The Root of Shanghai ‖ Gu Huating Citywalk Day Trip

[Shrine] Songjiang, formerly known as Gu Huating, is the earliest core area of human activity and the birthplace of culture in Shanghai. It is known as the root of Shanghai. Historically, there was first Songjiang Prefecture, then Greater Shanghai. [Shrine] Take a day trip to the central area of the former Gu Huating to experience the historical and cultural heritage and the new look of the city at the root of Shanghai. [Shrine] Songjiang Fangta Park and Drunk Bai Chi, two of Shanghai's five major classical gardens, are located in the central area of Gu Huating and are the main check-in points for a day trip to Gu Huating Citywalk. In addition, the following check-in points in the area are recommended: Yunjian Granary, Songjiang No. 2 Middle School, and Wazi Xin Nong. 📝 Gu Huating Citywalk Route Suggestions: In the morning, take Metro Line 9 to Zui Bai Chi Station. The first stop is Zui Bai Chi Park ➡️ Yunjian Granary ➡️ Fangta Park, enter from the east gate and exit from the north gate ➡️ Songjiang No. 2 Middle School ➡️ Wazi Xin Nong. See the route map in Figures [One] [Nine] for details. [One] Zui Bai Chi Park ✔️ Zui Bai Chi is the oldest of Shanghai's five major classical gardens, with a history of more than 900 years. It was formerly the private residence and garden "Guyang Garden" of Zhu Zhichun, a Jinshi from Songjiang in the Northern Song Dynasty. Dong Qichang, a calligrapher and painter of the Ming Dynasty, once wrote and painted here. During the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, Gu Dashen, a director of the Ministry of Works, expanded and named it "Zui Bai Chi" in imitation of Han Qi of the Song Dynasty's admiration for Bai Juyi, and it has been used to this day. ✔️ Zui Bai Chi retains the typical Ming and Qing Jiangnan garden style, with a pool of water as the center, surrounded by winding corridors and pavilions, forming a four-season landscape of "visiting peonies in spring, watching lotus flowers in summer, admiring chrysanthemums in autumn, and admiring plum blossoms in winter." ✔️ There are also historical and cultural buildings in the park, such as Chishang Cottage, Xuehai Hall, Carved Flower Hall, and Dong Qichang Museum. It preserves artistic treasures such as Zhao Mengfu's stone carvings of "Former and Later Chibi Fu" from the Yuan Dynasty, and the stele carvings of "Yunjian Bangyan Portraits" from the Qing Dynasty, as well as precious plants such as century-old peonies and ancient ginkgo trees. [Two] Fangta Park ✔️ The site of Fangta Park was originally the Xingshengjiao Temple, which was built in the second year of Qianyou (949) in the Later Han Dynasty of the Five Dynasties. The Xingshengjiao Temple Pagoda in the temple, commonly known as Fangta because the plane of the tower is square, is a pavilion-style brick and wood structure and is a rare representative of ancient Song Dynasty wooden towers in the Jiangnan area. ✔️ During the wars of the past dynasties, the Xingshengjiao Temple was completely destroyed, and only the Fangta survived. In the 1970s, Fangta Park was built around the Fangta, and many historical buildings in the Songjiang area were moved to the park, making Fangta Park a landscape gathering the history and culture of Songjiang. ✔️ In addition to the Fangta, there are many cultural and natural landscapes in the park, such as the brick carving screen wall of the Ming Dynasty, the Tianfei Palace, and the Riyue Lake, which are worth visiting. [Three] Yunjian Granary ✔️ A cultural and creative park transformed from a historical grain storage area, with cultural and sports venues such as the Yunjian Art Museum and Locke Park. There are also restaurants such as Gu Cang and Night Shanghai, as well as accommodation such as Manxin Hotel to choose from. ✔️ After leaving Zui Bai Chi, you can take a break in Yunjian Granary, drink some coffee, have lunch, replenish your energy, and then go to the east gate of Fangta Park to enter the park. [Four] Songjiang No. 2 Middle School ✔️ A century-old famous school that has cultivated many outstanding talents. Its school gate was built in the Song Dynasty and is known as the "First Building in Yunjian". It was originally the watchtower of the Songjiang Prefecture Office and was named the "Tallest Building in Songjiang" during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. ✔️ After exiting from the north gate of Fangta Park, Songjiang No. 2 Middle School is on the opposite side of your left hand. [Five] Wazi Xin Nong ✔️ From the gate of Songjiang No. 2 Middle School, go west, turn right at Tongbotang Bridge, walk along the riverside landscape trail, and you will reach Wazi Nong. ✔️ In the past, more than 100 sock shops were opened in Wazi Nong, selling summer socks processed with Songjiang's famous Youdun cloth, which were very popular and became a sock street distributed to various places. This former prosperity is an epitome of Huang Daopo's promotion of the prosperity and development of the Songjiang textile industry. ✔️ Today's Wazi Nong has been transformed into the Wazi Xin Nong Cultural and Creative Park, which has become a multi-functional leisure and entertainment place for dining and vacation. Restaurants such as Zheli's Taste are worth a try. After a full meal, head home. 📍 Detailed address: Zui Bai Chi Park: No. 64, Renmin South Road Fangta Park East Gate: Fangta South Road, North Gate: No. 235, Zhongshan East Road Yunjian Granary: No. 327, Songhui East Road Songjiang No. 2 Middle School: No. 250, Zhongshan East Road Wazi Xin Nong: No. 32, Wazi Nong