Explore Zhejiang's Most Low-Key and Pristine Ancient Town! 1700 Years of Luzhong Open for Free!

1. Why Choose Luzhong? Obscure ≠ Boring! 1. A Timeless Specimen of Jiangnan Zero commercialization: No milk tea shops, trendy snacks, or repetitive pop songs—only bluestone paths, weathered wooden doors, riverside pavilions, and cats and dogs napping under eaves. Authentic living scenes: Elderly ladies eating on steps, bamboo poles hanging old-fashioned clothes hangers, residents washing clothes by the river—this is not a tourist set, but a living ancient town. 2. Hidden Historical Riches 1700 years of history: During the Three Kingdoms period, Eastern Wu general Lu Xun once stationed troops here. In the Tang Dynasty, the town was named "Luzhongmao" after the Lu, Zhong, and Mao families who provided disaster relief, later evolving into Luzhong. A condensed open-air museum: Within just 0.3 square kilometers, scattered are over ten historic sites including the former residence of Song Dynasty female poet Zhu Shuzhen, the Ming Dynasty Zhang Zixiang Residence, the Qing Dynasty Deyi Bridge (with pillars inscribed "Built in the 12th year of Yongle, Ming Dynasty"), and the ancestral home of Qian Juntao. 2. Super Detailed Itinerary: 1-2 Day Immersion Guide 🔥 Essential One-Day Tour (for time-tight visitors) • Morning: Enter the town through the main gate → Huichang Hall (Ming Dynasty carved gate tower) → Zhang Zixiang Residence (feel the warmth of Ming Dynasty wooden pillars) → Qian Juntao Ancestral Home (a must-see for art lovers) • Afternoon: Drink coarse tea at Tingxi Teahouse (5 RMB/cup) → Photograph reflections at Deyi Bridge → Visit riverside stilted houses at Shuige House → Read "Broken Heart Collection" at Zhu Shuzhen’s former residence • Evening: Walk 10 minutes to Zhongji Zen Temple! The colorful ridge decorations featuring Tang monk and disciples statues are rare nationwide; sunset golden light on the Buddha statues looks like a divine miracle. 🚣 In-Depth Two-Day Tour (Recommended! Unlock hidden experiences) • Day 1: Ancient town core + Zhongji Zen Temple → Overnight at rice field RV campsite (fall asleep under starlight, wake up to misty rice fields) • Day 2: Cycle along the 100-li Qiantang Greenbelt (12 km ginkgo avenue + cherry blossom forest) → Explore Jianshan Windmill Road (20 white windmills + purple flower sea, a Japanese-style photo hotspot) 3. Local-Only Food Guide Dining options in the ancient town are scarce, but nearby treasure old shops await: •🍡 Xieqiao Flavor (formerly "Luzhong Flavor"): Owner Zhuang Yimin has specialized in local cuisine for 20 years Handmade fish balls: 300 freshly made daily, using only silver carp tails + salt + water, springy like ping pong balls! Average 30 RMB per person Seasonal Special • Xieqiao Australian Lobster (mid-August to mid-November): five cooking styles including cooked, drunken, and thirteen-spice; 60 jin sold on weekends! Intangible Cultural Heritage Jar Meat: "Xiashi Jar Meat" praised by Su Dongpo, fatty but not greasy, perfect with rice •🍵 Breakfast must-try: Grandma’s Songhua Cake from the old street pushcart (5 RMB/box), glutinous rice balls coated with pine pollen, sweet but not greasy 4. Accommodation and Transportation: Key Tips to Avoid Pitfalls! •🏨 Accommodation Choices Luxury: Yanguan Kaiyuan Guantang (ancient house renovation + VIP tide-watching seat = 600-900 RMB) Best value: Haining Paris Hotel (city center + smart home + free late-night snack = 200 RMB/person) Trendy experience: Daqikou RV campsite (fall asleep to the sound of Qiantang River tides = 300-500 RMB) •🚗 Transportation Tips Self-driving navigation: From Hangzhou/Shanghai, set destination to "Luzhong Main Street," 1-1.5 hours direct, free parking Bus: Haining Route 11 to "Luzhong Station," then 5-minute walk into town (infrequent service, check schedule) Avoid: Leather City "free shuttle" is actually a shopping tour; use the "Haining Travel" mini-program for reliable taxis! 5. Photo Tips: Revealing Hidden Spots • Morning mist wonderland: 6:00-7:00 at Deyi Bridge, thin mist over water, bridge arches reflecting like full moons • Cultural documentary: Elderly on bamboo chairs outside Tingxi Teahouse, light and shadow on carved window frames at Zhu Shuzhen’s former residence • Magical architecture: Tang monk and disciples statues on colorful ridge of Zhongji Zen Temple (unique nationwide!) • Panoramic high ground: Under the high-voltage tower beside rice fields outside the town, shoot down on blue-tiled clusters intertwined with golden rice waves 6. Pitfall Avoidance and Budget Checklist •⚠️ Pitfall Guide 1. Few dining options! Bring snacks and water; for meals, go to Xieqiao Town (8-minute drive) 2. Wear non-slip shoes! Bluestone paths have many gaps and are easy to twist ankles 3. Respect residents: Most old houses are private; ask permission before photographing 💰 2 Days 1 Night Budget Reference (2 people traveling) Transportation: 200 RMB [self-driving fuel] (round trip from Hangzhou) Accommodation: 400 RMB (Paris Hotel double room) Meals: 300 RMB (including Xieqiao Flavor signature fish balls + Australian lobster) Others: 50 RMB (tea + snacks) Total: about 950 RMB (475 RMB per person, best value king!) 7. Pre-Trip Must-Know Preparations • Check tides: If going to 100-li Qiantang, search WeChat for "Qiantang River Tide Forecast" • Gear: Mosquito repellent (many mosquitoes in water towns), telephoto lens (for architectural details), folding stool (rest while waiting for light and shadow) • Mindset: Accept its decay—peeling wooden doors, mottled brick walls, overgrown courtyards—this "imperfection" creates the truest Jiangnan. While all ancient towns sell coffee and milk tea, only Luzhong still dries clothes and feeds ducks. The 58-year-old teahouse owner smiles and says, "I'm the youngest person in town!" In Luzhong’s afternoon, only the sound of the breeze passing through old houses breaks the silence. When Wuzhen limits visitors due to crowding, on these stone paths, your shadow is the only passerby. While it remains "Zhejiang’s last uncommercialized ancient town," bring this guide and listen to how the 1700-year-old wind blows past the stone lions at the head of Deyi Bridge.