Historic site · SHANGHAI
Zhujiajiao Water Town
朱家角 · Zhūjiājiǎo
About
Restored canal town 47 km west of central Shanghai. Half-day boat trip option, less crowded than Suzhou's Tongli or Zhouzhuang.
Zhujiajiao is a canal town in the Qingpu district of Shanghai's outer suburbs, about 47 km west of the city centre. Settlement here dates to the Song dynasty; the town grew into a significant regional market during the Ming and Qing periods, trading in textiles, rice, and pottery along the canal network that linked the Yangtze Delta. The 36 stone bridges are the town's most cited statistic, and the five-arched Fangsheng Bridge — the largest in the region, dating to 1571 — is the set-piece photograph.
Fangsheng means 'setting free'; the bridge gets its name from the Buddhist practice of releasing fish and birds into the canal below as an act of merit. The old town's canal-side shophouses, stone alleyways, and residential lanes are in reasonably good condition, with restoration work ongoing in some blocks. The streets along the main commercial canal are pedestrianised and run with small eateries, snack stalls, and craft shops; the food is oriented toward Shanghainese and Jiangnan snacks. Boat trips run through the narrower back canals, taking about 20 to 30 minutes.
Entry to the streets is free. A bundled ticket covering eight specific sites — including the Kezhi Garden and the Catholic church — costs more but is optional for most visitors. The town has direct metro access on Line 17 from Hongqiao, making it one of the most straightforwardly accessible water towns from Shanghai. Weekday mornings are far calmer than weekends, when Shanghai-based domestic tourists fill the main streets. A half-day suffices for a comfortable visit.
How to get there
Metro Line 17 directly from Hongqiao Railway Station.
When to visit
Weekday mornings. Avoid weekends.
Other attractions in Shanghai
Itineraries featuring this site
- Shanghai in 3 days
3d · Bund, French Concession, Pudong, Yu Garden, museums.
- Water towns circuit in 5 days
5d · Shanghai to Tongli to Wuzhen to Zhujiajiao — four of the Yangtze Delta's most visited canal towns in a compact loop, using a Shanghai base with day excursions and one overnight in Wuzhen.
- Family-friendly two weeks
14d · Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu pandas, Shanghai Disneyland — designed around kids.
Other historic sites in China
- Ancient Villages of Southern Anhui — Xidi and Hongcun皖南古村落—西递、宏村
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed pair of Ming-Qing Huizhou merchant villages in southern Anhui, renowned for whitewashed walls, inky horsehead gables and moon-shaped ponds.
- Anqing Zhenfeng Pagoda安庆振风塔
A seven-storey Ming Dynasty pagoda standing on the bank of the Yangtze River in Anqing, considered one of the finest riverside pagodas in southern China and long used as a navigation landmark by Yangtze river pilots.
- Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City良渚古城遗址
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed archaeological site in Hangzhou preserving the remains of a 5,000-year-old city with a sophisticated water-management system, jade ritual culture and social hierarchy — regarded as one of the earliest state-level societies in East Asia.
- Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom高句丽王城、王陵及贵族墓葬
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed capital cities and royal tombs of the Koguryo Kingdom in Jian, Jilin — the Chinese portion of a transnational heritage property shared with North Korea, representing one of the most powerful states of ancient East Asia.
- Classical Gardens of Suzhou (UNESCO)苏州古典园林
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed collection of private gardens in Suzhou — four inscribed in 1997 and five more added in 2000 — representing the pinnacle of Chinese garden design through the refined integration of architecture, water, rock and plant.
- Danba Tibetan Watchtowers丹巴碉楼
Clusters of ancient stone watchtowers rising above Tibetan village complexes in the Dadu River valley, said to be among the oldest surviving examples of Tibetan defensive architecture.
- Drum Tower and Bell Tower鼓楼钟楼
Yuan-dynasty drum and bell towers that kept official time for imperial Beijing. Climbable; daily drum performances.
- Dujiangyan Irrigation System都江堰
UNESCO · 2,300-year-old irrigation system on the Min River. Still in use. UNESCO-listed jointly with Mt Qingcheng. Engineering rather than architecture, but one of the great works.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Zhujiajiao Water Town cost to visit?
- Entry to Zhujiajiao Water Town is free. Free entry to streets; through-ticket including 8 sites ¥80.
- When is Zhujiajiao Water Town open?
- Zhujiajiao Water Town opening hours: Streets 24/7. Site tickets 8am–4:30pm.
- How long do you need at Zhujiajiao Water Town?
- Allow 3–5 hours for Zhujiajiao Water Town. Add buffer time if you plan to visit at peak season or include nearby sights in the same trip.
- When is the best time to visit Zhujiajiao Water Town?
- Weekday mornings. Avoid weekends.
- How do you get to Zhujiajiao Water Town?
- Metro Line 17 directly from Hongqiao Railway Station.
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