Thirty kilometres west of Shànghǎi, Zhūjiājiǎo is easy to reach and charming – as long as your visit does not coincide with the arrival of phalanxes of tour buses.
What survives of this historic canal town today is a charming tableau of Ming- and Qing-dynasty alleys, bridges and gǔzhèn (古镇; old town) architecture, its alleyways steeped in the aroma of chòu dòufu (stinky tofu).
On the west side of the recently built City God Temple bridge stands the City God Temple , moved here in 1769 from its original location in Xuějiābāng. Further north along Caohe St (漕河街), running alongside the canal, is the Yuánjīn Buddhist Temple near the distinctive Tài’ān Bridge (泰安桥; Tài’ān Qiáo). Pop into the temple to climb the Qīnghuá Pavilion (清华阁; Qīnghuá Gé) at the rear, a towering hall visible from many parts of town.
Earmark a detour to the Zhūjiājiǎo Catholic Church of Ascension , a gorgeous church with its belfry rising in a detached tower by the rear gate. Also hunt down the Qing Dynasty Post Office .
Of Zhūjiājiǎo’s quaint ancient bridges, Fàngshēng Bridge (放生桥; Fàngshēng Qiáo) is the most photogenic, first built in 1571. Tour boats offer comprehensive tours from various points, including Fàngshēng Bridge. Tickets are ¥60/120 per boat for the short/long tour; speed boats (¥40) also run from the bridge.
Food sellers line Bei Dajie, flogging everything from pig’s trotters to plump coconuts, while plentiful cafes have squeezed in along Caohe Jie, Xihu Jie and Donghu Jie. To overnight, a charming choice is the Cǎo Táng Inn , not far from Fàngshēng Bridge. Book ahead.
To reach Zhūjiājiǎo, hop on the direct pink and white Hùzhū Gāosù Kuàixiàn bus (沪朱高速快线; ¥12, one hour, every 20 minutes from 6am to 10pm, less frequently in low season) from the Pu’an Rd Bus Station just south of People’s Sq. Zhūjiājiǎo can also be reached from the bus station in Tónglǐ (¥15, 1½ hours).
