MORE than 600 years ago, an orphan named Luo Sheng saw business opportunity and opened the first inn and store in a small fishing village, which prospered with waterway commerce.

Henceforth, the village in what is now Baoshan District in northern Shanghai was named after the entrepreneur, Luo, his surname and dian meaning store.

That was during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and the trade made the village rich, attracting many businesses. In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), more than 700 shops were operating, as well as many inns and vendors in the large canal town with many streets and lanes.

By 1724, Luodian became part of what was then Baoshan County, and people called it Golden Luodian.

The main industry was production of cotton cloth. The town became a trading hub for cotton, textiles and many products.

A rich trading hub was prize, and Luodian was the site of battles during nine major wars from the beginning of Ming Dynasty to the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45).

For 37 days, the battle against Japanese invaders raged in the town, destroying more than 1,200 houses and historic mansions. Many people perished.

The town never recovered.

“The town is built from the wreckage and it was a sad beginning though we were determined to create a better future,” says an official with Baoshan government. “The new Luodian town may not as prosperous and exquisite as in the past, but it is still vibrant and charming.”

Luodian is divided into new and old areas. The old town lacks the tree-lined canals and luxuriant gardens of old. It’s a bit untidy and chaotic and it takes some time to find the charm, but it is there.

In the center of the old town, memorial gateways and whitewashed houses are reminders of the past. A few canals, stone bridges and old docks can be enjoyed.

Surrounded by pine trees, Baoshan Temple is a hushed area of contemplation and worth a visit. Bells on the roof chime in the breeze and monks move into meditation rooms.

Temple rebuilt

The original temple was built in 1551, but it was destroyed and rebuilt time and time again over the past 500 years.

The new Baoshan Temple was built recently and more construction is expected. It stands next to the old temple and is constructed in the style of the late Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It also uses traditional building techniques. More than 13,000 square meters of timber were used, connected with mortise and tenon joints, not a single nail, according to Shiliang, the abbot.

“Every single detail was documented from some reference as much as possible. We wanted it to look just like late Tang style, as it should be,” the abbot tells Shanghai Daily.

The temple complex covers 12,000 square meters and is almost complete. A park and wooden pagoda are expected to be added in two years.

Modern construction is fast, speed is everything, but for Baoshan Temple, builders took their time and worked meticulously.

Even the gray roof tiles took 15 days to make, using ancient techniques and models.

“When designing the temple, the abbot was determined to make it last for thousands of years as a new legacy,” says Zhang Ningteng, a Baoshan government official.

Golf course

Built near scenic Lake Malaren, Luodian new town covers almost 7 square kilometers with sumptuous green space. It contains a professional golf club. The core area, Northern European New Town, features Swedish architecture.

The new town features a winding 2,000-meter-long causeway reminiscent of the Su causeway in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, but less crowded. Acacia and mulberry trees line the route.

Golfers of all abilities can enjoy the Lake Malaren Golf Club, which has two, ingeniously designed 18-hole courses.

Between the two golf courses is the Lake Malaren International Conference Center, with 274 elegant suites/rooms surrounded by trees ad lawns.

The town’s main commercial street features fashion brands while other areas include restaurants, pubs and entertainment facilities.

Every October, thousands of music lovers arrive in the quiet town for the Lake Malaren Music Festival.

The new town also features a maternity and child hospital, officially known as the China Welfare Institute International Peace Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Lake Malaren Branch.

In Luodian, one thing that hasn’t declined due to wars and battles is its traditional culture, especially dragon boat making.

For centuries, the elaborate and colorful dragon boat has been a part of life in Luodian and a major boat race will be held, as usual, on the Dragon Boat Festival. This year it falls on June 2, the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

Dragon boat making

The tradition of boat making and racing started in the Ming Dynasty and became very popular in the Qing Dynasty.

To Chinese, the dragon is an auspicious creature that controls the waters and floods. The dragon boat race is a way for people to express their hopes for peaceful, prosperous year protected by the dragon.

Nonetheless, in Luodian, dragon boats are not merely for competition. They are a statement about the town’s prosperity, tradition and craftsmanship. Delicate, detailed carving and vivid decoration are essential.

Luodian dragon boats are relatively small, 6 to 12 meters in length, compared with larger boats made in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces. The bottom is flat and wide in the middle, narrowing at the fore and aft so the boat can negotiate shallow local rivers.

The head and tail of the dragon are lifted and both are very detailed. In its mouth the dragon holds a pearl, symbolizing the sun. Each scale, fang and flying whisker are detailed, the whiskers carved from a single piece of camphor wood. The body itself is made of fir.

All the scales are individually carved and painted bright white, green, red, blue, yellow, purple and brown.

Heirloom through generations

A decorated archway stands at the fore and small pavilion at the aft.

Brightly colored pennants are on each side of the boat.

Five or six musicians sit in the middle of the boat, playing instruments while eight oarsmen propel the craft.

The commander stands in the pavilion and directs the oarsmen and musicians.

At age 81, Zhang Fucheng still makes wooden dragon boat models to ensure that the tradition remains afloat. In his younger days, he used to craft the big boats.

“A well-made dragon boat is not a one-time thing, but an heirloom that can pass though generations,” Zhang says.

In the past, dragon boats belonged to major businessmen in Luodian who financed their construction.

Most dragon boat makers and racers learned the skills from their fathers, however, dragon boat culture was almost extinguished in the middle of the last century and skills were almost lost.

Zhang has retained his memories and skills. His family used to run a boat mill and all his brothers worked in a boat factory.

In 1993, he decided to devote himself to meticulously making dragon boat models, according to the old designs.

He’s glad that his son and many young craftsmen are interested in dragon boats and is confident that traditional Luodian dragon boats will stay afloat.