Shaoxing
Shaoxing (绍兴) is a city in Zhejiang, near Shanghai and Hangzhou, famous for its traditional Chinese bridges, boats, architectures, yellow wine and a huge number of textile and cloth factories and production.
Get in
By plane
The fastest way to get there is by plane, stop in Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH IATA), then take a bus or cab to get into downtown, no more than 20 km away from the airport.
By bus
The easiest way to get into Shaoxing is by bus, almost every city in Zhejiang will have transportation to Shaoxing.
Get around
The downtown is very clean, and very nice to walk around to feel the perfect combination of modern and ancient Chinese culture
See
Fishermen in this town used to use cormorants (鸬鹚) for fishing, but nowadays the town only has the birds on special occasions. Call the travel association ahead of time to ask before coming here to look for birds.
- 1 Lu Xun's Hometown Tourism Precinct (鲁迅故里景区), 241 Luxun Zhong Lu, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing (绍兴市越城区鲁迅中路241号). An assortment of buildings associated with Lu Xun, a famous early 20th century Chinese writer. free.
- 2 Shen's Garden (沈园), 318 Luxun Zhong Lu, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing (绍兴市越城区鲁迅中路318号).
- 3 Bazi Bridge (八字桥). free.
- 4 Yangshan Stone Buddha (羊山石佛). Stone Buddha Grottoes peaks, one for the southern four stone Buddhas. Buddha, 10 meters high, the left knee fall to be shaking hands with visitors, this attitude is rare in China. Yangshan foot of the lake has Shifosi, Temple, surrounded by water on both sides of solitary backers.
- 5 The Orchid Pavilion (兰亭/Lanting), foothills of Lancome, 13 km southwest, nshen0807@gmail.com. 08:00-17:00. Lanting is a famous calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. According to legend, he once worked here to plant orchids; he set up a pavilion, hence the name Lanting. The site was built in the 27th year of Ming Jiajing (AD 1548) when the county was rebuilt by Shen Qi. It was restored to the style of Ming and Qing gardens in 1980. ¥80.
- 6 Shaoxing Museum (绍兴博物馆), 75 Pianmen Street, Yuecheng District (越城区偏门直街75号) (bus routes 6, 6A, 18, 23, 28, 52, 177, 177a, 302 and 1001), ☏ +86 575 85096361, sxmuseum@163.com. 09:00-16:30, no entry after 16:00, closed on Mondays. Free.
The county-level city of Shengzhou (嵊州 Shèngzhōu), which falls under the jurisdiction of Shaoxing, is the birthplace of Yue opera (越剧 yuèjù), the second most popular genre of Chinese opera after Beijing opera.
Do
- 7 Shaoxing Downtown Theatre (center of the downtown). all day. Shaoxing Grand Theater organizes more than 100 performances every year. It has successfully received and held the 6th World Chorus Festival, the 7th China Art Festival, the Opening (closing) Show of China Yue Opera Art Festival, the 21st Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival and other major performances. Shaoxing Grand Theater has become a window for cultural exchanges between Shaoxing and the rest of the world. free.
Buy
There are many shopping malls in the downtown area, here recommended some:
- Lotus - in the north west of the downtown, a Thai cooperation's shopping center, offering variety of daily products with comprehensive prices.
- Trust-Mart - in the middle of the downtown, right beneath the center square underground, easy transportation.
- Buxing Road- in the south of the downtown, famous for its traditional Chinese small products like stamps, old money, pets and small hand made gifts.
Eat
Drink
- Yellow Wine
Sleep
- Home Inn ShaoXing MoEr (Inside Mole Modern town in the northern west downtown).
- Shaoxing Hotel, Huanshan Rd No.9, ☏ +86 575-5155888. €38-€136.
- Xianheng Hotel, Jiefang South Rd No.680.
- Shaoxing International Hotel, Fushan West Rd No.100.
- Shaoxing Native Place Youth Hostel (绍兴鲁迅故里国际青年旅舍), 鲁迅故里内新建南路558号（鲁迅故里西大门口即咸亨酒店旁边）, ☏ +86 575-85080288, sxluxunguli@163.com. Decent youth hostel in a nice old building with a lovely courtyard. Located a few minutes walk away from the Lu Xun attractions in a nice old street. Dormitories for around ¥50, privates from around ¥138.
Go next
Qianqing (钱清) A small town not far away from downtown Shaoxing, bus 613 will get you there directly, and it is famous for its cheap textile and cloth materials with nice quality.