With plenty of English, this fascinating museum covers the thousand-year history of female foot-binding in China with examples of the shoes that constituted (as captions in the museum attest to) the Golden Lotus (3in foot) complex that was the freakish mentality of the males at that time. Periodically banned, foot-binding was finally abolished in the 20th century.
Chinese Footbinding Culture Museum
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
9.64 MILES
Oddly overlooked by most visitors, this 400m stretch of 100 (or so) wooden row houses, flanking a narrow canal, is Nanxun's most charming spot. The…
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0.28 MILES
Opened in 2015, the imposing white slabs of this gallery couldn't be more in contrast to the black timber houses of the surrounding Xizha scenic area of…
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0.01 MILES
The Xīzhà scenic zone is more spread out so feels less packed, even though visitors spend more time here. It is the more photogenic of the two scenic…
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9.17 MILES
This lived-in Southern Song dynasty water town has unique architecture that fuses Chinese and European styles. With fewer visitors than other canal-filled…
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Zhangshiming's Former Residence
9 MILES
The grandest of Nanxun's wealthy merchant homes looks like a classic Chinese manor, with ornate carvings in wood, stone and brick – until you reach deep…
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1.13 MILES
The main street of the Dōngzhà scenic zone, Dongda Jie (东大街), is a narrow path paved with stone slabs and flanked by wooden buildings. There are workshops…
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9.06 MILES
Nicknamed the red house, this intriguing two-faced structure has a traditional Chinese front house and a back one of red brick. It contains baroque-style…
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0.15 MILES
Singles and couples alike come here to win the favour of the god of love (who, interestingly, appears here as an old man) by lighting incense and tying…
Nearby attractions
0.01 MILES
The Xīzhà scenic zone is more spread out so feels less packed, even though visitors spend more time here. It is the more photogenic of the two scenic…
0.15 MILES
Singles and couples alike come here to win the favour of the god of love (who, interestingly, appears here as an old man) by lighting incense and tying…
0.28 MILES
Opened in 2015, the imposing white slabs of this gallery couldn't be more in contrast to the black timber houses of the surrounding Xizha scenic area of…
0.32 MILES
This seven-storey pagoda is a beacon at the far western end of the Xizha scenic zone. You can climb up to the 3rd floor for excellent views over the Grand…
0.81 MILES
Once a famous pawnshop that eventually expanded to branches in Shanghai, this old shop is bare now, though the high counter – where the owner lorded over…
0.86 MILES
Near the entrance to the Dōngzhà scenic zone, Mao Dun’s Former Residence was the home of the revolutionary writer and author of Spring Silkworms and…
7. Jiangnan Wood Carving Museum
0.91 MILES
A fine collection of wood carvings from around the region, though unfortunately no explanations as to when they were created or what symbolism is evoked.
1.13 MILES
The main street of the Dōngzhà scenic zone, Dongda Jie (东大街), is a narrow path paved with stone slabs and flanked by wooden buildings. There are workshops…