Luzhen

Luzhen

Luzhen was first mentioned by Lu Xun in his short story "Kong Yiji." However, you won’t find Luzhen on any map—it is a fictional place from Lu Xun’s novels such as "New Year’s Sacrifice," "Kong Yiji," "The New-Year Sacrifice," "Storm in a Teacup," and "Tomorrow." Today’s "Luzhen" is a countryside-themed park recreated within the Shaoxing Keyan Scenic Area, inspired by the Luzhen in Lu Xun’s writings. It embodies the folk customs, architectural charm, and natural scenery of old Shaoxing towns, serving as a microcosm of Shaoxing’s water town culture.

The scenic area reflects the folk customs, architectural styles, and natural landscapes of Shaoxing’s water towns through the living environments of typical characters from Lu Xun’s works such as "New Year’s Sacrifice," "The True Story of Ah Q," "A Madman’s Diary," and "My Old Home." It combines leisure, entertainment, exhibitions, shopping, and dining. Covering an area of 150 acres with a built-up area of over 30,000 square meters, Luzhen adopts the classic Shaoxing architectural style of white walls, black tiles, and a layout featuring one river, one lake, and two streets.

Upon entering Luzhen, you’ll first see the statue of Lu Xun titled "National Soul" and the memorial pavilion. In the square stand three "archways," known locally in the Shaoxing dialect as "hangpai." Among them, a stone archway bears the name "Luzhen" written in Lu Xun’s own handwriting. Walking into Luzhen, you’ll find a well-arranged ensemble of the luxurious Lu Mansion, the Qian Mansion that looks rustic outside but Western inside, and the old wooden houses of commoners. The Lu Family Ancestral Hall, Kuiven Pavilion, Jingxiu Nunnery where Ah Q teased a young nun, and the Earth God Temple where Ah Q lived—all mentioned in Lu Xun’s novels—are brought to life before your eyes.

The commercial street located to the east of Luzhen is the busiest area, featuring ten uniquely designed commercial buildings. Strolling along the flagstone-paved "Old Street," you’ll pass shops such as a felt hat store, Yue porcelain shop, tofu shop, tinware shop, antique shop, tribute goods shop, oil candle shop, tea and lacquerware shop, pawnshop, and money exchange—many of which operate with workshops at the back of the storefronts, allowing visitors to observe how certain goods are made. A series of group sculptures in Luzhen depict scenes from Lu Xun’s stories. At the heart of the central axis of Luzhen lies the double-sided stage square, where visitors can enjoy traditional Shaoxing opera and sample Huangjiu (Shaoxing wine), immersing themselves in the local flavors described by Lu Xun.

Transportation: Luzhen is located within the Keyan Scenic Area. You can take bus No. 16 directly from the South Gate of Shaoxing, a half-hour ride, then transfer to buses 615, 607, or 77. Alternatively, a tourist shuttle bus departs daily from Hangzhou’s Wushan Square at 8:20 AM bound for Keqiao.

Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province