Shaoxing Travel Guide 2026 - Lu Xun Hometown, Shen Garden, East Lake & Yellow Wine

What's inside this guide Bucket List · Highlights · Q&A · Itineraries · Attractions · Activities · Where to Stay · Food · Getting Around · Shopping · Practical Info · Day Trips · Tips · Background · Plan Your Trip

Shaoxing Bucket Listthe hometown, the garden and the wine

Walk the Lu Xun hometown

The free quarter at 241 Luxun Middle Road - the old house, the Hundred-Plant Garden, the Sanwei Study and the museum; real-name booking at shaoxingtour.cn, tickets until 16:00.

Read the Shen Garden

The garden of the tragic Tang romance - RMB 40 by day, RMB 70 for the 'Shen Garden Night' show (18:30-21:30); the carved stelae carry the two famous poems.

Ride the East Lake cliffs

The lake quarried into sheer rock cliffs - RMB 40 and the wupeng boat under the overhangs; the classic water town scene.

Bow at the Dayu Mausoleum

The tomb of the legendary flood-tamer Yu on Mount Kuaiji - the great hall and the stelae of the ancient shrine.

Copy the Orchid Pavilion

The pavilion of the Lantingji Xu, where Wang Xizhi wrote the greatest calligraphy of China - the calligraphy festival runs the 3rd-4th lunar month.

Drink the yellow wine

The Shaoxing yellow wine of the Jianhu water - the Xianheng Hotel serves it at RMB 24 a bowl with the aniseed beans.

Top Highlightsthe canals and the old-town lanes

No.1
The wupeng fleetThe black-awning boats of the canals.
No.2
The boatman’s close-upThe oar and the awning of the classic boat.
No.3
The canal housesThe white walls along the old waterways.

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Shaoxing

How many days do I need in Shaoxing?

One day covers the old town - the Lu Xun hometown, the Shen Garden and the East Lake; a second adds the Dayu Mausoleum, the Orchid Pavilion or the Ke Yan lake country.

Is the Lu Xun hometown really free?

Yes - the quarter is free but requires a real-name booking (shaoxingtour.cn/ticket/16.html); the ticket office closes at 16:00 and the site at 17:00.

How much are the wupeng boats?

The city-square routes run RMB 60-180, the East Lake boat RMB 85 (three people), the Baziqiao routes RMB 60-80, the Lu Xun hometown route RMB 50 and the Dayu Mausoleum boat RMB 50; the enquiry lines are +86 575 8836 9963 / 8836 9970.

How do I get there from Hangzhou?

The Xiaoshan airport bus costs RMB 30 to the city (RMB 20 to Keqiao; +86 571 8666 2539 / +86 575 8513 5301); the high-speed rail from Hangzhou East takes about 20 minutes.

What is the Shen Garden night show?

The 'Shen Garden Night' performance at RMB 70 runs 18:30-21:30 - the Tang romance of Lu You and Tang Wan staged in the garden lanterns.

Where do I drink the yellow wine?

The Xianheng Hotel at 179 Luxun Middle Road serves the wine at RMB 24 a bowl with the aniseed beans; the Gu Yue Long Shan brand is the local classic.

Can ToursChinaTravel arrange my Shaoxing trip?

Yes - email [email protected] or message us on WhatsApp. Our team books the Shen Garden night show, the East Lake boats, the hotels and the wine-tasting, free of charge and without obligation.

Sample Itinerariesthe culture day and the two-day water town

Lu Xun Culture - One Day

The hometown, the garden and the lake in a single day. View the plan →

Day 1

08:30 the Lu Xun hometown quarter; 11:00 the Shen Garden (RMB 40); 13:00 the East Lake and the wupeng boat (RMB 40 + RMB 85); 16:00 the Cangqiao straight street; 18:00 the Xianheng Hotel wine and aniseed beans; optional 19:00 Shen Garden Night.

Shaoxing Classic - Two Days

The mausoleum, the calligraphy and the water towns at a proper pace. View the plan →

Day 1

Morning the Dayu Mausoleum; afternoon the Orchid Pavilion and the calligraphy stelae; evening the old-town lanterns.

Day 2

Morning the Lu Xun hometown; afternoon the East Lake boat; evening the Shen Garden Night show and the yellow wine.

All plans are bookable end-to-end by our team — see the full day-by-day Shaoxing itineraries hub, or the day-trip pages for single-day options.

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

Lu Xun Hometown

The free quarter at 241 Luxun Middle Road - the old house, the Hundred-Plant Garden, the Sanwei Study and the museum; real-name booking at shaoxingtour.cn/ticket/16.html, open 8:20-17:00 with tickets until 16:00.

Free · 08:20-17:00 · Historic House · Museum

View details →

Shen Garden

The garden of the Tang romance of Lu You and Tang Wan - RMB 40 by day, RMB 70 for the night show (18:30-21:30); the carved stelae carry the two famous ci poems.

RMB 40-70 · 08:00-21:30 · Garden · Romance

View details →

East Lake

The lake quarried into sheer cliffs at the foot of Mount Baoji - RMB 40 plus the wupeng boat (RMB 85 for three); the overhangs and the grottoes are the classic scene.

RMB 40 · 08:00-17:00 · Lake · Cliffs

View details →

Dayu Mausoleum

The tomb of the legendary flood-tamer Yu on Mount Kuaiji - the great hall, the stelae and the cypress of the ancient shrine.

Not published · 08:00-17:00 · Mausoleum · History

View details →

Orchid Pavilion

The pavilion of the Lantingji Xu, where Wang Xizhi wrote the masterpiece of Chinese calligraphy - the calligraphy festival runs the 3rd-4th lunar month; the stelae and the streams are the draw.

Not published · 08:00-17:00 · Calligraphy · Pavilion

View details →

Zhou Enlai Ancestral Home

The restored ancestral home of Zhou Enlai - RMB 18; the halls and the photographs of the first premier of the People's Republic.

RMB 18 · 08:00-17:00 · Historic House · Museum

View details →

Cangqiao Straight Street

The free old street of the water town - the stone bridges, the canal houses and the traditional shops of the Ming and Qing lanes.

Free · All day · Old Street · Water Town

View details →

Ke Yan - Jianhu - Luzhen

The lake country south of the city - the Ke Yan rock, the Jianhu lake and the Luzhen water town; a half-day excursion by bus.

Not published · 08:00-17:00 · Scenic Area · Water Town

View details →

More in the region on the Zhejiang attractions page.

Activities & Festivalsthe wine, the opera and the boat rides

The Shen Garden Night

The 'Shen Garden Night' show at RMB 70, 18:30-21:30 - the Tang romance staged in the garden lanterns.

The Wupeng Boat Ride

The black-awning boats run the canals at RMB 50-180 - the classic way to see the water town from the water.

The Shaoxing Opera & the wine houses

The Yue opera of the region and the yellow-wine houses of the old town - the local evenings.

The Orchid Pavilion Calligraphy Festival

The 3rd-4th lunar month festival at the pavilion - the calligraphers, the ink and the spring streams.

Where to Stayfrom the hostels to the grand hotels

Every hotel below is bookable by our team; browse the full Zhejiang hotels directory.

Xianheng Grand Hotel

The grand hotel at 680 Jiefang South Road - from RMB 528; +86 575 8806 8688.

Phone: +86 575 8806 8688 · Book: Zhejiang hotels · or email [email protected]

Shaoxing Hotel

The garden hotel at 8 Huanshan Road - from RMB 359; +86 575 8515 5888.

Phone: +86 575 8515 5888 · Book: Zhejiang hotels · or email [email protected]

Hai Gang Hotel

The central hotel at 639 Jiefang South Road - from RMB 254; +86 575 8805 1818.

Phone: +86 575 8805 1818 · Book: Zhejiang hotels · or email [email protected]

Lu Xun Hometown International Youth Hostel

The hostel at 558 Xinjian South Road - from RMB 39 a bed; +86 575 8508 0288.

Phone: +86 575 8508 0288 · Book: Zhejiang hotels · or email [email protected]

Shaoxing International Youth Hostel

The hostel at 11 Huanshan Road - from RMB 34; +86 575 8515 1780.

Phone: +86 575 8515 1780 · Book: Zhejiang hotels · or email [email protected]

Food & Restaurantsthe yellow wine and the old-town kitchens

Xianheng Hotel

The famous restaurant at 179 Luxun Middle Road - the yellow wine at RMB 24 a bowl, the aniseed beans at RMB 10 a plate, the dried plum pork and the drunken chicken; from RMB 77 per head; +86 575 8511 6666.

Phone: +86 575 8511 6666

Xunbaoji Zhuangyuan Restaurant

The old-town favourite at the Cangqiao straight street entrance - the Zhuangyuan chicken and the drunken crab; from RMB 46 per head; +86 575 8522 3317.

Phone: +86 575 8522 3317

The yellow wine houses

The Gu Yue Long Shan cellars and the old wine shops of the town - the rice wine of the Jianhu water, drunk warm in winter.

The Shaoxing snacks

The dried plum pork, the drunken chicken, the aniseed beans, the cream puffs and the stinky tofu of the old streets.

Shopping & Souvenirswine, fans and the water-town crafts

Shaoxing Yellow Wine

The Gu Yue Long Shan and the Huadiao wines of the town - the classic gift, boxed in the celadon jars.

Aniseed Beans & dried plum

The aniseed beans and the dried plum pork of the old-town shops - the tastes of the Lu Xun stories.

Yue porcelain & fans

The celadon and the paper fans of the region - the crafts of the old water town.

Full local-product guides live on the Zhejiang specialties page.

Getting There & Aroundby air, rail, coach, taxi and boat

By air

Fly to Hangzhou Xiaoshan, then the airport bus to the Shaoxing city terminal at RMB 30 (RMB 20 to Keqiao); the enquiry lines +86 571 8666 2539 / +86 575 8513 5301.

By train

The Shaoxing station (+86 575 8802 2584) and the high-speed stations on the Hangzhou-Ningbo line - about 20 minutes from Hangzhou East.

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By coach

Three long-distance terminals serve the region - the centre (+86 575 8802 2222), the east (+86 575 8864 4350) and the west (+86 575 8515 1026).

By taxi & bus

Taxis start at RMB 7 for 2.5 km, then RMB 2 per km plus RMB 1 fuel; city buses cost RMB 1-2.

By wupeng boat The black-awning boats run the city canals at RMB 50-180 per route - the water-taxi of the old town.

The black-awning boats run the city canals at RMB 50-180 per route - the water-taxi of the old town.

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Day Trips From Shaoxingthe lake, the mausoleum and the wine country

East Lake Day Trip

The cliffs, the grottoes and the wupeng boat.

Dayu & Orchid Pavilion Day Trip

The mausoleum and the calligraphy shrine of the south.

Ke Yan Water Country Day Trip

The rock, the lake and the Luzhen water town.

Travel Tipsthings to remember

Book the Lu Xun quarter

The free quarter needs a real-name booking - reserve the day before at shaoxingtour.cn and carry your passport.

The boat price is per route

The wupeng boats charge by route, not by person - agree the price and the stops before you board.

Wine is drunk warm

The Shaoxing yellow wine is best warmed in winter - the Xianheng Hotel pours it the local way.

The night is for the garden

The Shen Garden Night at RMB 70 (18:30-21:30) is the best show of the town - book the evening in advance.

The dialect runs thick

The boatmen speak the local tongue - point at the map for the stops and keep small change.

Practical Informationbanks, hospitals, emergencies and local help

Shaoxing tourism bureau

The tourism information line of the city.

Phone: +86 575 8522 3031

Shaoxing No.2 Hospital

The hospital at 141 Yan'an Road.

Phone: +86 575 8805 5555

Shaoxing TCM Hospital

The hospital at 641 Renmin Middle Road.

Phone: +86 575 8864 4082

Shaoxing tourism complaints

The official complaints lines of the city.

Phone: +86 12301 / +86 96118

The wupeng boat enquiry

The boat service enquiry lines.

Phone: +86 575 8836 9963 / +86 575 8836 9970

Background & Historythe hometown of Lu Xun and the wine

The Yue kingdom

Shaoxing was the capital of the Yue kingdom from 490 BC - the city that Goujian built on the edge of the delta.

The hometown of Lu Xun

The writer Lu Xun (1881-1936) set his greatest stories in the town - the Hundred-Plant Garden and the Sanwei Study of the quarter.

The yellow wine

The rice wine of the Jianhu water has been brewed for two millennia - the Gu Yue Long Shan cellars carry the tribute tradition of the Qing court.

The Lantingji Xu

The Orchid Pavilion is where Wang Xizhi wrote the 'Preface to the Poems Collected at the Orchid Pavilion' in 353 AD - the greatest work of Chinese calligraphy.

Plan Your Shaoxing Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place

Everything on ToursChinaTravel is bookable through our team by email or WhatsApp. Here's where each part of your Shaoxing trip lives on the site.

Shaoxing Travel Guide — the Lu Xun hometown, the Shen Garden, the East Lake and the black-awning boats

Shaoxing Bucket Listthe hometown, the garden and the wine

Walk the Lu Xun hometown

Read the Shen Garden

Ride the East Lake cliffs

Bow at the Dayu Mausoleum

Copy the Orchid Pavilion

Drink the yellow wine

Top Highlightsthe canals and the old-town lanes

The wupeng fleet

The boatman’s close-up

The canal houses

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Shaoxing

How many days do I need in Shaoxing?

Is the Lu Xun hometown really free?

How much are the wupeng boats?

How do I get there from Hangzhou?

What is the Shen Garden night show?

Where do I drink the yellow wine?

Can ToursChinaTravel arrange my Shaoxing trip?

Sample Itinerariesthe culture day and the two-day water town

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

Activities & Festivalsthe wine, the opera and the boat rides

The Shen Garden Night

The Wupeng Boat Ride

The Shaoxing Opera & the wine houses

The Orchid Pavilion Calligraphy Festival

Where to Stayfrom the hostels to the grand hotels

Xianheng Grand Hotel

Shaoxing Hotel

Hai Gang Hotel

Lu Xun Hometown International Youth Hostel

Shaoxing International Youth Hostel

Food & Restaurantsthe yellow wine and the old-town kitchens

Xianheng Hotel

Xunbaoji Zhuangyuan Restaurant

The yellow wine houses

The Shaoxing snacks

Shopping & Souvenirswine, fans and the water-town crafts

Shaoxing Yellow Wine

Aniseed Beans & dried plum

Yue porcelain & fans

Getting There & Aroundby air, rail, coach, taxi and boat

By air

The Shaoxing station (+86 575 8802 2584) and the high-speed stations on the Hangzhou-Ningbo line - about 20 minutes from Hangzhou East.

By coach

By taxi & bus

The black-awning boats run the city canals at RMB 50-180 per route - the water-taxi of the old town.

Day Trips From Shaoxingthe lake, the mausoleum and the wine country

Travel Tipsthings to remember

Book the Lu Xun quarter

The boat price is per route

Wine is drunk warm

The night is for the garden

The dialect runs thick

Practical Informationbanks, hospitals, emergencies and local help

Shaoxing tourism bureau

Shaoxing No.2 Hospital

Shaoxing TCM Hospital

Shaoxing tourism complaints

The wupeng boat enquiry

Background & Historythe hometown of Lu Xun and the wine

The Yue kingdom

The hometown of Lu Xun

The yellow wine

The Lantingji Xu

Plan Your Shaoxing Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place