Shaoxing: Canals, Bridges and Lu Xun

Shaoxing is a city of canals, rivers and bridges, whose waterscape is intertwined with the history of Lu Xun. This gives you two distinct themes to focus on as you plan your trip: the water town with its historic architecture and the literary heritage surrounding Lu Xun. When looking for a hotel in Shaoxing, you can use these themes to decide which side of the city you want to shape your trip most.

Waterways and Bridges in Shaoxing

Canals, the city moat, rivers and lakes have made Shaoxing a city of bridges. The old Shanyin Canal has been in use since the 5th century BC. The Huancheng River encircles the old town and is now mainly a tourist attraction. The two waterways thus represent different periods: the Shanyin Canal stands out for its long history of use, while the Huancheng River is notable for its role as an attraction today. Visitors can take a ride on a traditional boat with a black canopy on the Huancheng River to experience historic life in a water town. This offers a different perspective from viewing the residences and bridges in the historic district around Bazi Bridge: here, the focus is on a boat ride, while there it is on the built environment along the water.

The Historic District around Bazi Bridge

Traditional Qing Dynasty residences (1644–1911) line the waterway in the historic district around Bazi Bridge, connected by numerous old bridges. Bazi Bridge is the district’s oldest bridge and dates to the early 13th century. It stands at the confluence of three rivers and has four stairways leading in different directions. The information places two distinct periods side by side: the bridge dates to the early 13th century, while the residences belong to the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). This makes it possible to understand the historic setting through both a single structure and a group of dated houses.

The district has probably preserved an old water-town way of life and is among the historic sites associated with the Grand Canal from Beijing to Hangzhou being inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Lu Xun and Literary Sites

The Lu Xun Memorial Hall in Shaoxing includes Lu Xun’s former residence, the Baicaoyuan Garden, Sanwei School and an exhibition hall about Lu Xun’s life. The exhibition hall features artifacts, pictures, manuscripts and letters, as well as models, newspapers, publications, foreign-language editions and works of art associated with Lu Xun. Baicaoyuan lies behind his former residence. Originally, it was the vegetable garden of the Zhou family and also Lu Xun’s childhood paradise.

Lu Xun Native Place is a complex of restored buildings that includes the Zhou family’s residential courtyard, Lu Xun’s residence, the school he attended and a new museum. If you include the literary sites in your trip planning, you can focus on these different aspects: the residences and school provide a biographical context, while the displayed manuscripts, letters and other objects offer insight into the materials presented about Lu Xun.

Discover more destinations: Yiwu, Jinhua, Lishui, Zhoushan, Taizhou, Huzhou, Wenzhou, Ningbo

For the broader travel overview: Zhejiang.