- 2014年05月05日

The New Year's holiday has been reduced from three days to only one day this year, since it falls midweek, but Jinshan District will hold a day of celebrations tomorrow at its historic sites and scenic spots.

One of the highlights is the annual group wedding.

Water town

Fengjing water town, a destination for couples who want their big day to be filled with Chinese folk culture.

In 2010, the city's big wedding was held at the Shanghai Expo Park and in 2011 the event moved to scenic West Lake in Hangzhou, famous for love stories.

In 2012, it was held in Jinshan.

Tomorrow, Fengjing will be decorated in red. Brides dressed in red satin and bridegrooms will tie the knot on boat rides along the town’s crisscrossing canals.

Tourists can also visit the new Folk Wedding Cultures and Customs Museum, recently opened on the eastern side of Zhihe Bridge. It features a “love wall,” where lovers can sign their name as well as “love locks,” or closed padlocks symbolizing lasting love. It contains a statue of Yue Lao, a mythical matchmaker, and a Guanyin Buddha who is said to send children to couples.

Admission includes a “wish card,” on which visitors can write their wishes for the new year and tie them on the wish trees.

Admission: 50 yuan

How to get there:

• By car: Shanghai-Hangzhou Highway (A8 section). Get off at Fengjing Exit. Follow the signs for two minutes to the town’s parking lot.

• By subway: Take Metro Line 1 and get off at Jinjiang Amusement Park Station. Take the shuttle bus Fengmei Line (Fengjing to Meilong) at the transit hub next to the Metro station. It takes 45 minutes to reach the town.

• By bus: Frequent daily shuttle buses to Fengjing leave Shanghai Stadium and Hongkou Football Stadium.

'Bell Bash'

Donglin Temple in Zhujing Town opens its door for the annual “Bell Bash” from 10pm today to the minute before midnight.

The temple was first built in 1308, dedicated to Guanyin, goddess of compassion.

Today it is a destination for pilgrims and tourists from around the world. It is one of five important Buddhist sites in southwestern Shanghai.

People can ring the bell, burn incenses, and kowtow to the Buddha.

Visitors can taste New Year’s noodle and receive blessing from the abbot.

Address: 150 Donglin St, Zhujing Town

Admission: 30 yuan

How to get there: Take Lianzhu Line (Lianhua Road to Zhujing Town) at Metro Line 1 Lianhua Road Station. It takes about an hour.

Strawberry fields

Knows as the city's "backyard garden," Jinshan has many farms and orchards. Strawberries in Langxia Town are ripe for the picking.

Visitors can tour the Jinshan Strawberry Research and Development Center and take a field trip.

They can also pick cabbages, carrots and broccoli and take them to a traditional farmer's kitchen where they can cook their own vegetable dishes, or let the hospitable farmer’s family do the cooking.

How to get there:

• By car: Take G60 Highway to G15, get off at Jinshan New City exit. Turn left on Songwei Road S. and then turn left on Caolang Road. The town is straight ahead.

• By public transport: Take Lianlang Line (Lianhua Road to Langxia Town) at Metro Line 1 Lianhua Road Station. It takes 70 minutes.

Day at the seashore

Jinshanzui (Jinshan mouth) fishing village on Hangzhou Bay and the East China Sea welcomes sea and seafood lovers.

Visitors can watch the magnificent last sunset of 2013 and embrace the first sun rays of 2014 on Dingziba Dock or on the beach.

The village is a destination for seafood lovers and offers white shrimp, yellow croaker, hairtail, saury, blue crabs, pomfret, banshua fish (fish shaped like a brush), anchovies, mackerel and eel — a wide range from the ocean and estuary of the Yangtze River.

Boat rides are available. The village also contains traditional old buildings and an exhibition of fishing gear.

Transport:

• By car: Take G50 or S4 highway. Take G15 (toward Ningbo). Take Tingwei Road exit and drive south to Huhang Road. The beach is at the end of the road.

• By public transport: Take Metro Line 1 to Jinjiang Amusement Park Station. Walk a minute, then take Shimei Line from Meilong Bus Station to the Shihua Bus Station. Then take Xiwei Bus Line to Jinshanzui. The beach is a three-minute walk away.

• By train: Take the Jinshan Railway at the Shanghai South Railway Station. Get off at Jinshanwei Station and take a five-minute shuttle bus ride to the fishing village.

Goat meat gala

The annual goat meat gala is underway in Zhangqiao Village, where all parts of the goat — legs, liver, blood and more — are prepared in traditional winter dishes.

Goat is said to be warming, containing hot yang energy for cold weather. A steaming hot bowl of goat meat is served with warm rice wine.

Address: Zhangqiao Village, Jinshi Rd S., Jinshanwei Town

How to get there:

• By car: Take S19 highway to Jinshanwei Exit. Drive south on Xinwei Road to Jinshan Road. Turn right on Jinshan Road and head west. Turn right at Jinshi Road S.

• By train: Jinshan Railway connects Shanghai South Railway Station to Jinshanwei Station. Then take the Zhuqianwei Line to the town.