Nanxun Water Town Tours

Established 750 years ago, the Nanxun Ancient Water Town developed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) into one of the richest towns in China. Silk was the product which brought enormous fortune to merchants in the town. With the arrival of the marine Silk Road, merchants not only did more and more business with westerners, but also learnt advanced science and ideas from their business partners.

Local merchants admired both Chinese and Western culture, so they decided to build their houses according to both Chinese and western styles. Fortunately, Nanxun survived countless wars and revolutions over the last 750 years, and it is better preserved than most other ancient water towns.

Unlike some other ancient water towns, Nanxun is still inhabited. Furthermore, it is free to visit the town after 17:00 each day. Although tourist attractions and most shops will be closed after 17:00, tourists can still take a stroll through the town and observe the local people’s life. In some respects, the authentic town only emerges after 17:00 anyway.

Highlights in Nanxun Ancient Town

Wedding Show on Water

There are at least 10 ferries engaged in the wedding on water. All are decorated with red flowers and ribbons, because the color red is an indispensable element of a Chinese wedding. The bride and groom stand on the first ferry, waving to tourists on the banks. Sometimes, they even invite tourists to hop on to their wedding ferry.

Architecture

The architecture in Nanxun Ancient Water Town exhibits a most fascinating mix of Chinese and Western styles. House exteriors are the same as those of traditional Chinese houses, but the interiors are decorated with exquisite bricks, stones, glass and wood carvings that can usually only be found in a Western building. These houses are a legacy of early communication between Chinese and Western people.

Xiaolianzhuang

When it was built in 1885, Xiaolianzhuang was a private garden. Its original owner was Liu Yong, one of the richest men in Nanxun’s history. It took Liu Yong and his descendants 40 years to finish the building project. The lotus flowers in the garden attract thousands of photographers every summer, when they are at their best. Teachers in the garden will help tourists make their own Chinese writing brushes and tourists can then try their hand at drawing the flowers, using their own brushes.

Block Printing in the Liu Family Compound

The original owner of the Liu Family Compound was Liu Ansheng, a rich merchant and government official in the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912 AD). The compound is a showpiece highlighting the special architecture in Nanxun. It is good fun and a memorable experience to learn block printing in the compound. Tourists can also learn their Chinese names during the block printing lesson.

Wedding Show on Water

Buses between Shanghai and Nanxun

From Shanghai to Nanxun

There are 40 buses to Nanxun every day, from 5 bus stations in Shanghai. Normally, it costs about 50 RMB and takes about 3 hours to go by bus from Shanghai to Nanxun. Please refer to the timetable below.

From Nanxun to Shanghai

There are 10 buses from Nanxun to Shanghai every day. They all depart from Nanxun Bus Station and arrive at Shanghai South Long-Distance Bus Station. The departure times are 7:20, 8:40, 10:20, 11:05, 12:20, 13:25, 13:55, 15:10, 16:40 and 17:50.

Please note that bus timetables may change without much notice. It is advisable to check up-to-date timetables at the bus stations.

Nanxun Travel Tips

• The pastries in Nanxun are must-eat.
• The Canhua Festival is celebrated between April 5th and 8th every year. The celebrations include a boat race, kungfu show and ritual dance.
• Although Nanxun Ancient Water Town only covers an area of 34 square kilometers, tourist attractions there are distributed widely, so tourists may want to spend two days covering all the highlights.
• There are lots of restaurants along the central river in Nanxun. They offer not only delicious food but also beautiful river views.