Are there any interesting ancient towns in China that are less crowded?
I am familiar with ancient towns with small crowds and charm~ 1. Shanghai | The ancient town of Changchang is not well-known, but it has been chosen as a filming location by many famous directors, such as "Lust, Caution" directed by Ang Lee, "Happiness Within Reach" starring Huang Jingyu and Dilraba Dilmurat, as well as The hot "Thirty Only".
I found a weekend with particularly nice weather and came to Xinchang Ancient Town to check out the shooting location. I specially asked a friend who grew up in Xinchang to be my guide, and stopped by to taste the delicacies of the ancient town!
Actually, this is my second time to Xinchang. I came once last winter. I especially liked the smell of fireworks here. The main road is no different from most ancient towns, but there are many clean alleys here. You can experience the most original feeling of the ancient town. Apart from the main road, this place is like a living ancient town, not just a scenic spot.
The ancient town uses Hongfu Bridge as the dividing point, with Hongxi Street on one side and Hongdong Street on the other (the filming location of Thirty Already). Cross the bridge and continue straight to Sanshi Erpinfang, where Lust Caution is located. The filming location. The scene where Huang Jingyu and Dilraba were having sex was filmed on the Hongfu Bridge. Recommended food:
The first tier: Wu Kee Mutton Restaurant, Wang Kee Begonia Cake, Angi Fish Vegetable Rice, Zhuzhi Bean Zhang Kee Chicken Soup Tofu Pudding, Jiang San Stinky Tofu, Shunrong Shaomai, Hong Fu Lou
The second tier: Dongcang Soup Bun Shop, Mama Chen’s Shop, Xiatang Restaurant, Old Town Old Shop, Xiasha Bamboo Shoot Pork Shaomai (opposite to Wangji Begonia Cake), Adong Farmhouse Dishes are all from Recommended by friends in Xinchang, the first echelon is mainly for veteran-level time-honored brands, and the second echelon is mostly for newly opened shops Transportation
Take the subway in the city to Xinchang Station (Line 16), No. 2 Exit the exit and transfer to bus Xinlu Special Line (fastest) or bus 1068 to reach the entrance of the ancient town (the name of the bus stop is Xinchang Station)
You can also take a taxi directly from Xinchang Subway Station to the ancient town. The fee is about 20 yuan (10 minutes to get there)
Opening hours: open all day, free check-in suggestions
There are relatively few indoor venues in Xinchang to escape the summer heat, mainly restaurants and cafes. It is highly recommended to come here in the afternoon and stay there in the evening. Half a day is enough, otherwise the heat at noon will be unbearable
If you want an alley with fewer people, just avoid the main road, especially if you go towards the Nanshan Ancient Temple, tourists 2. Shanghai｜Luodian Ancient Town
The unpopular ancient town directly accessible by Shanghai subway is like walking into an ink painting.
Luodian is located in Baoshan District in the north of Shanghai. It is a small ancient town with well-preserved historical features. There are few tourists and the commercial atmosphere is very light. It looks like it has been quiet for a long time.
A small river passes through the ancient town, and the buildings are arranged in sequence along the river, which is simple.
Luodian Ancient Town was built during the Zhizheng period of the Yuan Dynasty and has a history of more than 600 years. As early as the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, Luodian had already been civilized far and wide, and became a large commercial town with rich products and intensive commerce. During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, the trade in cotton and cotton cloth was booming, so it was called "Jinluodian". Since ancient times, water and land transportation has been developed here, and the economy has been prosperous. Even if you walk on the roads of the ancient town now, you can still find traces of its glorious past. Food in Luodian Ancient Town: Mian Yuan Snacks (Tingqian Street Store)
A very special shop, the taste cannot be overemphasized. It mainly serves noodles, porridge and some small stir-fry dishes. The environment is great and there is a small garden by the river. I like the eel noodles, large intestine noodles and fish fillet porridge here. Luodian Auntie Wu's Special Snacks (Tingqian Street Store)
The most delicious grass cakes in Shanghai, many people will come here to buy some and take them home to eat. Attractions near Luodian Ancient Town Baoshan Temple
Is this the most popular attraction in Baoshan? It is indeed a magnificent photo-shooting and special production. The ticket is 10 yuan. Remember to bring cash. There is also a vegetarian restaurant for 10 yuan per person. Huashen Hall
A Chinese-style building with a brick and wood structure, with a pond, pavilion, fence and ginkgo trees. It wasn't open when I went there, but it's right next to Luodian Ancient Town and you can walk over and try your luck. Lake Meilan
The architecture has a Nordic style. There are people fishing, jogging and walking around the lake. It is a very relaxing place. The sunset in the evening is full of surprises.
Luodian Ancient Town is a very small place, far from the scale of ancient towns like Zhujiajiao; lower your expectations, if you have a strong check-in mentality you may be disappointed; if you just come to experience Jiangnan It’s worth finding a quiet place to sit in the old days. When I’m exhausted in the city, I often want to take the subway here for a walk, watch the local children playing carefree, order a bowl of scallion noodles and sit by the river to pass the time? Luodian Ancient Town (open 24 hours a day) )
Transportation: It is 1.5km away from Lake Meilan, the terminal station of Metro Line 7, and the transportation is very convenient. 3. Suzhou｜Luzhi Ancient Town
Just from the name, it sounds like a very niche ancient town. In fact, Luzhi is crowded during holidays because many people from the surrounding areas come here to play and look for food. If you don’t want to be crowded, you can get up early to experience the early morning in Luzhi Ancient Town. This is also the most real and beautiful time in Luzhi.
The next day, I got up at dawn and surprisingly found a quiet ancient town with no tourists or vendors shouting. This is what a Jiangnan water town should look like.
The hotel is ten minutes away from the ancient town. Walking on the road under the rising sun, you can feel the fresh air. I glanced at the ancient town on the other side of the river. It seemed that it had not yet woken up. It was filled with mist. I couldn't help but speed up my pace, wanting to see what it looked like at dawn.
Jiangnan Water Town is inseparable from small rivers. Sanitation workers have started cleaning the rivers early in the morning, preparing to welcome a new wave of tourists. I think the holidays must be their busiest time.
There are also many aboriginal people in the water town. They have lived here for generations and live in the paintings. They all come out for activities in the early morning. The timeline of the residents of this ancient town is particularly interesting. At 6 o'clock in the morning, many barber shops were already open. I also met many locals eating breakfast in front of their doors. They all looked very friendly and welcomed me to take pictures of them. What a happy thing it is to watch the sun rise on a quiet stone path and beside a gurgling river, ushering in a new day. 4. Suqian | Zaohe Ancient Town
Zaohe Ancient Town is about 20 kilometers away from Suqian city. It gradually took shape in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. It is an ancient water town with a history of nearly 400 years.
Although the ancient town has been demolished to pieces, it is still covered with a large number of cultural relics, sites and legends, such as the Dragon King Temple Palace, Suqian Chen Family Courtyard, Zaohe Temple of Fortune, Heshan Hall, etc. from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. architecture. Qianlong Gongsu and Zhaojia Grit Soup are delicacies originated here.
Regarding Zaohe Ancient Town, I strongly recommend watching this program hosted by Li Jian: Small Town Story "Small Town Story" is about Zaohe Ancient Town, a water town in northern Jiangsu.
This is a great place to nostalgic for the past. If I had to choose the most unforgettable cultural and historical attraction in Suqian, it would have to be the Dragon King Temple Palace here.
This place was originally called the "Emperor-built Anlan Dragon King Temple". It was a sacrificial building built by the emperors of the Qing Dynasty to pray to the Dragon King to "calm down the waves and eliminate floods" to prevent floods.
The building complex here was first built in the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt in the 23rd year of Kangxi. It was later restored and expanded by emperors Yongzheng, Qianlong and Jiaqing to become what it is today.
Emperor Qianlong went to the south of the Yangtze River six times and stayed here five times, so it is also called the "Qianlong Palace". About the palace
The palace means the palace where ancient emperors lived when they traveled. There were countless palaces along the way to the south of the Yangtze River during Qianlong's reign. The well-known ones include Lingyan Temple in Suzhou, Shuizhuju in Yangzhou, Linggu Temple in Jiangning, and Qinghehui in Huai'an. Ji Temple.
This is the Qing Dynasty northern palace-style ancient building complex with the highest standards, the largest scale, the best preservation and the most value among the Qianlong palaces.
As soon as you enter the door, you will feel a sense of déjà vu. This is simply the "unmanned version" of the Forbidden City! After collecting information, I found out that this place is indeed called the "Little Forbidden City". It is said that the four emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong and Jiaqing visited here.
The Dragon King Temple Palace was built on the bank of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Its unique geographical location made it popular among emperors who visited the South. It was also included in the World Cultural Heritage List by UNESCO in 2014. , every brick and tile is full of traces of history.
Practical information
Opening hours: 9:00 - 17:00
Ticket: 40 yuan
Recommended time: 2-3 hours
Transportation: Suqian city is accessible by public transportation, most of which do not support online payment, so prepare some change (one-way fare is about 4 yuan)