Anchang Town,located near Shaoxing in East China's Zhejiang Province, is an ideal place for a weekend trip.

On the day of our arrival, we were lucky to catch a Shaoxing Opera performance in the square in front of the City God Temple.

Anyone familiar with the famous writer Lu Xun will be thrilled to experience this production or "She Xi".

Although the players might not be famous names, sitting among the local people, most of them elders of the town, makes this a most special treat.

Local people told us that the town government invited the opera group to perform twice daily for four days.

Shaoxing Opera ("She Xi" ) is performed by local opera lovers.

The opera was lively, but to be honest, we were unable to understand it. Still, we were not discouraged, as we enjoyed the snacks that peddlers offered to satiate our appetites.

Business center

Rising from our spot in front of the stage, we moved on to explore the town's old streets. Like many ancient towns in Southeast China, Anchang's stone-paved streets are lined with small stores - a perfect place to explore.

Searching the town's back streets, we uncovered some interesting businesses - fortune-telling, iron-forging, cotton-fluffing, coal-ball making and tub repairing - businesses that have long disappeared from the streets of big cities such as Shanghai.

When we stopped to have dinner at Yuelai Restaurant, where locals enjoy dishes such as bean curd and anise bean, an old man named Wu Chuanyao took the time to tell us a little about the town's 4,000-year-old history.

Before being built into a town, Anchang was a simple shoal near the ocean. People there lived a traditional fisherman's lifestyle for thousands of years. Then in 1489, Zheng Dounan, a government official, embarked on creating the town of Anchang. To attract immigrants, Zheng announced that anyone who moved to Anchang would be rewarded with four pies. His plan was a success.

By the beginning of last century, Anchang had become one of the four most famous towns of Shaoxing. The town's growth peaked during the boom era of the 1930s, when there were over 900 stores in the town. As a business centre, cotton, cloth and rice sold like hot cakes.

Tea tradition

Beyond Anchang's unique commerce legacy, is its tradition of tea. Travellers should not miss the experience of a morning in an Anchang tea house. While Western people like to gather in pubs and chat over a pint, the social centre for Anchang's people is the tea house.

We decided on the 300-year-old-plus Fu'anju Tea House, where guests enjoy red tea at 1 yuan a cup and green tea at 2 yuan, to lounge away the morning before venturing on to investigate the area's other pastimes.

Boating is a comfortable way to enjoy the town. Our boatman, at 76 years old, still looked energetic. From the boat, we appreciated the special role that bridges fulfilled for Anchang. In total, there are 17 stone bridges called rainbows. We also savored the scenes of local women washing clothes and vegetables along the banks of the river.

Finally our boat arrived at Shiye Guan (Adviser Hall), where we appreciated yet another unique aspect of the area's history. Adviser's Hall is a testimony to the special role that locals played in the country's imperial governments. Though the town never produced many high-level officials, it was the birth place of uncountable official advisers.

Due to the fierce competition, many people failed the test held by the emperor, however they could still find positions as advisers. Anchang's clever population enjoyed great respect for success in this field.

Before departing Anchang, if you still have time, it is a good idea to check out the local houses called Taimen. The most famous ones are Yihedang Taimen and Fangjia Taimen. The ticket price is only 5 yuan.

Travel tips

Traffic: Train 5081 departs from Shanghai Railway Station at 7:48am and arrives in Keqiao at noon. Take the bus from Keqiao Railway Station to Anchang. In Anchang, it is easy to catch a bus to Shaoxing, then from Shaoxing you can return to Shanghai. You will find a wide selection of trains and buses.

Hotel: Anchang Hotel maybe the best hotel in town. A standard room is about 100 yuan ($12.1). The price of private hotels is even lower, only 40 yuan ($4.8).

( Shanghai Star May 23, 2002)