Live Your Best Lives
I didn't know much about Shaoxing before I went there. I only knew that it was the hometown of Lu Xun and that it was a must-read in our elementary school textbooks. After I came here, I found that not only Lu Xun was born here, but also Cai Yuanpei, Qiu Jin, Lu You, Zhou Enlai, Wang Xizhi, Ma Yinchu, King Goujian of Yue and other historical celebrities we are familiar with. It turns out that Shaoxing has a history of more than 2,500 years, not earlier than Hangzhou, and it was even at its peak in ancient times. I regret not coming to this treasure city earlier.
Shaoxingcheck the details
Shaoxing boasts a rich cultural heritage and the elegance of a Jiangnan water town. Lu Xun's former residence is well-preserved. Shaoxing's customs, exemplified by the "Three Blacks"—black boats, black felt hats, and black dried vegetables—embody a rich cultural heritage and a unique local charm that is truly captivating. Shaoxing boasts numerous scenic spots, including the Lanting Pavilion, renowned for Wang Xizhi's "Preface to the Lanting Collection"; Shenyuan Garden, remembered for the tragic love story of Lu You and Tang Wan; Lu Xun's former residence, stretching from Baicao Garden to Sanwei Bookstore; Keyan Scenic Area, Houshan Scenic Area, Dayu Mausoleum, Qiu Jin's former residence, Cai Yuanpei's former residence, Zhou Enlai's ancestral home, Xishi Temple in Zhuji, Dafo Temple in Xinchang, and Cao'e Temple in Shangyu.
Recommended months: Spring and autumn are the best
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I took advantage of the May Day holiday to go on a three-day and two-night trip to Shaoxing, taking my time to savor the tenderness of this Jiangnan water town.
During the current epidemic, Shaoxing does not accept inter-provincial travel (no accommodation available). Travel within Zhejiang Province requires a 48-hour nucleic acid test + green code, except for the three zones (lockdown zone, control zone, and prevention zone).
The Shaoxing Metro opened on April 29, 2022, making it very convenient to travel from Hangzhou to Shaoxing. From Hangzhou, take the subway to Line 5 - Girls Bridge Station and transfer to Shaoxing Metro Line 1. Shaoxing's major attractions, such as the Former Residence of Lu Xun, are now accessible via the metro, making them easily accessible.
You can take the high-speed rail from Hangzhou East Station to Shaoxing North Station in 20 minutes, but the Shaoxing North Station subway station is not open yet, so you need to take a taxi/bus and then transfer to the subway to get to the scenic spot, which is a bit inconvenient.
You can take a train from Chengzhan Railway Station to Shaoxing Station, which takes about 1 hour. The advantage is that Shaoxing Station is located in the old city, only 1-2km away from Lu Xun's former residence, so you can start playing right after you get off the station.
It is recommended to take the train directly to Shaoxing North Railway Station, then take a taxi/bus and then transfer to the subway to reach the main attractions.
Day 1 Hangzhou - Shaoxing North Station - Lu Xun's Hometown (Wang Laohan Stinky Tofu, Creamy Pancakes) - Shenyuan Garden (Black Sail Boat) - Night Cruise around the City Canal
Day 2: Tongxinlou Pan-fried Buns - Hometown of the Sage of Calligraphy - Cangqiao Street - Huijingxuan (Yellow Wine Popsicles, Yellow Wine Milk Tea) - Xixiaolu Historic District
Day 3: Anchang Ancient Town - Oriental Landscape Park Cool Play Kingdom (optional) - Shaoxing subway back to Hangzhou
Shen Garden is a must-visit place in Shaoxing. It is also a national 5A-level tourist attraction. It is located at No. 318, Luxun Middle Road, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, on the east side of Luxun's hometown, about a 5-minute walk away.
Shen Garden, originally the private garden of the Shen family, dates back to the Song Dynasty and covers a total area of 57 mu. With beautiful mountains and rivers, birds singing and flowers blooming, you can spend a whole day there quietly without even noticing the passage of time.
Shen Garden is mainly composed of three parts: the historical site area, the East Garden and the South Garden (Lu You Memorial Hall and Lianli Garden), forming ten scenes including "The Sad Song of Broken Clouds", "Poetic Love", "Spring Waves and Startling Wild Goose", "Repentance on the Broken Walls", "The Wail of the Solitary Crane", "Green Lotus Reflecting the Sun", "Palace Wall and Resentful Willows", "Walking in the Snow and Asking about Plum Blossoms", "The Fragrance of Poetry and Books" and "Magpie Bridge for Love". The garden is very large and has an interactive area, which is great for taking photos or wearing Hanfu.
Tips:
The visit is free, but reservations must be made in advance on the official WeChat account [Shaoxing Shenyuan Scenic Area]. [Shenyuan Night] is closed due to the epidemic, so don't go there in vain. After the visit, you can take a rowboat or walk for 5 minutes to [Lu Xun's Hometown]
Recommended play time: 3 hours
There are four attractions to visit on this street in Lu Xun's hometown, namely Lu Xun's ancestral home, Lu Xun's former residence, Lu Xun Memorial Hall and Sanwei Bookstore. Each exhibition hall is very large and worth savoring.
Lu Xun's ancestral residence is the best-preserved Qing Dynasty building in Shaoxing, known as the Zhou Family Old Taimen. The Zhou family was once a prominent family in Shaoxing. Of the three Taimen buildings owned by the Zhou family, Lu Xun's ancestral residence was the earliest, hence its nickname. Built in 1754, the 19th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, this residence is a typical Jiangnan official residence. Facing south and north, it boasts four courtyards and a magnificent brick and wood structure, with whitewashed walls and black tiles, lattice windows and doors, and slate floors.
Lu Xun's former residence is located west of Zhoujiaxintaimen in Duchangfangkou. Lu Xun was born here on September 25, 1881, and lived there until he was 18 years old, when he went to study in Nanjing. He also lived here when he returned to his hometown to teach.
Lu Xun's former residence is laid out in a terraced style, with six courtyards front and back, covering 580 square meters. The first courtyard is the terraced entrance; the second courtyard consists of a flat roof and a long corridor; the west side of the third courtyard downstairs served as Lu Xun's bedroom during his time working in Shaoxing. The fourth courtyard is a two-bay building, the front half of which, at the east end, is called the small hall, where Lu Xun's family dined and met guests.
The back half was the bedroom of Lu Xun's mother, Lu Rui. The front half of the west end of the downstairs was the bedroom of Lu Xun's grandmother, and the back half was used as a corridor. The fifth entrance was the kitchen. The sixth entrance was a three-bay bungalow with a door in the middle leading to the Baicao Garden.
Today, each hall and room are still displayed in their original state. Baicao Garden, covering approximately 2,000 square meters, was a shared vegetable garden for the Zhou clan. It was planted with honey locust and mulberry trees, and had low walls, a well, and other structures.
Sanwei Academy was a famous private school in Shaoxing during the late Qing Dynasty. Originally the study of the Shou family, it faces the Zhou family's Laotaimen across the river. Lu Xun studied there from the age of 12 to 17.
In the center of the study hangs a plaque inscribed with the words "Sanwei Shuwu." The "Sanwei" symbolizes the saying, "Reading the classics is as delicious as rice and millet, reading history is as delicious as delicacies, and reading the works of various philosophers is as delicious as pickled meat." Lu Xun's desk was in the northeast corner of the study. The hardwood desk is his original. On the right side of the desk, he personally carved the character "早" (early morning), a reference to a story we all read in our textbooks.
Lu Xun's teacher, Shou Jingwu, was a man of upright character, simplicity, and erudition. His personality and scholarly spirit left an unforgettable impression on Lu Xun. Shou Jingwu taught here for 60 years, preserving the building's architecture, interior furnishings, and surroundings largely in their original state. Behind Sanwei Shuwu stands a small garden with two osmanthus trees and a wintersweet tree, the latter of which is over a century old.
Tips:
The visit is free, but reservations must be made in advance on the official account [Shaoxing Lu Xun Memorial Hall]. [Wang Lao Han Stinky Tofu] and [Gao Lao Tai Creamy Tofu] are both on this road, very close to each other, and you can find them after the visit.
Shaoxing is relatively quiet at night, and people here rarely go out after 8 or 9 p.m., so it's not easy to find some nightlife in Shaoxing. Why not take a night cruise on the Ring City Canal?
Shaoxing's moat, dug in 490 BC when Goujian established the capital, connects the river and lake, and boasts a rich history and culture. The moat connects scenic spots, woven through the greenery. A boat trip along the riverside scenery, like a dazzling pearl inlaid around the ancient city, is a feast for the eyes.
Tips:
You can search [Night Tour of the City River Cruise] on Meituan to book tickets, 60/person, you need to go to [Yueyicun] Pier to take the boat, there are two trips at 7:30 and 8:00 in the evening, and the tour takes about 1 hour. During the epidemic, there are fewer tourists, and the cruise is still open as usual.
Cruise Route ①: Youyi Village - Zhishui Square - Covered Bridge - Youyi Village - Didang - Youyi Village
Cruise Route ②: Didang - Dusi Gate - Jishan Park - Youyi Village - Jianshui Garden Light Show - Zhishui Square - Baihua Garden - Ying'en Gate - Heqing Garden - Didang (This route is not open during the epidemic)
There is not much commercial atmosphere and it is worth a walk. There are also attractions such as Cai Yuanpei's former residence along the way, but many of them are not open due to the epidemic.
There are some small shops on this road, with a lot of food. The famous Huijingxuan is also on this road. You can try rice wine popsicles and rice wine milk tea. It may be a little strange at first, but the more you eat, the more you like it.
Along the way, you can also see some ordinary people's lives. Aunties on the street are chatting about family matters, and uncles are lying on recliners, fanning themselves and dozing off. Just a few steps away, you can see a lot of daily photography materials.
It is a bit far from other attractions and is in Keqiao District. It is recommended to go there on the last day.
I've heard about this ancient town for a long time and recommend visiting it if you have time. It's not large, but it has a strong sense of life. Many locals live in the town. A river runs through the town, and the roads on both sides of the river are narrow, but it's a great place to visit! Prices are not high, and you can buy local specialties or eat there. I highly recommend visiting it.
If you can't walk anymore, you can also take a black-sailed boat and continue to enjoy the street scenes on both sides of the ancient town. The old masters row very steadily, so you don't have to worry too much about safety issues.
Tips:
The prices here are not high, making it a great place to buy some local specialties like sausages, cured fish, cured duck, and soy sauce to take home. Eating here is also recommended. Most of the restaurants are run by locals, with only a Starbucks at the entrance of the ancient town.
I had been eyeing this amusement park for a long time, so I decided to come to Shaoxing to try it out. The daytime show is 185 yuan per person, and the night show is 99 yuan per person. It is called "Little Disney" for real. There are fireworks and tours at night during the May Day holiday, which is worth it. It's just that it's not easy to get a taxi after the show.
Now you can directly take the subway from Hangzhou to Shaoxing. I suggest you go there on weekends or weekdays, when there will be fewer people and you can avoid wasting time queuing. There will also be more activities to enjoy.
There are so many delicious restaurants in Shaoxing, and I didn't miss any of them this time! Each one is more delicious than the last. Here are a few recommendations:
There are a lot of Tongxinlou counters along the way that only sell steamed buns, not fried buns. Don't miss them! The real place sells fried buns, and you'll see a long line. The fried buns are 1.20 each, and the large fresh meat buns are 3.00 each. It's worth the line!
Unlike Changsha stinky tofu, this one is white in color. After deep-frying, it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It has a rich texture and is paired with the owner's secret sauce. It's really amazing! Located on the street of Lu Xun's hometown.
Friends who like sweets should like it. The upper layer is a bit like baked cream, and the lower layer is similar to a hard egg tart crust. When you bite it, the middle is full of sweet syrup. Friends who don’t like sweets don’t need to try it. It is located not far from Wang Laohan’s Stinky Tofu.
You absolutely have to try it! It's truly amazing! I was a bit nervous at first, but after just one sip, I was hooked. It's not as strong as I'd imagined, and it's incredibly smooth. I even wanted to take a case home with me.
Actually, I can't taste much difference from other steamed buns. It has a slight aroma of wine. You can try it or not.
There is an uncle in Anchang Ancient Town who sells delicious red bean paste. It’s 10r/3 pieces. The outer layer is a bit like a baked cake, and the inside is full of red bean paste. It will burst when you take a bite. Highly recommended!
It is said to be a craft inherited from intangible cultural heritage. There is a shop at the entrance of Anchang Ancient Town. Many people gather around to take pictures and watch the masters making it on the spot. If you are interested, you can buy a bag to try.
【Puyuan Hotel】Near Luxun's Hometown Subway Station
The location is easy to find, and it's very convenient to visit tourist attractions and take the subway. Most importantly, it's not expensive. During the May Day holiday, it's only 210/night, and around 100/night on other days. It's clean, hygienic, and has high-end decoration. It also has a Xiaomi TV, so it's very cost-effective.
With the opening of the Shaoxing Metro, traveling from Hangzhou has never been easier! Simply transfer at Line 5 - Girls Bridge Station. Bring your 48-hour nucleic acid test and enjoy a weekend trip!
