Recently, the project of protecting and renovating the ancient town of Zhujiajiao and constructing a new town has been launched, consisting of a total of over 20 programs with an aggregate investment of nearly RMB10 billion yuan. Contracts have been officially signed for some of the programs and for others letters of intent are signed. This marks the official beginning of Shanghai’s effort to build a tourist and holiday resort with Zhujiajiao as the core. In the future, Zhujiajiao will be transformed from a scenic tourist spot into an international holiday mall with recreation and holiday-making as its main theme.

As is planed, the Northern Street of the ancient town will be transferred into a commercial street rich in the cultural flavors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Exhibition halls and museums displaying different kinds of cultures will be established that are in harmony with the cultural ambience of the whole street. In addition, restaurants of various sizes and exotic flavors and teahouses will also find their home there. The place where the present town government locates will be transformed into “an exhibition area for folk culture”, where books collections, traditional Chinese stringed and woodwind instruments, Pingtan (a form of storytelling and ballad singing in Suzhou dialect), and singing performance typical of Zhujiajiao be wil be on display.

It is learned that in the future a variety of tourist programs will be introduced into Zhujiajiao, including such on-water programs as movie show, sports competition, theatre, and wedding ceremony that are being planned. Moreover, visits to ancient residences and lanes as a tourist program typical of the local culture will also be initiated with the renovation of the ancient town.