Top Attractions
Jiading Old Town stands as one of Shanghai's most historically significant settlements, with roots stretching back to the year 1218 when it was established as a county during the Southern Song Dynasty. Unlike many ancient Chinese towns that have been rebuilt as tourist spectacles, Jiading retains genuine layers of history — its street grid, canal system, and several landmark structures date back centuries. The town was historically a center of scholarship and culture in the Jiangnan region, producing generations of imperial examination graduates and literati whose influence shaped the intellectual landscape of the Yangtze Delta.
The Old Town's most iconic landmark is the Jiading Bamboo Carving Museum, housed in a restored Qing Dynasty courtyard. Jiading bamboo carving (嘉定竹刻) is a nationally recognized intangible cultural heritage — artisans have been transforming bamboo stalks into intricate sculptures, brush pots, and figurines since the Ming Dynasty, using techniques passed down through family workshops. Nearby, the Zhouqiao Old Street (州桥老街) runs along the Lianqi River and offers a charming stretch of traditional architecture, street food stalls, and craft shops. The five-arch Zhouqiao Stone Bridge, originally built in the Song Dynasty and rebuilt in the Ming era, remains a focal point of the old town and a favorite spot for photographers, especially at dusk when the canal reflects the lantern-lit storefronts.
Wandering through Jiading Old Town feels like stepping back in time, yet the experience is refreshingly unpolished compared to more heavily touristed water towns like Zhujiajiao. The narrow lanes are lined with time-worn whitewashed walls, grey-tiled roofs, and stone-paved paths. Local residents still live in the old quarter, and you'll see them going about daily life — hanging laundry, playing chess, and tending small garden plots. The town's many snack stalls offer regional specialties including Jiading bamboo shoots (嘉定竹笋), braised pork in soy sauce (红烧肉), and crispy sesame cakes. Combine a visit here with the Confucian Temple and Qiuxia Garden — all three are within easy walking distance, making for a perfect half-day immersion in classical Jiangnan culture.
The Jiading Confucian Temple (嘉定孔庙), often called the "Number One Temple in Wu" (吴中第一), is the largest Confucian temple in the Shanghai area and one of the finest preserved in all of southeastern China. Founded in 1219 — just one year before Jiading was officially designated a county — the temple complex served as both a place of worship and an academy for the imperial examination system. For over seven centuries, scholars gathered here to study the Confucian classics before taking the grueling exams that determined their place in the imperial bureaucracy.
The temple follows the classic Confucian architectural layout, oriented along a north-south axis with successive courtyards rising in formality. Visitors pass through the Lingxing Gate (棂星门), a stone archway decorated with cloud and dragon carvings, before entering the Dacheng Hall (大成殿), the main worship hall housing a statue of Confucius flanked by his principal disciples. The hall's sweeping roof and painted beams are textbook examples of Song-era temple architecture, restored with meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Behind the main hall, the Minglun Hall (明伦堂) served as the academy's lecture hall, where scholars debated philosophy and prepared for examinations.
Today the temple complex also houses the Jiading Museum, which displays an impressive collection of regional artifacts including stone steles, ancient calligraphy, ceramics, and bronze vessels spanning several dynasties. The stele corridor (碑廊) alone contains over 100 inscribed stone tablets, some over 700 years old, recording imperial decrees, poems, and historical records of the temple. The surrounding grounds feature centuries-old ginkgo trees that turn a brilliant gold each November, making late autumn the most photogenic time to visit. The Confucian Temple is a tranquil, intellectually rich site that rewards slow exploration — set aside at least an hour and a half, and don't miss the small exhibition detailing the history of the imperial examination system, complete with original exam papers and cheating devices confiscated from desperate candidates.
Qiuxia Garden (秋霞圃, literally "Autumn Glow Garden") is one of Shanghai's five classical Chinese gardens and arguably its most atmospheric. Originally constructed in the mid-16th century during the Ming Dynasty as the private estate of Gong Hong, a high-ranking official, the garden is a masterclass in Jiangnan garden design — rockeries, ponds, covered walkways, and pavilions arranged to create the illusion of boundless landscape within a compact space. The garden's reputation rests on its extraordinary autumn foliage: the name "Autumn Glow" refers to the fiery red maples and golden ginkgoes that ignite the grounds each November.
The garden is divided into four distinct sections, each with its own character. The eastern section features the Taohuajian (桃花涧, Peach Blossom Ravine), a narrow stone channel flanked by rockeries where spring-fed water trickles between ornamental rocks. The central section is the heart of the garden, anchored by a reflecting pond surrounded by the Qingbi Pavilion, the Sanshuiting (Three Water Pavilion), and the exquisite Congxu Ge (Layered Beauty Pavilion) — a two-story structure offering panoramic views over the entire garden. The western section, added later during the Qing Dynasty, features more open landscaping with larger rockeries and winding corridors. The northern section includes the original Ming-era buildings, their dark timber frames weathered to a rich patina.
Qiuxia Garden's emotional power lies in its seasonal transformations. In spring, peach blossoms carpet the ravine; in summer, lotus flowers fill the ponds; in autumn, the maples and ginkgoes create a kaleidoscope of amber, crimson, and gold; and in winter, snow-dusted rockeries evoke traditional Chinese ink paintings. Autumn (late October to early December) is peak season, but this is also when the garden is most crowded. For a quieter visit, come on a weekday morning in spring — the garden is nearly empty, and you can sit alone in the pavilions listening to birdsong and trickling water. At just 3.5 hectares, Qiuxia is compact enough to explore thoroughly in under two hours, but its layered beauty invites lingering. Photography enthusiasts should bring a polarizing filter: the reflections in the pond and the interplay of light through ancient trees create stunning compositions.
Nanxiang Old Town is one of the Shanghai area's most charming historic settlements, with a history stretching back over 1,500 years. The town's name means "flying phoenix" (南翔), derived from a legend that a white phoenix landed here, drawn by the area's natural beauty. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, Nanxiang prospered as a commercial hub along the waterways of the Yangtze Delta, and by the Ming and Qing eras it had become one of the region's wealthiest market towns, known for producing scholars, officials, and — most famously — the xiaolongbao (小笼包) soup dumpling.
The town's cultural centerpiece is the twin-pagoda complex at Yunxiang Temple (云翔寺). The two seven-story brick pagodas, originally built in the 10th century during the Five Dynasties period, are among the oldest surviving structures in Shanghai. They stand like sentinels at the northern end of the old street, their weathered brickwork and upturned eaves creating an instantly recognizable silhouette. The temple itself has been reconstructed, but the pagodas are original and remarkably well preserved. The main commercial street, Shuyin Street (双塔老街), runs south from the pagodas along a canal lined with traditional whitewashed buildings, wooden storefronts, and stone bridges. The area has been sensitively restored — commercial but not kitschy, with a good mix of traditional craft shops, tea houses, and restaurants.
The reason most visitors come to Nanxiang is the food. This is the birthplace of the xiaolongbao, and the town's dumpling shops take enormous pride in their heritage. The most famous is De Xing Guan (德兴馆), a century-old establishment where dumpling masters can be seen through the window painstakingly folding each dumpling with exactly 18 pleats. A perfect Nanxiang xiaolongbao has a paper-thin skin, a generous filling of pork and ginger, and a rich, savory broth inside — eating it requires a specific technique: lift gently with chopsticks, place on a spoon, poke a small hole to release steam, sip the broth, then eat the dumpling with black vinegar and ginger slivers. Beyond dumplings, try the local braised pork trotters, crispy fried eel, and sweet rice wine. Nanxiang is easily combined with a visit to nearby Guyi Garden, making the two a perfect day trip from central Shanghai via Metro Line 11.
Guyi Garden (古猗园, meaning "Garden of Ancient Elegance") is the largest and most elaborate of Shanghai's five classical Chinese gardens, and arguably the most beautiful. Originally built in 1522 during the Ming Dynasty by a retired official named Min Shiji, the garden takes its name from a line in the ancient "Ode to the Garden of Fine Willows" (猗园): "What is ancient is enduring; what is beautiful is the willow." Spanning nearly 10 hectares — nearly three times the size of Qiuxia Garden — Guyi Garden offers a far more expansive experience, with broad ponds, forested islands, and winding paths that seem to dissolve into deep greenery.
The garden is divided into five scenic zones, each organized around a major water body. The eastern zone features the Yiyi Xuan (逸野堂, Hall of Rustic Charm), the garden's original Ming-era main hall, surrounded by old plum trees and bamboo groves. The western zone is the most dramatic, centered on the He Xin Ting (鹤心亭, Crane's Heart Pavilion), a structure built on a small island in the middle of a lotus pond, accessible only by zigzag bridges — a classical Chinese design element meant to slow the visitor's pace and create constantly shifting perspectives. The southern zone features the Bo Le Zhai (不系舟, "Unmoored Boat") pavilion, designed to look like a boat floating on water. Throughout the garden, over 4,000 bamboo plants of more than 40 varieties create a tranquil, rustling backdrop — bamboo is the garden's signature plant, and the winding bamboo corridors are magical on a breezy day.
Guyi Garden is spectacular in every season but truly shines in mid-April during the annual Peony Festival, when thousands of peony blooms erupt in saturated pinks, reds, and whites across the garden's specially designated peony terraces. Summer brings lotus flowers in the ponds, and autumn transforms the maple groves into a sea of amber. Winter visits reveal a quieter, more contemplative garden — plum blossoms (梅花) bloom in January and February against a stark backdrop of snow-dusted branches and grey stone, a scene captured in countless Chinese paintings. The garden's tea house, overlooking the main pond, is an excellent spot to rest with a pot of Longjing tea and absorb the classical atmosphere. For serious garden enthusiasts, comparing Guyi Garden with nearby Qiuxia Garden is a rewarding exercise: Guyi is grander and more expansive, while Qiuxia is more intimate and concentrated. Together, they represent two different approaches to the Jiangnan garden tradition.
Shanghai International Auto City (上海国际汽车城) is a sprawling 68-square-kilometer development zone in Anting (安亭), the western part of Jiading District, that represents China's ambitious vision for its automotive future. Established in 2001 as a national-level initiative, the Auto City has evolved from an industrial park into a comprehensive ecosystem encompassing R&D centers, manufacturing plants, a world-class racetrack, museums, and residential communities. It is home to SAIC Motor (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation), China's largest automaker, and hosts design and engineering centers for Volkswagen, Porsche, and other international brands.
For visitors, the Auto City's highlight is the Shanghai Auto Museum (上海汽车博物馆), a stunning architectural showpiece that traces the history of the automobile from its 19th-century origins to the present day. The museum's collection of over 100 vintage and classic cars is one of the finest in Asia, featuring rare models including a 1901 Oldsmobile Curved Dash, a 1930s Duesenberg, and iconic vehicles like the original Mini Cooper and first-generation Porsche 911. The exhibits are organized thematically across three floors: "History of the Automobile" on the first floor, "Collection Hall" showcasing rare classics on the second, and "Exploration Hall" with interactive displays on future automotive technology on the third. Everything is presented with bilingual labels and high-quality multimedia presentations.
Motorsport enthusiasts should not miss the Shanghai International Circuit (上海国际赛车场), a Hermann Tilke-designed Formula 1 track that hosts the Chinese Grand Prix each spring. Even when no race is happening, visitors can tour the paddock area, walk portions of the track, and visit the circuit's exhibition hall. The track's distinctive shape — inspired by the Chinese character shang (上, meaning "above" or "Shanghai") — features a 1.2-kilometer back straight where F1 cars reach speeds exceeding 320 km/h. The Auto City also includes the EV (Electric Vehicle) demonstration zone, where visitors can test-drive the latest electric vehicles from Chinese manufacturers, and a themed commercial district called Auto City Plaza with restaurants, shops, and a cinema. For families with car-loving children (or adults who never outgrew it), the Auto City makes for a fascinating and uniquely modern contrast to Jiading's classical attractions.
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The Poly Grand Theatre (上海保利大剧院) is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture and the crown jewel of modern Jiading. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando and completed in 2014, the building is widely considered one of the most beautiful cultural venues in China — and one of Ando's finest works outside his native Japan. Sitting on the edge of Yuanxiang Lake (远香湖) in central Jiading, the theatre's clean, geometric forms create a dramatic dialogue between solid and void, interior and exterior, water and light.
The theatre's most striking feature is its facade: a grid of massive cylindrical and rectangular cutouts that puncture the building's cubic form, creating a series of semi-outdoor spaces, walkways, and courtyards that blur the boundary between inside and outside. The concept, which Ando calls "a theater in the forest," allows natural light to penetrate deep into the building and frames views of the surrounding lake and parkland through geometric windows. At night, when the building is illuminated, these voids glow like lanterns, creating an ethereal floating effect reflected in the lake — it has become one of Shanghai's most photographed contemporary buildings. The use of bare concrete, glass, and water — Ando's signature materials — gives the building a serene, almost meditative quality that contrasts powerfully with the urban energy of Shanghai.
Beyond its architectural significance, the Poly Grand Theatre is a first-rate performing arts venue. The main auditorium seats 1,460 and features state-of-the-art acoustics and staging systems, hosting a full calendar of performances including symphony orchestras, ballet, opera, Chinese traditional theater (京剧, 昆曲), and major touring productions from around the world. A second, smaller hall seats 400 and is used for chamber music, recitals, and experimental works. The building also contains exhibition galleries and a café with lake views. Visitors who aren't attending a performance can still explore the public spaces: the circular foyer, the lakeside promenade, and the rooftop garden are open daily and offer spectacular photo opportunities. Guided architecture tours are occasionally offered — check the theatre's website for schedules. The Poly Grand Theatre is about 30 minutes from central Shanghai via Metro Line 11, making it an easy excursion for architecture enthusiasts and culture lovers alike.