Jinze Ancient Water Town
Jinze Water Town, built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), has a long history of more than 1,000 years. It is famous for its canals, bridges, and old architecture, and it teems with rice, which is a typical water town in Jiangnan.
Located in the southeast of Qingpu District, Shanghai, there are lots of small lakes in Jinze and a river flowing through the town, full of fish.
- Transport: bus or self-driving
- History: over 1,000 years
- Recommended visiting time: 3 hours
- Suitable for: everyone (but not recommended for the disabled)
- English signs: not many
- Features: canals, bridges, and old architecture
Why We Recommend Jinze
Jinze Water Town is a typical small town in Jiangnan of China. If you like water towns and want to know the southern culture of China, Jinze is a good choice for you. You can appreciate the beautiful natural scenery and taste delicious fish and rice. And you will get a surprise if you are interested in ancient buildings and bridges.
Most visitors don’t know Jinze. So, it is untouched by tourism. But there are well-established facilities in the town.
What’s more, it is the only town near Shanghai to boating on your own. If you want to boat by yourself, the boatman will teach you if you create a tour with China Travel. And of course, you can just sit in a boat to enjoy the beautiful scenery on the banks.
Explore the Highlights
The following 11 highlights of Qibao are highly recommended.
1. Yihao Temple
It was built in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). It had a huge scale in the Yuan and Ming dynasty. So Jinze was regarded as one of the Buddhist shrines, more famous than Linyin Temple of Hangzhou at that time. It is a cultural relic unit now. If you want to enjoy the Buddhist culture and visit the ancient temple, Yihao Temple is a good choice.
2. Ancient Bridges
Jinze is famous for its bridges. There were 42 famous bridges, but only 9 can be seen now. The oldest bridge dates from the Song Dynasty (960-1279). It has many ancient bridges built in the Song, Ming, and Qing Dynasties of ancient China.
3. Puji Bridge
Puji Bridge, built in the Song Dynasty, is a typical stone arch bridge of the Song Dynasty, similar to Zhaozhou Bridge in Hebei Province. It was called “Shanghai’s First Bridge”. It became a cultural relic unit in 1987.
4. Fangsheng Bridge
Fangsheng Bridge was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), located in the south of the town. It was named Fangsheng because the river under it is called Fangsheng River. It is also called Zongguan Bridge because the Zongguan Temple stands beside it. The bridge was made of granite and kept in good repair, and it still works now. It became a cultural relic unit in 1994.
5. Tianhuangge Bridge
Tianhuangge Bridge was built in the Ming Dynasty, located on Xiatang Street. It is a stone arch bridge. It is convenient to ship and flood discharge. And it became a cultural relic unit in 1994.
6. Tahui Bridge
Tahui Bridge was built in the Ming Dynasty, located on Shangtang Street, the center of the town. As time goes by, the bridge has been repaired several times. The stone arch bridge becomes a cement bridge, regrettably.
7. Linlao Bridge
Linlao Bridge was built in the Yuan Dynasty, located in the north of the town. It was kept in good repair in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, so it is undamaged. There is a Guandi Temple beside Linlao Bridge, so the bridge is also called Guandi Bridge. The bridge has a long history of more than 600 years, with many touching stories. It became a cultural relic unit in 1994.
8. Ruyi Bridge
Ruyi Bridge was built in the Yuan Dynasty. It is also a stone arch bridge. It is also called Zushi Bridge because the Zushi Temple is located beside the bridge. Many patterns are carved on it, such as Long and Ruyi. It became a cultural relic unit in 1994.
9. Wan’an Bridge
Wan’an Bridge was built in the Song Dynasty, located in the north of the town. It is a stone arch bridge. There was a pavilion on the bridge in history, and it was the best one among the 42 bridges in Jinze Water Town. It became a cultural relic unit in 1959.
10. Yingxiang Bridge
Yingxiang Bridge was built in the Yuan Dynasty, located in the south of the town. It is made of brick and wood. The ingenious design of the bridge was much more scientific than that of the West at that time. It became a cultural relic unit in 1979.
11. Puqing Bridge
Puqing Bridge was built in 1999. It is new, but it is also very famous. Because it is an imitation of the ancient bridge of the Song Dynasty in ancient construction methods, it shows the ancient wisdom on building bridges.
How to Get to Jinze
- Bus:
You can arrive at Jinze Water Town directly from two bus stations, the Bus Station of Qingpu District and Zhujiajiao Bus Station. Both of them just need about half an hour.
- Self-driving:
You can drive the Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway. There is an exit in Jinze. It is 66 kilometers away from the downtown of Shanghai.
Best Time to Visit Jinze
There are mainly human landscapes, so you can visit Jinze all year round. But spring and autumn are better, considering the weather. It is not cold in spring and very cool in autumn. However, it is very cold and dry in winter and moist in summer.
- Admission Fee: Free
Accommodation
Some hotels are well equipped with modern facilities in Jinze Water Town. If you want a more comfortable place, you can drive to Qingpu District at a distance of 22 kilometers. You can also go back to the Shanghai urban district, a distance of 66 kilometers. You can find a comfortable hotel to have a good rest, certainly. But we recommend you stay in Shanghai.
Food in Jinze
As a typical water town full of fish and rice, the most attractive foods of Jinze Water Town are aquatic products. Jinze has a water area of more than 1,600 acres, with 62 kinds of aquatic products. Many specialties of Jinze are both nourishing and hygienic. Among the specialties, turtle, squid, hairy crabs, whitebait, and ricefield eel are particularly precious. They are very delicious and nourishing.
Other Ancient Towns around Shanghai
You may get confused about which water town is the best to go to if you are the first time to visit, so we list all the water towns with detailed information for your inspiration:
Also read: Top water towns close to Shanghai, which one to visit?