Songjiang 松江区 — The Ancient Root of Shanghai — History & Hills
Before there was Shanghai, there was Songjiang. Established as Huating County in 751 AD during the Tang Dynasty, Songjiang is the true historical heart of the Shanghai region — a prosperous county town that predates the city's existence by over a millennium. For most of its history, Shanghai was merely a small fishing village within Songjiang's jurisdiction.
Songjiang's geography gives it a character unlike any other Shanghai district. The low hills of Sheshan (佘山) rise from the flat Yangtze Delta plain, offering the area's only natural elevation. Ancient canals — the same waterways that once made Songjiang wealthy — thread through the district, while the Guangfulin archaeological site reveals a 5,000-year-old settlement that was one of the earliest urban centers in the region.
Today, Songjiang seamlessly blends its ancient heritage with modern culture. You can spend the morning in a 300-year-old classical garden, the afternoon walking through a British-style village, and the evening watching the sunset from atop Shanghai's only "mountain." It's also home to a major university cluster and the massive Thames Town creative district, giving the area a youthful, artistic energy alongside its historical gravitas.
Shanghai's oldest and most exquisite surviving classical garden, dating to 1644 — the founding year of the Qing Dynasty. The name "Drunken White Pool" comes from a poetic description by its creator, the scholar-official Gu Dashao, who felt the garden's beauty was intoxicating enough to rival the legendary gardens of ancient poets.
The garden's layout is a masterclass in classical Chinese landscape design. A central lotus pond is surrounded by pavilions, rockeries, and winding corridors that create the illusion of infinite depth in a relatively compact space. The "Yuyin Hall" (雨余堂) is particularly beautiful — its reflection in the pond inspired generations of Chinese painters. Ancient ginkgo and magnolia trees, some over 300 years old, provide shade and seasonal color.
The garden also houses a collection of stone steles with calligraphy by famous Song Dynasty scholars, including Su Shi and Mi Fu. In spring, the wisteria trellises bloom with cascading purple flowers; in autumn, the lotus leaves turn golden. Arrive at opening time (7 AM) to enjoy the garden at its most peaceful — local retirees practice calligraphy and play chess in the pavilions.
Hours: 7:00–17:00 (summer); 7:00–16:30 (winter)
Admission: ¥12
Shanghai's only natural hill and highest point, rising just 100 meters above the surrounding plains. While modest by any other city's standards, Sheshan has been a sacred site for centuries and today offers a peaceful escape from the urban flatlands. The park covers two main peaks — West Hill (西佘山, 97m) and East Hill (东佘山, 74m) — connected by walking trails through dense bamboo forests and ancient woodland.
The summit of West Hill is crowned by the Sheshan Basilica (佘山天主教堂), a stunning Catholic church built between 1925 and 1935 in a blend of Romanesque and Byzantine styles. The church's red-brick facade and twin spires are visible for miles. Next to it stands the Sheshan Observatory (佘山天文台), China's oldest working astronomical observatory, established in 1900 by French Jesuit missionaries. The observatory houses a historic telescope and an astronomy museum open to visitors.
The hiking trails through the forested slopes are shaded and pleasant year-round. In spring, wild azaleas bloom along the paths. The eastern peak has a Buddhist temple (佘山寺) with a giant bronze bell that can be rung for good luck. On clear days, the view from the top stretches across the entire Songjiang plain — proof that 100 meters makes a difference when the rest of the city is at sea level.
Hours: 8:00–16:30
Admission: West Hill ¥12; East Hill free
Cable car: ¥15 one-way (West Hill)
A full-scale replica of a traditional English market town, complete with a Gothic church, cobbled streets, Tudor-style half-timbered houses, red telephone boxes, and a riverside promenade that mirrors the Thames. Built in 2006 as part of Shanghai's "One City, Nine Towns" urban planning initiative, Thames Town has become one of the city's most photographed — and debated — attractions.
The town covers 1 square kilometer and is remarkably faithful to its inspiration. The Christ Church (designed after a real church in Bristol) is the centerpiece, surrounded by a clock tower, a pub-style restaurant, and rows of townhouses with rose gardens. The contrast with surrounding Shanghai is surreal — it genuinely feels like you've been teleported to a Cotswolds village.
Thames Town is hugely popular for wedding photography (you'll see dozens of couples in wedding gowns on any weekend), and its quiet streets make it a pleasant place for a leisurely stroll. The town has evolved into a creative hub: it's home to the Songjiang Cultural Center, independent bookshops, art galleries, and several excellent cafes. The famous Zhongshuge bookstore (钟书阁) here is one of Shanghai's most visually stunning bookshops, with mirrored ceilings creating an infinite library effect.
Hours: Open 24 hours
Admission: Free
One of China's largest outdoor film studios, covering over 430,000 m² with meticulously recreated streetscapes from 1920s–1930s Shanghai. The park has served as the filming location for dozens of major Chinese movies and TV dramas, and walking through its streets feels like stepping into a time machine.
The main street recreates Nanjing Road as it appeared in the Republican era, complete with electric trams that run on actual tracks, rickshaw pullers in period costume, and Art Deco shopfronts. Side streets feature a French Concession-style district with plane trees and colonial buildings, a traditional water town set, and a railway station replica. Costumes are available for rental (¥50–100) so you can dress in 1930s attire and take period-themed photos.
If you're lucky, you might catch a live film shoot — the park is actively used for production. Regular live performances include 1930s-style cabaret shows, street performances, and stunt demonstrations. The park is huge; plan at least 3–4 hours for a thorough visit. A vintage tram ride around the park is included in the ticket.
Hours: 8:30–16:30 (last entry 15:30)
Admission: ¥80 (includes tram ride); costume rental extra
A beautifully designed modern garden (1978) by Chinese architecture master Feng Jizhong, built around the Xingshengjiao Temple Pagoda — a square-based Song Dynasty pagoda from 1068 that is one of the oldest surviving structures in Shanghai. Despite its age, the pagoda leans slightly (similar to the Leaning Tower of Pisa), adding to its character.
The garden's design is a masterwork of spatial composition. Feng Jizhong used traditional elements — moon gates, bamboo groves, stone pathways, and a reflecting pool — in a contemporary layout that feels both ancient and modern at the same time. The park's most photographed feature is the magnificent Ming Dynasty stone screen wall (照壁), carved with mythical beasts representing greed — one of the finest examples of stone carving in the Shanghai area.
The garden is never crowded and offers a meditative quality that's increasingly rare in Shanghai. In autumn, the ginkgo trees lining the central axis turn brilliant gold, framing the ancient pagoda in a scene that has become a classic Songjiang postcard image.
Hours: 6:00–17:00
Admission: Free
A stunning archaeological site and cultural park built around the remains of a 5,000-year-old settlement discovered in 1958. The Guangfulin culture represents a unique chapter in Shanghai's prehistory — the site has yielded pottery, jade artifacts, and architectural remains that predate the better-known Songze culture.
The park's architecture is its most striking feature: three museum buildings are partially submerged in an artificial lake, with only their dramatic sloped rooftops visible above the water surface — a design that symbolizes the site's buried archaeological layers. Inside, exhibitions cover the excavations, ancient daily life, and the process of archaeological discovery. The floating design creates beautiful reflections and has made the park one of Shanghai's most Instagrammable destinations.
Above ground, the park includes reconstructed traditional buildings, a tea culture museum, a pottery workshop where you can try making your own ceramics, and extensive walking paths through landscaped gardens. The underwater museum experience is genuinely unique — walking through exhibits while knowing there's water above your head adds an otherworldly atmosphere.
Hours: 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:00)
Admission: ¥40 (partial); free areas available
The historic heart of Songjiang's old town, where the district's 1,250-year history is most tangibly felt. The area around Zuibai Pond Garden preserves a grid of narrow lanes with Ming-Qing era buildings, old wells, and stone-paved courtyards. The Middle Street (中山东路) still has traditional shopfronts selling local snacks, calligraphy supplies, and antiques.
The Songjiang Mosque (松江清真寺), built in the Yuan Dynasty (1341), is one of China's oldest Islamic buildings and features a remarkable blend of Chinese and Arabic architectural styles. Nearby, the Xilin Zen Temple (西林禅寺) with its towering Ming Dynasty pagoda is an active Buddhist site with regular ceremonies.
Hours: Open 24 hours (residential/commercial area)
Admission: Free to walk; individual temples may charge ¥5–10