Drive to Shaoxing, Pilgrimage to the Zhejiang Version of ‘Potala Palace’

Travel: A Spiritual Journey and Lifestyle Mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas—the world is a canvas[...]

Travel: A Spiritual Journey and Lifestyle

Mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas—the world is a canvas for our passion. Travel is not just a way of life, but a spiritual practice that enriches our souls.

The Essence of Travel: Self-Driving Tours

Currently, self-driving tours have become an essential method for exploring the world. The freedom to drive out, pause, absorb the scenery, and then move on embodies the true essence of travel. It’s about the journey, not the destination.

Shaoxing: A Dreamy Water Town

Everyone harbors an ancient town sentiment, envisioning the flowing rivers of southern China and the misty rain. For the ‘poetic and picturesque water town’ of dreams, Shaoxing in Zhejiang stands out. This city, with its Jiangnan water town characteristics, is also the birthplace of Mr. Lu Xun. Shaoxing is renowned for its water town, bridge town, fish and rice town, and calligraphy town. For a taste of the poetic and picturesque Zhejiang, embark on a self-driving tour to Shaoxing, where one can stop and start at will. Discover the charm of Shaoxing’s people, who have grown up with yellow wine, and savor the sweet osmanthus scent that pervades the city. Visit the Zhejiang version of ‘Potala Palace’ and experience the diverse flavors of Shaoxing today.

Anchang Ancient Town: A Taste of Jiangnan

Anchang Ancient Town, rich in the human smoke of the world, is one of Shaoxing’s four ancient towns. Though not globally renowned, it holds a special place in the hearts of Jiangnan’s people. This town of water and clothes is simple and elegant, with a bridge connecting two streets, linking a thousand-year-old ancient town. The houses on either side of the river maintain a simple and mellow atmosphere, untouched by excessive commercialization. This is the Shaoxing described by Mr. Lu Xun.

In Anchang Ancient Town, the aroma of wine fills the air, and every household hangs cured meat at their doorstep. The New Year flavor is particularly strong in the twelfth lunar month. The town is also known for its sugar pulling, a sight that depends on luck. The streets are full of life, with pickles and yellow wine, and the sound of oars and the shadow of lights. Take a black awning boat in the autumn wind, listen to the water’s sound, and observe this original ancient town in the water, which has a unique charm.

Culinary Delights of Shaoxing

Embark on a food journey in Anchang Ancient Town. Sample Anchang printed cake, soft printed cake, with a variety of flavors, especially sweet and delicious. A must-try is the yellow wine popsicle, with a faint fragrance of yellow wine and glutinous rice grains for a delightful taste. Don’t miss the master wonton, a hot wonton with a delicious taste, from an old shop in Anchang Ancient Town that has been making wontons since the Qing Dynasty. The quail at ten yuan for three is also a unique feature of the ancient town. Savor the mellow beauty of cured meat and enjoy a pot of tea at a small tea stall by the river, watching the people and boats come and go.

Exploring Anchang Ancient Town

Visit Anchang Ancient Town to experience the full human smoke of a Jiangnan water town, the hometown of the master, and see the residence of the ancient ‘lawyer’. Explore Renchang Sauce Garden to taste the flavor of Shaoxing. Take a look at Suikang Qian Zhuang to taste the history of the prosperous development of the ancient ‘bank’. Slowly savor the past of the ancient town and witness the long years of the world.

Anchang Ancient Town Details

– Opening hours: All day
– Ticket: Free (excluding small attractions inside)
– Address: Northwest corner of Anhuai North Road and Huanzhen South Road intersection, Keqiao District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province

Daxianglin Scenic Area: A Refreshing ‘Fragrant’ Experience

The Daxianglin Scenic Area in Shaoxing is known as ’empty mountain Buddhist sound’, with the water flowing and the trees heavy, creating a true portrayal of Daxianglin’s scenery. The area consists of a temple, a palace, and a forest, offering a refreshing ‘fragrant’ taste. The temple is Longhua Temple, the palace is Doushuai Tian Palace, and the forest is an osmanthus forest.

Longhua Temple, situated on a corner of Kuaiji Mountain, is a magnificent sight. The symmetrical layout of the temple gives it a solemn appearance. From a high vantage point, Longhua Temple sits at the corner of a mountain peak, majestic and echoing with Putuoshan. The temple, built on the mountain, covers an area of over Because the Wei Tuo Tianzun and the reclining Buddha statue are both sacred and spectacular, many pilgrims are attracted. West has Potala, east has Doushuai Tian. A lifetime must go to Doushuai Tian Palace, also known as the Zhejiang version of ‘Potala Palace’. Because you want to go to the sacred Doushuai Tian Palace in front of the palace, you must first climb 138 almost vertical steps, and then you need to go around the winding corridor and go up to see the statue. Every step is a practice of the heart, and it is also a practice. Doushuai Tian Palace is behind Longhua Temple, separated from Longhua Temple by a valley. There is a green lake in the valley, like a jade left in the mountains, which is beautiful. The holy palace stands on the top of the mountain, and climbing up and down the steps shows the sincerity of the people praying. There is a golden Buddha in the palace, and there are a pair of Buddha footprints on the top of the palace, symbolizing the boundlessness of the Buddha.

Doushuai Tian Palace
Opening hours: All year round 08:30-16:30; it is recommended to enter the park as late as 15:30
Ticket: Adult ticket 40 yuan per person
Address: Doushuai Tian Scenic Area, Houtang Street, Keqiao District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province. Doushuai Tian Scenic Area

Daxianglin Scenic Area is famous for ‘fragrance’, with osmanthus fragrance, incense fragrance, fruit fragrance, and ancient fragrance of the people’s residences, which can be called four unique. After the pilgrimage to Longhua Temple and the worship of Doushuai Tian Palace, you might as well walk through the osmanthus forest in the forest area, bathe in the fragrance of the golden osmanthus sea in autumn, and enjoy the Daxianglin Scenic Area. The park is beautiful, the air is fresh, and there are ancient osmanthus tree communities planted in the Song Dynasty, which are vast and continue for several miles, known as the ‘largest ancient osmanthus group in China’. In addition to the common golden osmanthus and red osmanthus, there is also a thousand-year-old osmanthus tree, known as ‘the king of Chinese osmanthus’. Enjoying it, you can feel at ease.

Eating in Shaoxing, the flavor of Zhejiang in hundreds of counties and thousands of bowls. Walk into the current popular Keqiao Ancient Town, step into Lu Yue Mingjia, taste ‘Keqiao Ten Bowls’, and enjoy the satisfaction of taste buds. This is an ancient Shaoxing food shop, and when you go to the second floor of the shop, you can see the scenery as soon as you push the window. Facing the afterglow of the sunset, watching the ancient street with the tide of people as the night falls, tasting the taste of Shaoxing, isn’t it beautiful? A bowl of colorful Shao San Xian tells the colorful life of Shaoxing people, rich in ingredients, delicious in taste, and variable in taste buds. An old Shaoxing crisp fish, with a crispy texture, highlights the ancient food culture of Shaoxing. In addition, dried vegetable braised pork, Shaoxing stinky tofu, and old bottom sauce fragrant old duck are also very characteristic of Shaoxing. Coming to Shaoxing, eating in Shaoxing, the flavor of Zhejiang in hundreds of counties and thousands of bowls, it is worth trying.

Lu Yue Mingjia. Shaoxing Cuisine (Keqiao Ancient Town Store)
Opening hours: 10:30 to 9:30
Address: Next to Wu Yue Apartment, Yucai Road, Keqiao District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province

Recommended self-driving tour: In the morning, drive to Anchang Ancient Town for sightseeing, have a hundred-year-old wonton for lunch, go to Daxianglin Scenic Area for sightseeing in the afternoon, and taste ‘hundreds of counties and thousands of bowls’ at Lu Yue Mingjia in Keqiao Ancient Town in the evening, while enjoying the night view of Keqiao Ancient Town.