengjing ancient town and discover that the century-old mansion has been given new life, as it turns out to be the newly opened Duoyun Academy! . 🏠The bookstore is located in Wang Huaiting's old house, which is nearly a hundred years old. The residence is a three-entry courtyard layout, located on the main street in the core area of the ancient town. . 📖Now, the century-old house has been transformed into an academy that combines a study room, exhibition hall, coffee shop, and cultural and creative functions. The simplicity and elegance of the past perfectly blend with modern art. . 💯Travel tips: ❤️Entering the academy, the tall magnolia ancient tree and the rippling pond in the courtyard give a sense of seclusion in the midst of the city, and there is a section of text on the wall from the Ming Dynasty literary figure Chen Jiru's 'Xiaochuang Youji'. . 💚Walking along the bluestone path through the courtyard, the warm and simple wooden bookshelves catch your eye. The first entry is the book area focusing on literature, history, philosophy, and art, and the second entry is the cultural and creative area. . 💛Stepping into the third entry courtyard is also the book area, but going up the wooden staircase to the second floor, this place was once the living and creative space for more than a dozen painters such as Cheng Shifa, Wang Guanqing, and Liu Danzhai. 🤎It has now been restored to a scene of the painters' work, with old-fashioned desks and warm water bottles from the 1970s and 1980s. . 📷Turning out from the third entry, there is also a super large outdoor courtyard. Interestingly, the center of the courtyard is marked as a Go chessboard, making it a great spot for taking photos. . 🎨The exhibition hall next to the courtyard is currently exhibiting 'Ding Song's Comic Life', the works of this artist born in Jinshan Fengjing. . 👉Nearby attractions: 1️⃣Fengjing Ancient Town: A famous cultural town of Jiangnan water towns with a history of over 1500 years, featuring local specialties such as zongzi, shaomai, dingti, yellow wine, dried tofu, and zhuangyuan cake, etc.; 2️⃣Hua Kai Hai Shang Ecological Park: A park for greenery outings, with the plum blossoms currently in their prime viewing period; 3️⃣Donglin Temple: Holding three Guinness World Records, with the tallest cloisonné statue, the tallest Guanyin statue, and the tallest bronze door!

Spring has arrived, and it's time to visit Fengjing Ancient Town. Take a ride on a sculling boat in the spring waters, and slowly savor the charm of these brimming water lanes with each sway and rock. Amidst the splashing sounds of the oars, listen to a tune of the water melody boat song. Feel the dappled sunlight of early spring, sense the direction of the wind, and experience the millennia-old lingering life and atmosphere of Fengjing Ancient Town.

More than 2000 years ago, there were already people living in Fengjing Ancient Town. The Jie River in the town was the boundary river between the Wu and Yue states during the Spring and Autumn period. Because it straddles the two regions of Wu and Yue, Fengjing Ancient Town is known as the 'Famous Town of Wu and Yue'

July 30, 2023, Sunday. Shanghai still has crystal clear skies, so I simply drove to Fengjing Ancient Town for a visit. Fengjing Ancient Town I parked the car in the second parking lot of the ancient town, and started from Xinjing Road, followed by Zhongda Street, Nanda Street, Fengxi Corridor, etc., Fengxi Corridor and visited them one by one. Dingti Workshop, Dingti Workshop Ding Cong Art Museum Ding Cong Art Museum and others are all worth seeing. I didn't miss the ancient bridges such as Zhihe Bridge, Zhihe Bridge, Ruihong Bridge, etc. I also found the "Cai Yitai House". There are also graffiti left by "Mr. Qi" in Fengjing Ancient Town. The inscriptions next to the graffiti are specially matched by Chinese people based on the Book of Changes and others. For example, "A friend is a friend of his virtue". It's quite interesting to find them one by one! A very interesting day.

Once a year, the Dragon Boat Festival is here! An indispensable part of the festival is the zongzi! I personally really like the big meat zongzi from Fengjing! Taking advantage of the holiday, I highly recommend visiting the Jiangnan water town 'Fengjing Ancient Town.' This cultural town, with a history of over 1500 years, is worth a stroll! Fengjing Town was established as a market in the Song Dynasty and built as a town in the Yuan Dynasty, straddling the Wu and Yue regions, hence it has long been known as the 'Ancient Town of Wu Yue.' Moreover, the town is crisscrossed with waterways and numerous bridges, earning it the nickname 'Ten Lanes at a Glance.' Upon entering the ancient town, you can see the tall, four-pillar, three-bay style imitation ancient stone archway. The town name 'Fengjing' on the archway is the calligraphy of Mr. Cheng Shifa, a famous national painter and local celebrity from Fengjing. 📷 Photo Spots: ❶ The highest arch bridge, Taiping Bridge: The 'Taiping Bridge,' built in the late Ming Dynasty, is a single-hole stone arch bridge and the highest arch bridge in the town, running north-south and connecting the riverside corridor. ❷ Ancient Corridor: A typical Jiangnan water town structure, with a total length of 268 meters, it is one of the longest existing corridors in Jiangnan. ❸ Riverside Ancient Stage: The ancient stage has a hip-and-gable roof, with upturned eaves and a vibrant atmosphere, facing the street on one side and the river on the other. ❹ Exhibition Halls: The scenic area includes Ding Cong Cartoon Gallery, Lü Jiren Painting Gallery, Three Hundred Garden, Ding Hoof Workshop, and other attractions for visitors. 🍛 Food: ✔️ The riverside corridor area is the town's snack street, where almost all restaurants, pastry shops, snack bars, and farmhouse restaurants are concentrated. Square tables, long benches, and blue-rimmed bowls are the main features here. ✔ Fengjing's 'Four Treasures' - Ding Hoof, Yellow Wine, Dried Tofu, and Scholar's Cake - are a must-try, in addition to big zongzi, shaomai, plum blossom cakes, and soup dumplings. You can see aunties wrapping zongzi on the spot in the zongzi shops, which adds a touch of human warmth, and most importantly, they taste really authentic. In the evening, be sure to choose a farmhouse dish along the riverside corridor, where you can enjoy delicious food while watching the river scenery and listening to the elegant mountain songs of the boatmen. What a pleasant experience... 💯 For the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, there's no need to leave Shanghai. It's a great destination for a family outing or taking the kids for a walk! Touring the thousand-year-old ancient town and tasting authentic local food, of course, you must not miss buying big meat zongzi! 📍 Location: Fengjing Ancient Town, Lane 8588, Tingfeng Highway, Jinshan District, Shanghai 🎫 Ticket: Free 🚌 Transportation: Self-driving is recommended 👀 One-Day Tour Guide: ① First stop: Donglin Temple, an incredibly impressive and magnificent temple. ② Second stop: Sea of Flowers Ecological Park, a large park with few people and a wide variety of flowers, perfect for photography. ③ Third stop: Fengjing Ancient Town, touring the ancient town with big meat zongzi, and enjoying a relaxing evening meal by the river at a farmhouse restaurant.

I accompanied a university classmate, who claims to be half a Fengjing local, to revisit the paths of her childhood and reminisce about the old days. Ancient bridges over flowing water, things remain but people change, it's hard not to feel a bit sentimental. Coincidentally, a group of students passed by the stone bridge, laughing and chattering. I waved at them, and they responded with polite smiles. In that moment, I thought of our own prime of youth, the spirit of scholars, and thus the gloom was swept away, filling my heart with sunshine☀️. 🚉Transportation tips: Self-driving🚗, there is a parking lot🅿️ at the entrance of the ancient town. 🍽Dining recommendation: Bamboo shoot dumplings, a seasonal specialty snack of Fengjing.

🚗🚗🚗Travel Route: Day1: Donglin Temple → Sea of Flowers Ecological Park → Fengjing Ancient Town → Polish Upside-Down House → Chinese Peasant Painting Village 👍Most Recommended: Still Donglin Temple, a nice spot Sea of Flowers might be better during the blooming season of plum blossoms, now it's all bare The ancient town and the peasant painting village are very ordinary The upside-down house is quite creative 🚉Transportation Strategy: These places do not require backtracking, and you can also do the route in reverse. There are Lian* special lines connecting to the urban area, and these lines do not have particularly long intervals, with a ride every ten or twenty minutes, so you won't wait too long. With ticket prices of 12-13 yuan, you can use a transportation card or a QR code for the ride, which takes you directly to Lianhua Road subway station, making it very convenient. Between Donglin Temple, Sea of Flowers, and the ancient town, there is the Jin Feng bus line, and from the ancient town to the peasant painting village, there are not many buses, so taking a taxi is recommended.

🌸 In the warm spring, go to the sea of flowers to admire the plum blossoms, and arrange a one-day tour of Jinshan along the way. 🚶‍♀️【Route】 From the sea of flowers to Fengjing Ancient Town 📸【Highlights】 🌸 At the sea of flowers, the plum blossoms from late February to early March are spectacular. The autumn ground cover is also famous. 🌸 Fengjing Ancient Town, a millennium-old town straddling Wu and Yue, is known not only for its water town scenery with small bridges and flowing water but also for its rich historical and cultural content. 🍚【Food】 ✅ At the sea of flowers, there are no formal restaurants, just some snack bars selling grilled sausages, instant noodles, and snacks. ✅ In Fengjing Ancient Town, there are restaurants, and the specialties are braised pig's trotters, zongzi (rice dumplings), and scholar's cakes. 🚇【Transportation】 🚖 Driving is definitely the most convenient 🚖 Public transportation: 1️⃣ Take the Metro Line 1 to Lianhua Road Station, then take the Lianzhu Line to Zhujing Bus Station, and then change to a bus 2️⃣ Take the Metro Line 1 to Jinjiang Amusement Park Station, then take the Fengmei Line to the Fengjing Archway Station on Tingfeng Highway, to Fengjing Ancient Town 3️⃣ By high-speed train, from Shanghai Hongqiao to Jinshan North, and then about a 10-minute taxi ride 🗺️【Expansion】 Nearby there is also Donglin Temple, not far from Songjiang. You can arrange a 2-day tour of the southwestern suburbs of Shanghai for the weekend: D1 Sea of flowers - Donglin Temple - Fengjing Ancient Town, stay in Fengjing D2 Songjiang, Guangfulin, Chenshan, and Sheshan are all options Fengjing Ancient Town Sea of Flowers Ecological Park

As night falls, the biting cold wind sweeps through, but the lanterns adorning the ancient town bring warmth. Various lanterns are hung high up, it's unclear if this is unique to the Yuanxiao Festival or if it's the same on normal days? It must be due to the weather, there are few visitors around, fortunately, the rain has stopped. Braving the cold wind, there are still small groups of visitors strolling through the ancient town, but it can hardly be called bustling. I still went out for a walk, wanting to capture some beautiful lanterns, and indeed I did.