Qibao Ancient Town (Qibao Town)
Shanghai Qibao Ancient Town is a historical town with both the natural scenery of the water town in the south of the Yangtze River and the long cultural connotation. Situated in the southeast of Shanghai, it was founded in the Northern Song dynasty, it is 5 kilometers away from the downtown of Shanghai. You can not only enjoy the beautiful natural and historical scenery, but also try delicious local Shanghai food here.
“Qibao” means seven treasures in Chinese. A legend said that Qibao Ancient Town was famous for seven precious including golden lotus sutra, sacred trees, Tunlai bell, Feilai Buddha, golden chicken, jade chopsticks and jade axe. As an old saying goes, to know ten-year history of Shanghai in Pudong New Area; to know hundred-year history of Shanghai at the Bund; to know thousand-year history of Shanghai in Qibao Town. Especially the Qibao Old Street inside the town has retained the characteristics of water town in the metropolis, showing a new and simple cultural atmosphere, thus has become one of the essence scenic spot in Shanghai.
Qibao Ancient Town Facts
The History of Qibao Old Town
As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was Dingjiazhuang in Qibao, which is why there is a saying that "Dingjiazhuang came first, then Qibao Town". Since Dingjiazhuang at the end of the Han Dynasty, Qibao has a history of 1,700 to 1,800 years. The establishment of Qibao Town, like that of nearby famous towns in western Shanghai such as Longhua, Fahua and Zhenru, is closely related to Buddhism. During the Wuyue period of the Five Dynasties, the Qibao Temple was moved from Songjiang to the present Qibao Town and thus got its name.
Qibao originated in the late Han Dynasty, took shape in the early Song Dynasty, and flourished during the Ming and Qing Dynasties due to the development of the cotton textile industry. Due to economic prosperity and numerous population affairs, it was historically under the jurisdiction of Shanghai, Songjiang and Qingpu for a long time. In 1947, it was merged into one.
Later, due to the name of Qibao Town, there was a beautiful legend of the "Seven Treasures". Among these treasures, the Flying Buddha was cast with funds raised by the believers in the town and was once enshrined in the Nanjiao Temple. The Tunlai bell was funded and cast by the abbot of Qibao Temple. The sacred tree is a thousand-year-old catalpa tree that originally grew within the Qibao Old Temple. Also, there is the Golden Lotus Sutra, which is now housed in the Shanghai Museum. Besides, it is unknown whether the legends of the other "Three Treasures" are true or false, and whether anyone has seen them.
What to See & What to Do?
Qibao is a small town, which dates back to the Northern Song dynasty. Easily reached from town, the ancient settlement prospered during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The small town is about two square kilometers in size which is crossed by two canals. Around the canals, a large number of traditional houses, gardens, temples, shops and restaurants which define the very character of the place can be found.
Qibao Old Streets
With a history spanning over one thousand years, Qibao is more than just a living fossil of ancient Chinese conurbation and urban planning. In the center of Qibao Ancient Town is the old street, which is said to best resemble the streets of old Shanghai. This old street is divided into two smaller two sections, the southern and western lesser streets.
The landmark buildings include the Seven Treasures Catholic Church, the Doumu Pavilion of Dongyue Xingci, the Four-Faced Hall of Dongyue Xingci, and the Ming Dynasty Jieyuan Hall, etc. These buildings reflect the historical features, religious culture and regional characteristics of a typical traditional Jiangnan town center in the suburbs of Shanghai.
The southern part is filled with traditional restaurants serving a variety of tasty snacks. Different flavored cakes made from polished glutinous rice 'Qibaogao', dried bean curd wrapped in lotus leaves, roasted sweet potatoes, smoked toads, and sugar coated haws on sticks can be found on every corner in the southern street.
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The western streets are occupied by old shops selling arts and crafts, antiques and calligraphy works. In this part, you can see the Qibao Pharmaceutical stores dating back around 1,000 years, some fine tea houses and Shadow Play Opera theaters. The Qibao Shadow Play performs mainly entertainments based on widely-known historical events with the local dialect, thus giving the shows a truly local character. The plays are performed using colorful drawings and expressive music to illustrate the emotions of the characters.
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Qibao Temple
The Qibao Temple was first built during the Tianfu period of the Later Jin Dynasty in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It was originally named Lu Baoyuan and served as the ancestral hall of Lu Ji and Lu Yun, descendants of Lu Xun, a great general of the Eastern Wu during The Three Kingdoms period. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, King Qian Liu of Wuyue renamed it the Qibao Temple. In the first year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1008), Emperor Zhenzong Zhao Heng of the Song Dynasty bestowed the plaque "Qibao Temple" upon him by imperial decree.
Doumu Pavilion of Dongyue Ancestral Hall
The Doumu Pavilion of Dongyuexing Shrine is located in the College of Agriculture and Biology of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. It is one of the historical buildings in Qibao Ancient Town. In the first year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1796-1820), it was rebuilt into a theater stage. In front of the pavilion, the God Doumu was enshrined, and behind it, performances were played for the City God.
The Seven Treasures Bell Tower
Located in the Bell Tower Square, it is a landmark building of the ancient town of Qibao. One of the legendary seven treasures, Tunlai bell, is kept here.
Shanghai Qibao Art Museum
The Shanghai Qibao Art Museum is also known as the Qibao Calligraphy Art Museum. The museum houses the most representative and influential calligraphy works of the "Shanghai School" since the founding of the People's Republic of China, as well as some calligraphy works by the authors of "Qibao, the Hometown of Chinese Calligraphy".
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Qibao Wine Workshop
It set the traditional brewing process, let people catch a glance. And set a series of produced wine, dazzling, eye-opening.
Cotton Textile Display Hall
The exhibition focuses on planting, harvesting, spinning, weaving and dyeing, and introduces Qibao Town's brilliant cotton textile industry in the past. And set up "Xitang", to showcase the Qibao wedding custom scene of Ming dynasty, allowing visitors participate in simulated wedding activities.
Zhang Chongren Memorial Hall
The building is in the style of Qiangzoumalou of Qing dynasty, and shows more than 20 representative sculptures of Zhang Chongren in six halls.
Cricket Cottage
Shanghai cricket culture has deep roots. Cricket Cottage hall in Qibao Ancient Town features typical Jiangnan garden architecture style. It has the collection of cricket specimen, equipment, showing the process of cricket catching, raising and fighting.
Qibao Pawnshop
Qing daoguang years, the pawnshop here had quite a large scale, had become an important place for financial activities. The exhibition recreates the scene of the traditional pawnshop, simulates the operation activities of the pawnshop, and displays the commercial culture of the Qibao Ancient Town.
Qibao Ancient Town is a good place to explore Shanghai's grand past. A half day or day tour from Shanghai spent in this unique and historic town will be very rewarding and is highly recommended. It can satisfy your curiosity about ancient water townships without the bother of either long distance or the rush of crowds.
Qibao Shadow Puppet Art Museum
The Jiangnan shadow puppetry, represented by the Qibao shadow puppetry, was once extremely popular. In the early years of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, MAO Gengyu, a native of Qibao, learned the complete set of Chinese shadow play performance art in eastern Zhejiang and returned to his hometown to establish the Hongxu Hall shadow puppet Troupe. In the spring of the sixth year of the Guangxu reign (1880), the first performance was held in the Jieyuan Hall of the former residence of Lu Kexiao, the Jieyuan of the Ming Dynasty. Qibao Ancient Town has become the birthplace of Shanghai shadow puppetry.
The Qibao Shadow Puppet Art Museum is a comprehensive art museum integrating the exhibition, production, performance, research and collection of Qibao shadow puppet art.
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Qibao Old Town Food
In the ancient town of Qibao, there are many traditional delicacies passed down through generations, such as crabapple cake, Chongyang cake and other rural pastries. They are made by hand, with a soft, glutinous and sweet taste, and have been included in the intangible cultural heritage projects of Minhang District. There are also well-known food and drinks such as the Seven Treasures Lamb, Seven Treasures Old Wine, and Golden Melon that should not be missed on your Shanghai tour to Qibao.
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How to Get There?
- Metro Line 9 can take you to Qibao Station, walking about 10 minutes to get there.
- And Bus 803, 513, 87, 91 and 92 will drive to there.
