Fengjing ancient village in Jinshan district. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Jinshanzui — The city's last fishing village

The Jinshan North Station offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience nature and history in this coastal district.

For over a millennium, the village of Jinshanzui in Jinshan district in Shanghai has lived on the waters of Hangzhou Bay. The seaside community offers vistas of the three Jinshan Islands across glistening waters.

In the 1980s, Jinshanzui was a fishing hub with over 1,000 fishermen. While most villagers have long since traded their nets for other pursuits, former fishermen can still be found in the old town's alleyways.

"The residents have been drawing on the sea for generations," explains Wu Xuehong, deputy general manager of Jinshanzui Fishing Village Investment Management. "Now, rather than fishing to protect ocean resources, we aim to preserve that heritage."

Over the past decade, a transformation has breathed new life into the old fishing village, says Wu, adding that renovations since 2010 have rejuvenated Jinshanzui's historic town quarter, adding eight thematic exhibition halls showcasing traditional fishing gear, boat models, aquatic life displays and more.

Immersive hands-on activities like net weaving and knot tying are designed to allow visitors to experience authentic maritime crafts firsthand, Wu adds.

A lively seafood street and village market offer a taste of local delicacies like dried fish, shrimp, abalone and jellyfish. From various stalls, residents sell simple sun-dried seafood snacks using centuries-old techniques.

This revitalization has given new economic opportunities benefiting Jinshanzui's people. According to Wu, over 200 villagers now derive their livelihoods from seafood restaurants, guest homes, cultural experiences and other tourism-related enterprises. Homes that previously sat vacant have been re-purposed into lodges for residence or commercial activities, providing owners with rental incomes ranging from 50,000 to 300,000 yuan ($7,100-42,600) yearly.

"Through tourism, we're able to welcome around 1 million visitors annually," notes Wu.

While new things go viral, old memories are also preserved. In the village lived a former fisherman Yang Huogen, who records memories of life at sea through vivid paintings.

"I retired in 1997 and saw that the fishing grounds were no longer being worked," Yang says. "I realized that no one would be going out to sea to fish anymore and there were not many photographs documenting how hard we fishermen used to toil. So I decided to paint scenes showing the backbreaking labor of our former lives, to ensure future generations understand what we went through."

One of the centerpieces is Yang's 30-meter scrolling panorama depicting the working lives of fishermen across all four seasons. Additional albums document the village's evolution from his childhood.

"I wanted to capture our arduous past for future generations," explains the elderly artist. "With few going to sea nowadays, my paintings ensure our traditions endure."

There're also books delving into the area's intangible cultural heritage. Ethnographic records document Jinshanzui's storied history, customs, cuisine, lodging practices, and more, while folklore anthologies capture poetic marine verses and stories passed down through the ages.

"We're dedicated to safeguarding the village's unique identity," Wu says.

Aside from being the only preserved fishing village, Jinshan is also known for having the largest beach in Shanghai, as well as offering other unique experiences with diverse entertainment activities such as the first aqua kart in the East China region.

Notably, one of the world's largest LEGO theme parks is set to open near the Jinshan North Station in the summer of 2025, cementing Jinshan as a must-see tourist destination in the region.