Zhouzhuang Water Town from Shanghai, No Shopping

Welcome to choose the one day Zhouzhuang Water Town tour from Shanghai! Your private guide and the driver will wait for you either at your hotel in Shanghai, the airport or train station, and whisk you to the scenic water town with a 2-hour private car drive. Zhouzhuang is dubbed the No. 1 Water Town in China, like a bright peal crowning the South China’s watercourses. Reminiscent of the Venice of the East, it is structured on a crisscrossing network of canals, and nearly half of the town's area is water. 

Follow your guide to step into the well-known town, and a picturesque Chinese ink and wash painting just unfolds before your eyes. The white-walled and grey-tiled buildings stand along the waterfront side by side, with the upturned eaves extending onto the river, while small boats moored in front of the houses sway gently in the breeze. Banners with decorative Chinese characters from restaurants and shops flutter in the wind, and strings of bright red lanterns hang from the corners of the rooftops, and the happy burble of chatter and singing rises out of the windows of the riverfront teahouses and restaurants, offering a lively water town life scene. 

The 900-year-old town is also famous for having once been home to the country’s richest man, Shen Wansan, in the 14th-century Ming Dynasty. It’s said that he possessed 2 billion taels of silver at his heyday, equivalent to trillions of US dollars in today’s terms, far exceeding the Ming Dynasty government’s annual fiscal revenue. When the first Ming emperor built the capital city, Shen Wansan voluntarily contributed one-third of the funds for its construction. However, his later proposal to personally reward the army angered the emperor, who suspected him of trying to win over the soldiers. Finally, he was exiled to the border area and his wealth just vanished overnight. Nevertheless, his legendary wealth story still made him one of the gods of wealth, widely worshipped in south China. Your guide will accompany you to the Shen’s Residence, which is said to have been constructed by the descendants of Shen Wansan. As the most luxurious architectural complex in the town, it boasts over a hundred rooms connected by corridors and arcades. Admire its grand halls with traditional furniture engraved with floral decorations, and five delicate brick-carved gate towers, as well as touch the treasure basin of Shen Wansan, which is said to bring good fortune! 

Then, let's cross the town’s oldest bridge, Fu’an Bridge, which was built in 1355. This is the only remaining integrated bridge-and-building structure, which features the towers standing around the four corners of the bridge, facing each other across the water. After crossing the bridge, you’ll reach the opposite Zhang’s Residence, the oldest mansion in the town. Its biggest characteristic is that boats can navigate through the house, as its southernmost end has a small garden with a stream connecting to the town’s south waterway, making the backyard a private pier.

Next, we’ll visit the iconic Twin Bridges, locally known as the Key Bridges, set by the river fork in the town center, with one stone arch bridge and the other stone beam bridge linking together. The famous artist Chen Yifei once depicted the green tree-shaded bridges crossing the smooth water in his landscape oil painting ‘Memory of Hometown’, which was later selected for a United Nations first-day cover in the 1990s, thus making the ancient town world-famous. Standing at the bridgehead, you can capture the most classic scene of Zhouzhuang: black-awning boats slowly glide through the canals. 

Continue your guided walk to the Milou Tower, aka Mystery Tower, which once served as a cultural hub for poets and revolutionaries in the 1920s. It’s now a tea house serving tea drinks, where you can soak up the picturesque scenery of flowing streams and bridges in the gentle breeze. Also, we’ll stop by the 900-year-old yellow-walled Chengxu Taoist Temple. Upon entering, you’ll be drawn to a statue of a god, whose eyes open wide in anger, while the plaque hanging above his head reads "Do you recognize me?", as if posing an interesting challenge to every visitor. The rear hall of the temple occupies the highest location of the town, and entering it symbolizes attaining eminence step by step. 

Apart from the old architecture, don’t miss out on experiencing the local opera culture, Kunqu Opera, hailed as the "ancestor of all Chinese operas". There are daily professional Kunqu Opera performances held on the Old Theater Stage, each lasting about 20 minutes. If interested, look up at the intricate phoenix ceiling on the stage, where the central dome is made up of 420 wooden phoenixes spiraling around it, which acted as a premium loudspeaker in ancient times, using the principle of resonance to enhance the sound effect. ► Travel Inspirations: (at your own expense)
Boating on the waterways is highly recommended. Hop on the traditional rowboats draped in blue floral fabric, which can accommodate at most 6 people per boat, costing CNY 220 (USD 32) per boat for an inner loop, lasting about 20 minutes, while the outer loop, traveling around the whole town, costs CNY 280 (USD 41) per boat and takes nearly 80 minutes. The former option is generally more popular because of the photogenic landscapes, and the boatwomen often sing opera tunes, adding a touch of local charm.

► Local Food Recommendation: (at your own expense)
Explore the bustling lanes and try local snacks as you like. Wan San Pig Trotters is a must-try, a signature dish that the wealthy man served to his distinguished guests, featuring a tender, falling-off-the-bone texture, savory with a hint of sweetness, rich yet not greasy. Almost every restaurant and food shop serves it. You can also try the Granny Tea, which contains smoked green beans, dried carrots, sesame seeds, etc. Last but not least, feast on some freshly-made local pastries like sweet green rice balls, osmanthus cakes, and sock-sole shaped crispy pastries with a fragrant aroma of scallions. 

In the late afternoon, your one day Zhouzhuang tour from Shanghai comes to an end, and it’s time to tear yourself away from the beautiful town. Your private guide and the driver will escort you back to your Shanghai hotel, airport or train station. If you want to depart from Shanghai the same day, please book a late-night train or flight. Wish you a pleasant trip!