Although the temple does not China tours exist now, there are two ancient gingkoes marking the site. At the end of the bridge there is a wooden corridor, near which there are square tables. People were having breakfast there. We ordered some wonton soup, steamed glutinous-rice dumplings with vegetable stuffing, and sesame seed cakes. The food was so delicious we regretted not having bigger stomachs in order to eat more.
The morning market at the end of the bridge was not yet over. The voices of hawkers and customers bargaining in the soft local dialect lingered over the river. The air was filled with the smell of fish and the aroma of Yangtze River cruises green fields, and in it we saw a vivid picture of Zhujiajiao. My heart was overwhelmed with joy.
My friend told me that the ancient township was a commercial center during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) Dynasties. Markets could be found along the riverside thanks travel to Shangri-la to its convenient water transportation. The township became one of the largest commercial centers on the lower reaches of the Yangtze during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911); and that explains why there are so many buildings in the style of both eras.
We visited some houses and were deeply impressed by both the simple yet elegant furniture inside and the exquisitely carved bricks and window frames outside. While in the town, we probably entered the former residence of a celebrity who might have been a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations or a distinguished scholar in modern China, without even knowing it. Every piece of brick and tile added a strong, cultural China tour feel to the township.
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