Qibao Ancient Town – A Water Town Near Shanghai
Think Shanghai, think bustle and chaos. But then, these thoughts get topsy-turvy when you move just 18 km southwest from downtown Shanghai. And you reach Qibao, an ancient town that still lives in a time warp. A water town where you move about on foot, and in boats. Read on and discover Qibao.
Qibao in Chinese means seven treasures. A legend that there were seven treasures around the area gave Qibao its name. These were a gold lotus scripture, a magic tree, a big bell, a Buddha statue, a gold rooster, jade chopsticks, and a jade axe. Legend apart, history shows only four of them existed in reality – the gold lotus scripture, the big bell, magic tree, and the gold rooster, of which only two have survived – the scripture, and the bell.
In Qibao
Qibao is a 2-sq km town and two water lanes cross it. Well preserved traditional houses, gardens, temples, shops, and eateries line these lanes. The water lanes and these traditional houses lend a vintage character to the place. Most of old Shanghai was like this. While the megapolis transformed into a glitzy behemoth, Qibao stayed with its roots.
The traditional restaurants along the water lane serve tasty, authentic fare that is loved by the gourmands. Old shops that rub shoulders with these eateries sell art, crafts, antiques, and calligraphy. The same street also has some fine tea houses and a shadow-play opera theatre.
The lane is from the times of the Song Dynasty, while the temples, shops, gardens, pavilions, and some houses date back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties era.
Qibao ladies creating tempting artefacts 
Inside a temple 
Another temple in Qibao 
Religion in red
What to do in Qibao
Soak in the period feel of Qibao as you walk along the water lanes. Each shop oozes attractive artefacts. You can step inside to see how these craftsmen create their merchandise. The calligraphy shops write your name in Chinese for a nominal amount. The colourful silk scarves with traditional Chinese print, conical straw hats, hand-painted pottery and Chinese fans, and delicate carvings tempt you to shop.
Another attraction there is the cricket fight. Being a responsible traveller, I avoided it, but it is a big draw amongst the visitors. But the top draw here is a boat ride in those water lanes. Even when in a boat, hawker boats would still tempt you with their wares.
The visitors to Shanghai must-visit Qibao, if for nothing else, just to slow down the frenetic pace Shanghai sets.
