Yang Di/Shanghai Daily news

When it comes to exploring the city's history, few areas can beat Jiading District for its rich heritage.
Jiading, located in the northwest part of the city, was a small county during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).
Its heritage is still evident today and visitors to the area's Nanda Street will find some traces of what transpired more than 780 years ago.
You will discover well-preserved historic sights, old residential houses, elegant water views and strong local traditions that persist to this day.
The star attraction of the area is Fahua Pagoda, the largest Confucius Temple found south of the Yangtze River. Nearby is Huilongtan Park.

Fahua Pagoda
Standing in Nanda Street of Jiading District, Fahua Pagoda is particularly impressive. Built during Emperor Kaixi's reign (1205-1207) in the Song Dynasty, local people also know it as "Jinsha Pagoda."
An interesting legend says that candidates in Jiading always failed the imperial examination at the time. The pagoda was thus built on the bank of the Lianqi River. Its name "Fahua" was derived from a Buddhist sutra meaning "Buddhism is radiating the light of wisdom to every person."
From then on, the numbers of Ju Ren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination) and Jin Shi (a successful candidate in the national examination) increased year after year.
Inside the seven-floor pagoda, there are wooden stairs to the top. There are also precious relics of the Song (960-1279), Yuan (1271-1368) and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties found in the basement including Buddha statues, sutras, and jade items.

Jiading Villa
Wander along Nanda Street and you are likely to find the elegant Western-style Jiading Villa.
The building was created in 1942 by Jiang Shucai, a merchant from Jiangsu Province. With an architectural style combining both ancient China and the West, the villa and its well-designed gardens cover about 0.67 hectares of land. The water lily pond, the pavilion and the delicate bridge show its unique charm.
In 1944, during the Japanese invasion, it was occupied by Japanese soldiers. It was returned in 1945 after Japanese troops surrendered. In 1946, the villa was sold to Lu Honglun, a merchant dealing in handicrafts.
Years later it was reopened as Jiading Villa Hotel.
Address: 321 Nanda Street

Confucius Temple
Due to people's veneration of Confucius, temples built in his memory can be found throughout the country. However, the Jiading temple is regarded as one of the best preserved.
The temple was initially built in 1219 and additions were made during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. It was originally a place for people to pay homage to Confucius, thought to be one of the most influential figures in Chinese history.
His ideologies, such as the five virtues of human duty (kindness, uprightness, decorum, wisdom and faithfulness), have been passed down for generations.
The Shandong-born philosopher and educator has been revered almost as a spiritual being by millions both during his lifetime and after his death.
Outside the temple, three large memorial archways inscribed with Chinese characters tower overhead to show people's respect.
Inside, three stone bridges, each decorated with stone lions, lead visitors to the temple's main meeting place "Dacheng Hall," where a statue of Confucius and some memorial tablets from his followers can be seen.
The ancient work "Lun Yu," which depicts the words and actions of Confucius and his disciples, is sculpted on a large monument in the hall.
An imperial examination museum is located next to the main hall. It exhibits the records of Chinese imperial examinations held in ancient times. They are considered the most complete relics of their kind in the country.
The imperial examination was a fundamental system of selecting officials in feudal China.
The cultural relics of the imperial examination include test papers and honor rolls collected from different dynasties. There are also illustrations revealing vivid stories of those who ranked first in the examinations.
Visitors can get a thorough understanding of the procedure through detailed introductions, precious historical objects and materials on display.

Address: 183 Nanda Street

Huilongtan Park
Huilongtan Park is next to Confucius Temple and its name is derived from the Huilongtan Pond in front of the park. In Chinese this translates into "the pond where dragons gather together." The pond was built in 1588, or the 16th year of the Wanli Reign of the Ming Dynasty.
The park around the pond occupies 4.67 hectares. Chambers, kiosks and terraces line the lakeshore along with hills that are piled in an exotic stone design.
There is a traditional Chinese opera stage named "Bainiao Chaofeng" (All the birds paying homage to the Phoenix) that is especially distinctive for its outstanding design and delicate architecture.
The stage is still used by the district's different troupes.

Address: 183 Nanda Street