Zhujiajiao has been a market town on the Cao Gang river for more than a thousand years, and the layout of canals, bridges and waterside streets survives largely intact. Unlike several other Jiangnan water towns, people still live and trade here, which gives it a working atmosphere alongside the visitor trade.
What to see
The Fangsheng Bridge is a five-arch stone bridge from 1571 and the largest and oldest of the town's bridges; it can be climbed and gives a view straight down the main canal. Kezhi Garden combines a stone hall with a pond and rockery, and dates from 1912. The Qing-dynasty postal office is a small museum showing how mail moved through the canal network. The town's temples, including Yuanjin Buddhist Temple, are active and less visited than the canal streets.
On the water
Small covered boats with oarsmen run short routes along the canals. These are the best way to see the backs of the waterside houses and the narrow side canals, where the pace is slower and the visitor traffic disappears. A ride takes about twenty to thirty minutes.
Practical notes
The town is about an hour from central Shanghai by road, or reachable by metro to Zhujiajiao station followed by a short bus or taxi. Go on a weekday and arrive by 9 a.m.; by 11 a.m. at weekends the bridges are crowded and the canals are full of tour groups. There is an admission fee for the main sights, sold as a combined ticket, or you can walk the public streets for free. Allow a half day including travel.
