Celebrate '318 Qingpu Tourism Day' with water town spring feast

Enjoy the gentle beautiful melodies of piano and violin resonating in the air of Zhujiajiao Ancient Town. Breathe the fresh spring air and the vibrant greenery along Yuandang Lake in Jinze Town. Appreciate an art exhibition and immerse yourself in the fun of strawberry picking in Liantang Town.

On the annual "318 Qingpu Tourism Day," a cultural and tourism feast is being cooked up across the water towns of Shanghai's suburban Qingpu District this spring.

Zhujiajiao Ancient Town

Music is the theme of Zhujiajiao's activities. "A Drop from the Sky," produced by renowned composer and conductor Tan Dun, will be staged at the ancient town's Water Heavens from March 22.

The show is divided into four acts, with a total duration of approximately 63 minutes. Each act presents a dialogue between music and space in different forms. It is an artistic work that integrates architecture, music, nature, and Eastern philosophy.

Water flows from the river into the house, and the audience sits around a pool of water – that is the "Water Heavens."

Centered around the hall, the performance will create an immersive audiovisual feast through the cross-disciplinary interaction of water, architecture, and musical instruments.

Tan Dun's "Hero" series trio based on three martial arts movies, comprising the violin sonata "Hero," cello sonata "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and piano sonata "The Banquet," will be staged at the venue as well.

Venue: Shuiyue Hall of Zhujiajiao Ancient Town

Time: 7pm on March 22, April 5, 19, May 1, 3, June 1, 14 and July 5

Address: 3 Caogangtan, Xijing Street, Zhujiajiao Ancient Town 朱家角古镇西井街漕港滩3号

Admission: 80-580 yuan, on ticketing platforms, including Damai, Maoyan and Taopiaopiao

Jinze Ancient Town

Nature is the keyword of Jinze's spring fun. It's the right place for spring cycling.

In March, take a spring outing along the ecological lakeshore of Yuandang. Enjoy a healthy walk of three to five kilometers, where you can admire the pastoral scenery along the way, experience kite painting, create miniature plant landscapes, and plant dyeing. Spare time for a picnic and feel the rhythm of life most naturally.

In April, a flower festival will be held at the Jinze Art Center, which will immerse people in the poetic charm of spring in the water town.

You can appreciate classical dance, listen to traditional Chinese opera singing, experience the charm of hanfu (traditional Chinese attire), savor the aroma of spring tea, and participate in traditional craft-making to feel the infinite charm of Chinese culture.

Jinze Town is home to Dianshan Lake, Taipu River, and Yuandang Lake. In spring, Jinze is characterized by shimmering lake views, crisscrossing ancient bridges, and vibrant countryside flower fields that stretch far, making it a "paradise for cycling" – for which a route has been released – in suburban Shanghai.

You can choose to cycle a single section or explore the entire route, stretching about 20 kilometers.

Here are the route and tips:

Start from Lanlugang Port southeast of Dianshan Lake and between the big and small Lianhu lakes, then cycle along Taipu River and reach Jinze Ancient Town, after a rest in Jinze, you can continue the cycling trip along Yuandang Lake and end the trip at Dianshan Lake.

You can stop at Qingxi Country Park, Shanghai's only wetland country park, and Jinze Ancient Town, which is dotted with lakes and ponds, crisscrossed by rivers and tributaries and features a variety of old stone bridges with different styles that span four dynasties.

Liantang Ancient Town

Here is a blend of art and nature.

The Ke Art Museum, Shanghai's first rural art museum, is hosting the "Consciousness Zhi Ming Exhibition – Modern Art Painting" through May 5, featuring dozens of modern art pieces by Chinese painters.

The museum has been refurbished from idle factories. Its exterior design is highly characteristic of Jiangnan (regions to the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River) architecture, with gray and white as the main color tones. The museum is surrounded by canola flowers, turning into a golden carpet of flowers.

After the art tour, picking strawberries at Qingpu Modern Agriculture Park and Taibei Village is also a delightful experience to embrace nature. Strawberries grown in Qingpu are known for their succulent and sweet flavor.

Art-M, a culture and innovation industry park, is hosting hanfu garden parties, pet activities, and flower and flea markets every weekend through the whole of March.

Venue: Ke Art Museum

Address: 428 Jintian Road, Liantang Town 练塘镇金田路428号

Opening hours: 9am-4pm

Admission: Free

Art-M

Opening hours: 8:30am-8pm

Address: 39, Lane 6186 Zhufeng Highway 朱枫公路6186弄39号

Admission: Free