▲ Our first stop this morning was Zhujiajiao Ancient Town! Located in Shanghai's Qingpu District, it's a national 4A-level attraction with a rich history dating back to the Three Kingdoms period, known for its rice and cloth trade during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The town features a network of waterways, with nine ancient streets stretching along the rivers and over a thousand Ming-Qing era waterside buildings. Thirty-six ancient bridges remain well-preserved, including notable landmarks like North Street (known as "Shanghai's Premier Ming-Qing Street") and the five-arched Fangsheng Bridge. The town also preserves twelve intangible cultural heritages, including traditional field songs. Visitors can fully experience the unique charm of Jiangnan water towns here!
▲ After lunch, we headed to Yu Garden, a renowned classical garden in Jiangnan, located in Shanghai's Huangpu District. It was first built in the 38th year of Emperor Jiajing's reign during the Ming Dynasty by Pan Yunduan, a Sichuan Provincial Administration Commissioner, for his father, symbolizing "peace and happiness for the elderly." The garden was designed by Zhang Nanyang, a famous garden designer of the Ming Dynasty, showcasing the "serene, beautiful, exquisite, and delicate" style of Ming and Qing Dynasty Jiangnan gardens. The garden features six major scenic areas, including Sansui Hall and Dianchun Hall, as well as the Exquisite Jade Rock (Yulinglong), one of the three famous rocks of Jiangnan. Yu Garden suffered damage during wars but was subsequently repaired multiple times. It opened to the public in 1961 and was designated a national key cultural relic protection unit in 1982.
