Authentically Shaoxing——Anchang Ancient Town

Anchang can be considered the most authentic ancient town in Shaoxing. The ancient town is built by the river, with the north bank being a commercial city, the south bank being a residential area, and the ancient bridges are connected between the two banks. Tourist groups are almost non-existent here, with most people being locals who leisurely go about their lives. Coming from the scenic entrance, the north bank is followed by the Wenshi Museum (City Hall), Sui Kang Qianzhuang, the Stone Carving Museum, Shaoxing Master Museum. Among these, the Shaoxing Master Museum is the most worth seeing. Shaoxing is just as famous for its master as it is for its yellow wine. You can see the imposing manner of the Bank of China at its old location along the bank of the river as well as the massive AnKang Temple. A large number of pictures and daily necessities in the Anchang Folk Customs Museum can give a glimpse of life in Anchang and its customs.

Many people think of Anchang sausage when speaking of Anchang, sausage that has solid meat in a savory wine sauce or rice, the aroma hangs in the mouth and makes the eater feel good. Since appearing on “A Bite of China,” Anchang sausage has become even more popular. During the twelfth lunar month, people enter the ancient town of Anchang, Every household in the old street is covered with a string of black and red sausages glistening the sun along the river, filling the streets with their thick aroma of meats and sauces.

Shaoxing produces masters, and Anchang is also the gathering place of the “Shaoxing Masters.” These “Shaoxing Masters” were a special social group in the late period of Chinese feudal society. Reflecting a special political and cultural phenomenon, it is the only venue in the country to display this content, and is worth seeing. The museum introduces the master, their work, life, an outline of the school and the resume of the famous master, a quotation of the master, and the professional ideals of said master. The exhibits include the master's books, works, and manuscripts for the world to see.

Baolin Restaurant has only three tables by the river and is famous for its sausage and Shaoxing cuisine. Definitely a good place to experience the authentic Jiangnan Water Town life. The fennel beans, bowl of tea, felt hats and Shaoxing dialects will make people feel like they are in Lu Xun’s Ah Q space and time. The owner, Shen Baolin, comes from a famous family. He wears a long navy blue coat, sporting a beard and a felt hat, a living symbol of the ancient town. The entrance to the hotel is also covered with interviews related to him.

Anchang's white sugar has become a beautiful landscape in the ancient town. Whenever the market is lively, the masters set up a panel on the street and greet people when doing sales. They work with sugar, mainly smashing, pulling, and cutting, an event as lively as rice cake. The sweet smell of sugar and the simmering of the sugar sparks curiosity in tourists as the work done by the master draws them in. Nowadays, there are now more than 10 people "working sugar" in the town, and the craftsmanship of “working sugar," once on the verge of becoming a lost art, is being engaged in again.

Anchang has a long history of rich folk customs, and the folk customs pavilion has introduced various scenes related to people's life, labor and etiquette in the ancient town. Customs, such as production, life, etiquette, age, and society that had long been forgotten by people, are presented in the museum, revealing traces of the past. The typical authentic, rich and varied customs give travelers a look into a past lifestyle, history, and culture.

South of Shuige Bridge in Anchang Ancient Town, there is a high wall of up to three or four meters, on top of which is written four words that have been there for more than one hundred years - Ren Chang Sauce Garden. When entering the factory area, one can see hundreds of neatly placed sauce tanks and smell the aroma of the sauce as it fills the air. They specialize in the production of soy sauce, rice vinegar and fermented bean curd, using more than 500 sauce tanks and more than ten wood extracts. It undergoes a traditional handmade process using water from an all-natural and unique small river, giving a unique flavor to the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and other items.