Editor's Note

This year is the 21st anniversary of the opening of the Shanghai metro. The subway has facilitated more than 13 billion journeys during its 21 years, and half of Shanghai citizens cite the metro as their favored mode of transport. To commemorate the anniversary, each week the Global Times will take an in-depth look at one metro station and its surroundings. In the case of downtown stations, we will focus on points of interest within walking distance; while for suburban areas, we will cast our net a little wider.

Zhenru town of Putuo district in the northwest of Shanghai is well-known for its historic landmarks, time-honored dining brands and large bustling seafood market. All these attractions can be easily accessed from Exit 5 of Zhenru Station on metro Line 11.

Zhenru Temple

Covering an area of about 10,000 square meters, Zhenru Temple (399 Lanxi Road, 6297-1581) is one of the largest and best-preserved Buddhist temples in Shanghai. It was built during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) and reconstructed during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). Its name means "real and as usual" in Buddhism.

The temple houses a number of timbered shrines featuring black tiles, white walls, carved beams and painted rafters. It has a vibrant atmosphere with worshippers coming in endless streams, saffron-robed monks walking back and forth in the courtyard, and scripture chants accompanied by ritual music resounding around the complex.

Along its north-south axis stand the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Avalokitesvara Hall, Zhenru Pagoda, the Sutras Keeping Hall, and Abbot's Room.

By the side of the Hall of Heavenly Kings are the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. A 1.7-meter-tall bronze bell is suspended from the ceiling of the Bell Tower. Visitors can strike the bell for a fee of 30 yuan ($4.89).

Behind the Hall of Heavenly Kings grows an 800-year-old ginkgo. The fence around it is covered with countless yellow ribbons bearing people's good wishes.

The Avalokitesvara Hall houses an elaborate 5.2-meter-tall four-sided statue of the goddess Guanyin carved from a whole piece of white marble, which stands on a 1.2-meter-tall stone lotus.

The most prominent feature of the complex is the 53-meter-tall nine-story Zhenru Pagoda in the north. The pagoda leads to an underground palace, where the cremated remains of the Sakyamuyi Buddha are enshrined. Visitors are allowed to ascend to its top.

The temple holds regular Buddhist events such as talks and seminars. It is open from 5:30 am to 4 pm daily, except for the first and the 15th day of each lunar month, when it opens from 5 am to 4 pm. Admission is 10 yuan per person.

Zhenru Temple features black tiles, white walls, carved beams and painted rafters. Photos: Yang Fan/GT

Zhenru Mutton Restaurant

Zhenru mutton, the most famous dish of Zhenru town, can be dated back to Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Its culinary technique was listed among Shanghai's intangible cultural heritage items in 2007.

A slew of restaurants in Zhenru have earned a reputation for the dish. Among them, Zhenru Mutton Restaurant (155 Beishi Road, 5266-5100) boasts the most authentic flavors and has over 100 years of history.

The restaurant features high-backed wooden chairs, retro-style square tables and rustic brick walls. The mutton is tied with string and braised in soy sauce. The noodles are handmade in a flat shape. A bowl of braised mutton noodles costs 26 yuan.

The most popular dish is chilled lamb slices, which costs 82 yuan per 500 grams. The mutton soup hot pot is another popular dish. Customers can order various parts of the goat or sheep to be boiled in the hot pot. Yellow rice wine is the most common accompaniment for the lamb. The restaurant is open from 6 am to 10 pm each day.

Tongchuan Road Seafood Market

Covering an area of about 14,000 square meters, Tongchuan Road Seafood Market is the largest outdoor seafood wholesale market in Shanghai. The street teems with hundreds of stalls offering all kinds of seafood, such as Pacific oysters, Canadian lobsters, Napoleon fish, Australian abalone and Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs. Many local restaurants source their raw materials from the market.

Inside the market, you can talk with vendors to learn about the best seasonal picks, bargain for the best price on any products that catch your fancy, and net a catch of live, flopping seafood.

You can take your purchase straight home to cook yourself, or go to a nearby restaurant, where you can ask for it to be prepared in any fashion you like.

The hairy crabs cost around 35 yuan per pair, while crayfish is currently around 30 yuan per 500 grams. However, prices vary widely depending on season and level of supply. The quality of products in such wholesale market can also vary greatly. Care should be taken when selecting the items.

Tips for visiting the seafood market

Bargain hard and ask around at several stalls before settling on the best price. If the offer fails to meet your expectation, turn around and walk away, since the vendors may beckon you back with a lower price. If a vendor doesn't budge in terms of price, go to another of the many stalls.

Check the weight of your chosen items several times prior to purchase, as some unscrupulous sellers might resort to deceit by playing with their scales or filling your seafood bags with water.

Check the products' quality carefully before agreeing to any transaction. Make sure produce is alive, that the flesh has a natural color and that there is no unpleasant smell.

If you are inexperienced, it's probably better to consult some in-the-know buyers before buying any seafood there.

Avoid going to the market during weekends or on public holidays, as at these times the prices are usually jacked up.