Zhujiajiao Ancient Town hosted culture season to 28 October

Zhujiajiao Ancient Town (Zhujiajiao) in Shanghai hosted its Jiangnan culture season from 28 September to 28 October 2026, bringing traditional performances and water-town heritage into the historic district.

The programme made the ancient town itself the venue, rather than treating it as a backdrop to a city-wide festival. It gave visitors a recent example of how Qingpu presents its canal settlement through live cultural activity.

Jiangnan culture season ran through 28 October

The Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism listed the Jiangnan culture season among the 2026 Shanghai Tourism Festival programme. Its official listing placed the season at Zhujiajiao Ancient Town in Qingpu district from 28 September to 28 October 2026.

The programme used scenes inspired by Tang Dynasty poetry, street performances and displays of water-town heritage. A separate Qingpu government account described the activity as an immersive cultural season built around Kunqu opera and hanfu experiences, with traditional opera presented as an open-air performance. The official programme listing gives the dates and venue, while the Qingpu festival report records the performance format.

Waterways and bridges shaped the cultural setting

The programme’s focus on live opera and traditional dress matched the physical character of the settlement. Canals cross the old town, while streets and historic buildings form a compact setting for performances and displays of local heritage.

Fangsheng Bridge is one of the defining structures. The operator states that the five-arch stone bridge was built in 1571 by the monk Xingchao of Cimen Temple, crossing the Caogang River at the eastern end of North Street. The town lies beside Dianshan Lake in the south-west of Qingpu district, and the operator’s town guide identifies its location and principal heritage sites.

This places the completed season within a much older cultural landscape: the bridge supplied a fixed crossing over the river, while the performances used the surrounding streets and waterways as a setting. The town was listed as a historical and cultural town in Shanghai in 1991, received a national AAAA tourist attraction rating in 2004 and entered the third batch of national historical and cultural towns in 2007.

Visiting Zhujiajiao Ancient Town: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Jiangnan culture season ran from 28 September to 28 October 2026 at Zhujiajiao Ancient Town in Qingpu district.
• The listed programme has ended; Kunqu opera, hanfu experiences and street performances were the specific cultural elements reported for the season.
• The town is in south-western Qingpu beside Dianshan Lake, and the operator gives No. 180 Xinxi Road as its address.
• Metro Line 17 serves Zhujiajiao Station, with the historic town located beyond the station area in Qingpu district.
• Visitors encounter canals, bridges, old streets and hand-operated boats, while Fangsheng Bridge crosses the Caogang River.
• China’s official language is Mandarin Chinese and its national currency is the renminbi.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Zhujiajiao Ancient Town

When did the Jiangnan culture season take place at Zhujiajiao Ancient Town?

The season ran from 28 September to 28 October 2026 at the ancient town in Qingpu district.

What is Zhujiajiao Ancient Town?

It is a historic water town in Qingpu district, Shanghai, with canals, bridges and traditional streets beside Dianshan Lake.

Where is Zhujiajiao Ancient Town and how do you get there?

It is in south-western Qingpu, west of central Shanghai, and Metro Line 17 serves Zhujiajiao Station.