Tracing Shanghai's Historical Roots: A Journey Through Thousand-Year-Old Songjiang
How many times have you been to Shanghai? Do you know where the city's origins lie? Let's find the answer together in Songjiang. Some say for a decade of Shanghai, look to Pudong; for a century, to Puxi; for a millennium, to Songjiang. Songjiang boasts a long history: as early as 6,000 years ago, indigenous people lived and thrived around Guangfulin, and today's Guangfulin Archaeological Site preserves 4,000 years of local culture.
Songjiang was established as a town in the Qin Dynasty, a county in the Tang Dynasty, and a prefecture in the Yuan Dynasty. It is the cradle of ancient Shanghai culture and the birthplace of Shanghai's historical heritage. Everywhere you look, there are cultural relics β 'from Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing, see history from past to present.' The Tang Dharani Sutra Pillar is the oldest surviving ground-level structure in Shanghai; Yongfeng Bridge is one of the largest ancient bridges still standing in the city; and Zuibaichi is one of Shanghai's five great classical gardens... Yaojiaquan, Guangfulin, Tangcunmiao, Pingyuancun β these are the bedrock of Songjiang's ancient culture.
Songjiang offers not only rich history and culture but also vast mountain and lake scenery rarely found in modern Shanghai. On weekends, bring your family here to climb high, hike through greenery, return to nature, and feel the pulse of history. Songjiang is a true treasure trove for travel.
ππ» Here's a weekend Songjiang itinerary. Bring your historical info and you won't get lost.
Sat: Guangfulin Cultural Relics Park β Tianma Mountain
Sun: West Sheshan β East Sheshan β Yuehu Sculpture Park
Opening the Time Gate of Guangfulin
First there was Guangfulin, then Songjiang history. The Guangfulin culture is the crystallization of the confluence of the Yangtze River civilization and the Yellow River civilization, and the source of Shanghai's inclusive urban spirit. From Wu and Yue kingdoms to today, it is rich and vast. Now it offers outstanding architectural design, profound cultural heritage, modern tourist facilities, and popular Instagram-worthy photo spots.
πΊοΈ Tour Route
Zhuque Gate β‘ Jinzhong Terrace β‘ Jixianfang β‘ Sanyuan Palace & Zhiye Zen Temple β‘ Red Wall and Wintersweet β‘ YOUNG Fuchen'an Art Museum β‘ Duoyun Academy β‘ Guandi Temple & City God Temple β‘ Archaeological Site Exhibition Hall β‘ Guangfulin Cultural Exhibition Hall (Water Museum)
The landmark of Guangfulin, a three-story tower imitating Han and Tang styles, a four-cornered wooden pavilion.
Rebuilt to commemorate the folk legend of Zen Master Zhiye's charitable medical aid.
β Jixianfang, Sanyuan Palace: This is the popular reflection spot. Wearing Hanfu and taking photos here is stunning; the white walls and grey tiles mirrored in the pool create a dreamlike image.
β YOUNG Fuchen'an Art Museum: Next to Zhiye Zen Temple, easy to miss if not paying attention. The courtyard of this century-old mansion is a hidden gem. Free entry.
This was originally the 'Jiufeng Academy' built by Cao Tai, son of Cao Chen of Guangfulin, upon his return to his hometown. It is quaint and elegant; the courtyard is super photogenic. If not in a hurry, order a coffee and bask in the sun.
A huge columnar sculpture, a representative relic excavated at Guangfulin, is a bone needle connecting past and present, symbolizing the wisdom and diligence of the ancestors.
β Guangfulin Cultural Exhibition Hall (Water Museum): A must-visit treasure of a museum! The entire exhibition is built underwater, with triangular spires floating on the lake surface. The exhibition hall is designed with the concept of 'Journey Through Time and Space,' giving visitors a sense of stepping underground and traveling into the distant past.
Admission: 30 RMB/person.
Whether it's fast food, specialty teahouses with coffee, or vegetarian meals: The park has KFC, π8 Grams (a coffee brand), various cafΓ©s, vegetarian options, and snack stalls. Yichi Huayuan showcases the beauty of Huizhou-style architecture.
From the balcony of a room at the Hilton Shanghai Songjiang Guangfulin, you can almost touch the threads of history spanning thousands of years. Step out the hotel's side garden gate, and you're directly in the archaeological park; visiting the water museum is extremely convenient.
The hotel rooms are spacious, simple, warm, and comfortable. The public areas are filled with a scholarly atmosphere, with corridors featuring silk-wrapped Luohan beds, long tables with the four treasures of the study, and decorations of traditional gongbi paintings.
π Location: Guangfulin Cultural Relics Park, Lane 3260, Guangfulin Road, Songjiang District
β° Hours: 9:00β17:00
π« Fee: Free, no reservation needed (museum charges admission)
π Transport: Metro Line 9, Songjiang University Town Station
Tianma Mountain: Encounter Shanghai's Leaning Tower
It's often said that Shanghai's mountains aren't really mountains, just high slopes. The highest, Tianma Mountain, is barely over 100 meters. You start climbing, scoffing a little, but who'd have thought it could be so tiring! The slope is steep, making the climb quite taxing. Rest under the green trees, catch your breath. The vegetation is lush and the environment serene. As one of the 'Nine Peaks Amidst the Clouds,' it has a south and a north peak, shaped like a heavenly horse, hence its name.
Cultural sights include the Memorial Park of Three Noble Hermits, Sword-Watching Pavilion, Flute-Listening Pavilion, Pine-Resting Pavilion, and the Protecting Pearl Pagoda, also known as the Jewel-Shining Protecting Pearl Pagoda. Built in the Northern Song Dynasty, it is of brick and stone, seven stories, octagonal, 18.82 meters tall, with a lean surpassing that of Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is a Shanghai Cultural Relic Protection Unit.
Legend has it that Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song once bestowed Buddhist relics to be hidden inside, and they sometimes glowed, hence the name Jewel-Shining Protecting Pearl Pagoda. East of the pagoda is an ancient ginkgo tree whose branches form a dragon's claw shape; it is said to have been planted by Zhou Wenda and called the 'Hand of the Mountain God,' supporting and guarding the pagoda, keeping it from collapsing for a thousand years.
Admission: 10 RMB
Address: No. 460, Liujiashan Village, Songjiang District
Sheshan: Reach the Summit Before You Know It
Sheshan is only 99 meters high, an easy climb! Although not tall, it was the starting point of Xu Xiake's 'Ten Thousand Li Journey to the Southwest.' Xu Xiake visited Sheshan five times, four times to meet the famous writer and calligrapher Chen Jiru, who lived in seclusion on East Sheshan. Sheshan was also a stop on Emperor Qianlong's southern tours, and it is home to a Catholic pilgrimage site, the earliest astronomical observatory, and a millennium-old pagoda...
Shanghai Sheshan National Forest Park is divided into East and West. The steps on East Sheshan are beautiful, flanked by tall, leafy trees already so green. This path connects to the Qianlong Ancient Road, with a thousand-year-old banyan tree and blooming camellias at the junction. From the foot to the summit, everything is a sea of green; the air is fresh. Standing high, feeling the mountain breeze, you'll fall in love with the beautiful spring.
Atop West Sheshan stands the landmark Sheshan Basilica of Our Lady. The church was first built by French missionaries in 1871, completed in 1935, and elevated to a basilica by the Pope in 1942, the first such in the Far East, making it a Catholic pilgrimage center in the region. Only when you stand below it do you realize its majesty. It blends multiple architectural styles: the arches and aisles are Romanesque, the colonnades Greek, the spires Gothic, the olive-shaped bell tower Israelite, the small dome on the east end Spanish, the plain walls and dragon-corner floor tiles Chinese, and the glazed tiles Chinese palace-style.
Address: No. 9260, Waiqingsong Highway, Songjiang District
π Tip: Visit East Sheshan first, then West Sheshan, because East Sheshan's exit is right next to West Sheshan's entrance. However, note that attractions in West Sheshan close when visiting hours end, so plan your time accordingly.
π« Admission: Free. Last entry at 4:30 PM.
π Transport: High-speed train directly to Songjiang South Station, or Metro Line 9 to Sheshan Station.
β°οΈ Address: No. 9258, Waiqingsong Highway, Songjiang District
Art Oasis: Yuehu Sculpture Park
The last stop in Songjiang was Yuehu Sculpture Park. Perhaps because of the admission fee, it's quieter and less crowded than Guangfulin. The vast lawns are perfect for lying down and rolling around; the beautiful trees are neatly trimmed; by the man-made lake, there's a white sand beach. People bring camping carts for picnics, walk their dogs, and kids happily dig in the sand. It's a place where you can escape the city and just stop to feel the breeze.
Yuehu Sculpture Park is large; walking around it is quite tiring. Covering over 1,300 mu (about 86 hectares), it is embraced by East Sheshan, Xue Mountain, and Phoenix Mountain. Inspired by the 'Source of Life,' it features four themed areas: spring, summer, autumn, and winter, scattered with over 60 modern sculptures.
The most famous is this 'pretend to be in England' spot: a megalithic circle composed of twenty-six massive granite blocks, dubbed the 'Stonehenge.' There are many interesting sculptures. For those interested, it's recommended to get a map at the entrance, as each sculpture has an explanation. The Stone Forest is made of twenty-six individually erected granite blocks, forming three ring-shaped stone arrays, with the four central stones reaching 12 meters in height, each weighing over 100 tonsβequivalent to the weight of 5,000 children.
π Hours: 9:00β17:00 (last entry 16:30)
π« Admission: Adults 100 RMB, Children 50 RMB, Pets 50 RMB
π Address: No. 1158, Linyin New Road, Sheshan Town, Songjiang District
