Minhang's Qibao Old Town has been a symbolic tourist destination as well as the only attraction of its type in the district for a long time.

However, the situation changed at the end of May after Zhaolou Town in Pujiang Town has been successfully reconstructed and opened, providing tourists another option for their visit in the district and the city.

It's located in the center of Pujiang Town in Minhang District. In Chinese, Zhaolou is also called "zhaojialou," which literally means "the crop-calling tower."

Actually, it was the earliest farming area in Shanghai's history.

It's said that in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), an official built a bell tower there to remind local people to farm on time, so that's how it gets its current name.

After the changes experienced in the subsequent three dynasties, Zhaolou gradually developed into today's Jiangnan-style watertown. Many ancient buildings, streets and bridges of the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties survive to this day.

It enjoyed the most thriving period in the mid Ming Dynasty and declined in the mid Qing Dynasty.

It's also the hometown of Qin Yubo, the local land god of ancient Shanghai County, and Ye Zongxing, an expert of water conservancy in the Ming Dynasty who made the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek flow together.

Memorial pavilions

Now in Zhaolou Town there are memorial pavilions to these two local big names.

The reconstructed Zhaolou Town occupies a land area of over 0.2 square kilometers and through the Wall of Riding Horse, Wall of Lotus, black bricks and beautiful tiles, the main housing style of ancient Shanghai suburbs is in full view.

Many famous constructions of a large scale, such as Ligeng Hall and Plum Hall, are preserved comparatively well.

These two memorial pavilions are both located in the Li Garden which is a centerpiece of the reconstruction area.

It originally belonged to a huge local family called Xi and was built in 1793 as Xi's private garden.

Over time the family declined but the garden was preserved.

In 2005, it was listed as one of the protected historical scenic spots of Shanghai.

At the same time, the preservation and reconstruction project also began, and a new Li Garden was built on the original site of Xi's garden.

It is considered one of the finest examples of Jiangnan gardens.

When the long corridors lead you into the garden, various pavilions and a pagoda decorated with flowers and rocks, it makes visitors feel like they're in a fairyland.

Two small lakes are connected with a long corridor, and little rivers flow out to the Laoyaojia River outside, forming the typical Jiangnan-style water net.

In Chinese, "Li" means propriety. The garden was formerly located where the Xi family held their farming ceremonies and it is dedicated to the two great ancestors Qin and Ye.

Qin was originally an official of the Ming Dynasty and was supported by all people under his administration.

When he retired, he came back and died in the family compound.

Since he was warmly welcomed by the local folk, he was conferred as a local god of Shanghai County by the emperor.

Water expert

Ye was an expert of the Ming Dynasty in water conservancy.

His greatest contribution was encouraging the emperor to channel the Fanjia River into the Huangpu River and eventually make them converge into the Wusong River.

This suggestion was accepted by the administration and as a result the Wusong River flood problem was solved, the Huangpu River was deepened, and Shanghai gradually became a big port.

These two people contributed a lot to the local area.

So when Zhaolou was thinking of a reconstruction, the priority for local people was to build memorial pavilions to their great ancestors to commemorate their achievements and contributions for following generations.

There are three local specialty foods of Zhaolou -- Zhaolou hard liquor, Zhaolou mutton and Zhaolou pig shank.

The production process of the original Zhaolou hard liquor has been lost in history, but the latter two are still available in today's Zhaolou Town.

Zhaolou mutton is delicious and tasty, without the bad smell that mutton usually has.

It's a good delicacy to eat with wines. Zhaolou pig shank is a treasured cuisine of locals.

It has a glowing color, sweet taste but not too greasy, crispy skin and meat which is very delicious.

Besides food stuff, folk merchandise is also very popular among tourists and needlepoint is typical. It stems from Italy, with its unique features displayed in full wool, cotton and handicraft.

It's popular in Europe and America for its abundant colors, vivid stereoscopy and resemblance to exotic oil paintings. It has become more favored among different social classes since it came to China.

Cultural works

Visitors can see huge needlepoint works in the Mao Zedong Monument Hall as well as the Great Hall of the People.

It's also a good work of art in home decorations or for giving to friends and relatives.

Needlepoint is prevalent in many varieties of art such as back cushions, Christmas stockings, pendants, paintings, purses, mobile phone cases and so on.

Also, it can be adapted for portraits and wall hangings.

Currently in Zhaolou Town there's a special picture exhibition of the history and culture of Pujiang Town.

Although neither Pujiang Town nor Zhaolou are big places, throughout history they have been a gathering place of various cultures, especially in the Ming and Qing dynasties.

During the Qing Dynasty, religious temples and ancestral halls could be found throughout the region, and Catholic churches were built in the late Qing Dynasty to spread Western culture.

Recently, the well-known Chinese actress Qin Yi visited Zhaolou Town in a quest to unearth some family roots.

Born in 1922, Qin Yi is actually a 17th generation relative of Qin Yubo.

She has visited Pujiang Town several times to find clues about her family but this was the first time she saw the memorial pavilion of her ancestors.

Qin Yi sat silently for a long time in front of the statue of Qin Yubo in the Li Garden tribute area.

To further promote the cultural environment of Zhaolou Town, a new, innovative cultural industry research institute of Shanghai International Culture Association will be built up.

There will also be a Chinese City History Research Center of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.