Shanghai Cycling Tour in February

Duration: 6 days
Time: February

Average Cost per Person: 1000 yuan
Travel Companions: Solo
Mode of Travel: Cycling

The author visited these places: Shanghai’s Sijing Town, Zhujing Town, Langxia Town, Tinglin Town, Donglin Temple, Chonggu Town, Fuquan Mountain Site, Panlong Village, Qingpu Museum, Pujiang Town, Xinchang Ancient Town, Zhaojialou, Huangpu River, Sanlin Old Street, Gongqing Forest Park, Linjiang Park, and the Songhu War Memorial, published on 2021-03-08 14:44.

Have you ever tried wandering alone on a bicycle? Dressed in cycling attire and wearing a cycling helmet, or perhaps without the gear, you can head out without a definite destination, simply moving forward. On a day with perfect sunlight and blooming flowers in spring, cycling and enjoying the natural scenery along the way, you will fall in love with this activity that both exercises the body and feasts the eyes on the landscape. Due to the pandemic, it was inconvenient to travel out of the province, so around the Spring Festival, I chose to cycle to some ancient towns, museums, and heritage parks in the suburbs of Shanghai to gain a deeper understanding of Shanghai’s history and culture since its opening as a port.

**Itinerary 1: City – Sijing Town – Zhujing Town – Lvxiang Town – Langxia Town – Tinglin Town – Chedun Town**
Distance: Approximately 130 kilometers round trip (two days)
Highlights: Sijing Ancient Town, Donglin Ancient Temple, Dizang Ancient Temple, Dongchan Ancient Temple, Langxia Ancient Town, Chedun Film and Television Park

Donglin Temple, originally built in the Yuan Dynasty (1308 AD), was originally named Guanyin Hall and later renamed Donglin Zen Temple. After more than seven hundred years of historical changes, it was expanded in 2007 to become a magnificent, grand, and solemn Buddhist temple. I personally think it is a temple with distinctive characteristics in Shanghai. Three projects in the temple have set records in the Great World Guinness Records, namely the indoor Guanyin statue, the Sudhana Boy statue, and the Thousand Buddha Gate. The Shanghai Dizang Ancient Temple is the only venue in the Shanghai area that enshrines the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha and has a history of more than 370 years. In 1997, initiated by the former President of the Songjiang Buddhist Association, Xingxiu, the first Buddhist nursing home in Shanghai was established on the basis of the ancient temple, named ‘Huacheng Nursing Home’. Dongchan Ancient Temple is located in Dongmen Village, Chedun Town, Songjiang District, Shanghai, situated in the urban-rural fringe of Songjiang Town. The ancient temple is surrounded by yellow walls and is very quiet. It was once one of the ‘Eight Temples Incense’ in Songjiang City. The eight temples are Puzhuo Temple, Chaoguo Temple, Guanghua Temple, Longmen Temple, Dongchan Temple, Xizan Temple, Nanchan Temple, and Beizan Temple.

**Itinerary 2: City – Huijing Town – Xujing Town – Zhaoxiang Town – Chonggu Town**
Distance: Approximately 60 kilometers round trip
Highlights: Outlets, Fuquan Mountain Site, Fahui Temple, Panlong Temple

Fuquan Mountain Site, located in the central part of Chonggu Town, Qingpu District. The name ‘mountain’ is actually a ‘mound’. The site, known as a ‘mountain’, is actually a small earthen mound, a 94-meter long, 74-meter wide, and 7.5-meter high platform tomb, where more than 150 tombs from different historical periods have been excavated, preserving the cultural heritage for 6000 years.
The most distinctive is Tomb No. 139. In this tomb pit, there is a situation of human sacrifice for burial. In the ancient tomb, there is a man buried in a straight position and a young woman buried in a flexed position. The woman was bound and buried as a funerary object. Many stone tools such as stone axes for burial and a large pottery vat were unearthed in the tomb pit. It preserves cultural superimposed relics from various periods since 6000 years ago. It contains rich relics of Majiabang culture, Songze culture, Liangzhu culture in the Neolithic Age and the remains of the Warring States Period. The archaeological community unanimously praises it as ‘the earthen pyramid in the east’, ‘the historical chronicle of ancient Shanghai’, ‘the birthplace of Shanghai’, etc. Fahui Nunnery is located### Panlong Nunnery and Cultural Itineraries

#### Itinerary 3: Cultural Exploration

**Distance:** About 60 kilometers round trip.

**Highlights:** Qingpu Museum, Songze Site.

***Qingpu Museum:*** This museum primarily showcases the developmental journey of the Qingpu area. It begins with the cultural relics from the Liangzhu culture site of ancient humans in the Shanghai area and traces the evolution through ancient and modern times. With nearly 10,000 collections, ceramics dominate the exhibits. A striking feature is the restored scene of an ancient wharf in the museum’s center, depicting ships, wharves, and shops from that era. The second floor hosts an array of stone bridge models from Qingpu and images illustrating the structure and principles of bridges across different periods, offering a fascinating insight.

***Songze Site:*** An ordinary village in Songze Village, Qingpu, is celebrated as ‘the source of Shanghai’, marking the beginning of Shanghai’s ancestral life. The Songze Site Museum’s main exhibition hall is divided into three parts: ‘Discovering the Songze Site’, ‘Entering the Songze Society’, and ‘Inheriting the Songze Heritage’.

#### Itinerary 4: West Bank Ferry and Ancient Towns

**Distance:** About 80 kilometers round trip.

**Highlights:** New Ferry Terminal on the West Bank, Xinchang Ancient Town, Zhaojialou.

***New Ferry Terminal on the West Bank:*** Known as the ‘most beautiful ferry terminal’ and ‘spaceship wharf with a runway’, this terminal is the only public facility on both banks of the Huangpu River that integrates ferry terminals, cruise terminals, and tourist services. It sets a new standard for the shipping quality of the Huangpu River and serves as a model for how ferry terminals can maximize landscape, publicity, and functionality.

***Xinchang Ancient Town:*** A short cycling journey from the West Bund Art Museum leads to this ancient town, offering a glimpse into authentic local cuisine, a countryside park, and a chance to end the day’s urban exploration under the setting sun. The town is divided into a tourist area, reminiscent of typical ancient town snack streets, and ordinary residences built in the style of the Republic of China period.

***Zhaojialou:*** Pujiang Town’s Zhaojialou is a newly constructed ancient town, featuring newly built archways, pavilions, corridors, bridges, and shops. It also preserves historical sites such as Li Geng Hall, Ning Jian Hall, and Zi Xun Hall, and honors historical figures like Qin Yubo and Ye Zongxing, showcasing the town’s rich historical heritage.

#### Trip 5: Baoshan Excursion

**Distance:** Approximately 80 kilometers round trip.

**Highlights:** Gongqing Forest Park, Baoshan Riverside Park, Songhu Anti-Japanese War Memorial.

***Songhu Anti-Japanese War Memorial:*** The Songhu Anti-Japanese War Memorial Park and the Songhu Anti-Japanese War Memorial form a ‘museum and garden combined’ and ‘culture and greenery integrated’ model. The memorial hall displays the historical facts of the two significant battles ‘January 28th’ and ‘August 13th’ Songhu Anti-Japanese War, as well as the 14-year war resistance history of the people of Shanghai. Its location is close to the Yangtze River and near Wusongkou, the former site of Baoshan County town and the main battlefield of the two Songhu Anti-Japanese Wars.

These cycling trips around the suburbs of Shanghai offer a deep dive into the city’s roots, history, and culture, providing great joy and satisfaction. The early mornings and cycling fatigue are well worth the exhilarating journey.

Cycling Chronicles – A Shanghai Suburban Adventure

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