Nanxiang

Introduction to Nanxiang Old Water Town
Nanxiang, formerly named Cuoxi, was built in 505 (Liang Tianjian Year 4).It now has a history of nearly 1500 years.It’s a business center from old times and was known as Silver Nanxiang. In 1991, it was listed as one of the four famous historical and cultural towns in Shanghai.

History of Nanxiang Old Water Town
In the early Ming Dynasty, Nanxiang Town is the richest town near Shanghai. This town is famous for its weave industry. So, many silk businessmen who were from all over China came here for doing their business. After hundreds years development, the town becomes rich and strong. There are two main markets, the North and the South, in this small and ancient town. The northern one was famous for silk and cloth, while the southern one was famous for rice, horsebean and bamboo.

The lush greenery and the sleepy willows may provide a respite for escaping from the hustle and bustle of the noisy narrow lanes of Nanxiang. Nevertheless, despite the garden’s external and internal features not making it appear it to be as outstanding as one would hope for, it’s the garden’s historical connection to the city that is more to be cherished. There are plenty of relics on display that have stayed untouched since the Ming Dynasty days, and that’s the part that really makes this place sell like hot cakes.

Main Attractions of Nanxiang Old Water Town 

Yunxiang Temple 
Originally named Nanxiang Temple or Liuyun Temple, its construction started in the fourth year of Tianjian reign of the Liang of the Southern Dynasty (505). During the Kaicheng reign of the Tang Dynasty, the land area of the temple was expanded to 12 hectares and it had more than 700 monks. A poem by an ancient sings praises of the temple: Nanxiang has a time-honored ritual place, its architecture and pagodas are the best of all. In the 39th year of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1700), it was renamed Yunxiang Temple because of a horizontal plate inscribed by Emperor Kangxi and became known far and wide. But the time-honored temple was destroyed in a fire later, and the twin pagodas, the stone pillars inscribed with Buddhist scriptures and stone tower, now relocated to the Guyi Garden, were the only remnants.

Guyi Garden
She is one of the oldest gardens in Shanghai and she is a well-known Chinese classic garden in the southeast of China. The five main features of Guyi Garden are stretches of bamboo forest, winding brooks, ancient buildings, couplets written on scrolls and artistic pavements.Guyi Garden has all the components of classic Chinese gardens such as the pavilions, the ponds, the twisted brooks and the artistic shaded paths. The garden has all the attributes of gardens of the Ming Dynasty, pretty, delicate, elegant and simple. Some valuable cultural relics such as the stone pillar inscribed with Buddhist scriptures from the Tang Dynasty and the pagoda built in the Song Dynasty are well preserved in the garden.

Special Food
Juicy little morsels of pork or crab roe surround by a succulent soup and encased in a paper thin skin, the famous Xiao Long Bao beloved by so many of us can be found all over Shanghai -- ask where the best ones are at, and the answer invariably is Nanxiang Mantou Dian (Nanxiang Bun Shop) in the heart of Yu Yuan.

Information
Opening time: 8:00 - 17:00
Admission Fee:Guyi Garden: CNY 12 
Yunxiang Temple: CNY  8 

Transportation
Bus Routes: Take Metro Line 11,beijia Line get off Nanxiang Station
Address: Northwestern suburbs of Jiading District in Shanghai Nanxiang Town