Located at the confluence of four rivers, Sijing Town earned its name — which literally means "four waters" — during the North Song Dynasty (960 AD-1127). The town has managed to retain a lifestyle as slow as the rivers' flow for centuries.

Flanked by timbered house facades, the narrow cobblestone streets have changed little since the times of emperors and dynasties. Unlike other so-called "historic sights" in Shanghai that have been tarted up to look ancient, Sijing retains its natural look and charm. Few houses have been painted over. The natural color of timber is still evident though weathered.

Life here is languorous. Locals in pajamas lounge at street corners with their sleepy pet dogs alongside them, while shopkeepers, mindless of their businesses, sit in deck chairs, listening to the radio.

With scant interesting in "modernizing," Sijing preserves its old customs and traditions by default. In 2005, the town was listed as one of Shanghai's historical and cultural protection zones.

Anfang Tower might be the tallest building on the old street. The octagon-shaped tower is more than 35 meters high. On its seventh floor, a Buddha statue sits as protector of the area and its residents.

The town has its share of famous sons, including newspaper tycoon Shi Liangcai (1880-1934), who started the Shanghai Times, and Ma Xiangbo (1840-1939), one of the founders of Fudan University.

Ma’s former residence is near Anfang Tower. He is considered one of the nation’s foremost educators. After founding Fudan University, he became the institution’s first principal. His house is typical of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) architecture, with two courtyards facing on Sijiang Old Street.

The main hall has been renovated as an exhibition room, where Ma's photos, documents and household items are on display.

The Futianjing Temple on the other side of the old street was constructed sometime between 998 AD and 1008. For more than 1,000 years, the temple has been the spiritual home for locals, who go there to pray for happy lives, bumper harvests and good marriages.

In the northeast, there is a ginkgo tree more than 500 years old. A companion tree, said to be 1,300 years old, was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76).

The temple covering an area of about 80 hectares currently has 120 monks.

In the middle of the old town, the Fulian Bridge, built in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) spans the Sijing River. Another two stone bridges, the Wu’an and Pudu, are as old as the Fulian but have different architecture styles.

The town is famous for snacks, such as the Aliu dumpling, Sijing goat meat and xiaolongbao, or steamed dumplings.

The Aliu dumpling is not easy to make and is available only in venerable restaurants. Quality rice is ground into a fine powder to make the dumpling. The meat filling is lean pork, minced and flavored with sesame oil and meat soup gelatin. Take a bite and you can feel the gelatin suddenly melt in your mouth.

Sijing goat meat is another signature dish. The locals typically eat goat in the winter because it’s believed to help dispel inner cold and strengthen “hot” energy. The goat meat is always cooked according to traditional steaming methods, then sliced and served with sweet soybean paste.

Sijing can't escape urban development completely. It has been listed by the State Council, China’s cabinet, as one of 14 Shanghai towns to undergo development.