On January 2, 2022, we embarked on a day-long self-driving tour with our parent and child companions. The trip spanned a total distance of 116.5 kilometers and had a per capita cost of 100 yuan. Our activities included indulging in gourmet food, capturing photography, and exploring the rich humanities of the areas we visited.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, cross-provincial travel was restricted, so we chose to visit Xinchang Ancient Town in Nanhui on New Year’s Day, 2022. The weather in Shanghai was cloudy, with temperatures ranging from 4.7 to 11.1 degrees Celsius.
We set off at 11 am from our home in Pudong, Shanghai. Our first stop was to refuel, with the price of No. 95 gasoline at 7.56 yuan per liter. Our route to the old urban area of Songjiang took us through Luoshan Road Viaduct, Outer Ring Expressway, and Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway. En route, we captured a photo of the Xupu Bridge on the Outer Ring Expressway.
At noon, we reached the Xinqiao Toll Station on the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, and by 12:09, we arrived at the Songjiang Toll Station. The expressway toll for the journey was 6.21 yuan.
In Songjiang, Rongle Middle Road features trams running down the middle and three lanes on the sides. Finding parking near Xilin Temple was a bit challenging, but we managed to secure a spot in a nearby alley. Zhongshan Middle Road, in front of Xilin Temple, is lined with numerous chain commercial stores, including a Ruby Cake Shop, as seen in one of our photos.
Xilin Temple itself does not charge an admission fee, making it an accessible cultural destination for our family outing. The day was filled with memorable experiences, from the scenic drives to the local cuisine and the rich history of the places we visited.During the epidemic, to enter, it is necessary to show the itinerary code and health code.
The Yuanying Pagoda in the temple is a cultural relic protection unit in Shanghai. The Yuanying Pagoda is also known as Xilin Temple Pagoda. Built in the Ming Dynasty. In the 21st year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1388), Monk Chunhou built Xilin Retreat and Yuanying Pagoda at this location to commemorate Zen Master Yuan Yingrui of the Song Dynasty. There is a vegetarian restaurant in the temple. Ordered three bowls of noodles at 15 yuan per bowl. Gaosheng回味noodles, with toppings of vegetarian shredded meat and pickled cabbage. Eight-treasure rice is 18 yuan per serving. Pastries are 22 yuan. Opposite Xilin Temple. Parked at Feihang Plaza at the corner of Yushu Road and Cangfeng Road. Walking about 500 meters away is Dachang Bridge. A large area of residents around Dachang Bridge has been relocated. Zhongshan West Road in Songjiang on the north side of Dachang Bridge. An old house on Zhongshan West Road in Songjiang that is open to the public for free. Proceed to Dachang Bridge. Built in the Ming Dynasty, it is a five-arched stone bridge with a height of 10 meters and a span of 50 meters. It is one of the famous large stone bridges in the Ming Dynasty in the Shanghai area. Dachang Bridge was originally named Yongfeng Bridge. It is named after the fact that to the south of the bridge is the granary city for grain transportation of Songjiang Prefecture. It is now a cultural relic protection unit in Shanghai.Sure, here’s the content reformatted for better readability:
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Dachang Bridge is surrounded by many old houses that are considered cultural relic sites. Interestingly, Dachang Bridge is not visible on Baidu Maps. It is situated on the southeast side of the intersection of Zhongshan West Road and Yushu Road. While a county-level protection monument is present, the city-level protection monument seems to be missing. On the south side of Dachang Bridge, there are parking spaces available, but they are not easy to find. The alley on the south side of the bridge is now uninhabited. Adjacent to the bridge is the Guanding Zen Temple. It is anticipated that the historical and cultural block of Cangcheng may be unveiled to the public in the future.
Feihong Plaza is known for its abundance of dining options, including popular establishments such as Shunfeng Hotel and McDonald’s. On Rongle Road, at 16:25, we arrived at the Songjiang toll station on the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway. Shortly after, at 16:43, we reached the Xinqiao toll station on the same highway, incurring a toll fee of 6.21 yuan. By 17:35, we had returned to our home in Pudong, Shanghai, completing a total journey of 116.5 kilometers.
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