Shanghai Daily News

Jiading District, in the northwestern of the city, is a place where people can have a close look at the untouched history of the country.

The district offers a walking tour ideal for those seeking the essence of Shanghai and keen to discover the city's culture and history.

Guyi Garden

Nearly everyone who tours Jiading follows their guidebook to the Guyi Garden. The private garden, dominating three acres in the western part of the district's Nanxiang Town, was built in the Ming Dynasty (1268-1644).

The rustling bamboo forests, elaborate architecture and picturesque lotus ponds provide a perfect respite for city-weary souls. Wandering around the narrow alleys and corridors in the garden, the atmosphere is tranquil and timeless with the modern, bustling city nearly forgotten.

A variety of ancient structures, such as a Tang Dynasty (618-907) stele inscribed with Buddhist scriptures and a stone pagoda from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), complement running streams and meditative ponds.

Address: 218 Huyi Avenue

Tel: 5912-2225

Ticket: 12 yuan (US$1.49)

Guyi Garden Restaurant

Guyi Garden Restaurant, near the garden's entrance, is considered the best place to eat the local delicacy - Nanxiang steamed bun (Nanxiang xiao long bao). The delicacy originated in 1871 in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Stuffed with pork meat, the bun owns a citywide reputation for its juicy, tasty stuffing and filmy flour wrapping. Visitors can sip tea and enjoy the yummy steamed bun outside the restaurant hall and bask in the sunshine atop a manmade hill.

Recommended dishes: Nanxiang steamed bun

Price: 30 yuan to 50 yuan a person

Address: 218 Huyi Avenue

Tel: 5912-1335

Confucius Temple

With its typical Song Dynasty construction, the Confucius Temple can be easily recognized from the street. Outside the temple, three large memorial archways inscribed with Chinese characters tower overhead to show people's respect. Three stone bridges, each adorned with a small decorative stone lion, stand at the entrance of the temple's main meeting place, "Dacheng Hall." Here is the place to worship Confucius, a Shandong-born philosopher and educator who has been revered as a sage by millions. China boasts several temples built in Confucius' memory, but the Jiading temple is regarded as one of the best preserved.

Address: 183 Nanda Street (15 minutes' drive from the Nanxiang Town)

Tel: 5953-0379

Imperial Examination System Museum

Set in the Confucius temple, the recently opened Imperial Examination System Museum has made the mysterious ancient exam system easily accessed. The Chinese Imperial Examination System was used to evaluate ability and select officials on the basis of merit rather than social position or political connections in feudal China. The items displayed inside the hall, such as an eight-part essay, red-ink test paper, black-ink test paper, gold lists of the final imperial examination in 1904 and examination papers from Peking University, give visitors the chance to explore some remarkable remnants of bygone eras. The Imperial Examination System Museum not only provides a place for visitors to understand the systems of old China, but also a platform to exchange ideas about education in China today.

Address: 183 Nanda Street, Jiading District

Ticket: 10 yuan

Juyuan Restaurant

IF you are looking for a comfortable and nice place to dine after a day tour of the district, the Juyuan Restaurant is a good choice. Five minutes' walk from Nanda Street, the restaurant is conveniently located next to the Confucius Temple. Dishes like flour soup with crab dominate the popular list. With a delicious flavour of crab, it mixes well with noodles, leaves of spinach and crab.

Recommended dishes: Flour soup with crab, pork braised with soya sauce

Average price: 50 yuan a person

Address: 190 Bole Road

Tel: 5952-9704