“Floating Mountain?” This name might make you curious about Jinshan District. This district is a suburban area in southwestern Shanghai. It borders Zhejiang province and Hangzhou Bay.
Jinshan District covers 586.14 square kilometers. In 2020, the population was 822,776. It is one of Shanghai’s biggest districts. Local government divides it into nine towns and one subdistrict.
About 6.2 kilometers off the coast of Jinshan are three islands. These are Dajinshan, Xiaojinshan, and Fushan. Dajinshan means “Big Gold Mountain.” Xiaojinshan means “Little Gold Mountain”. The peak of Dajinshan Island is 103 meters high. This is the highest point in Shanghai.
Jinshan has changed a lot. It went from a rural area to a suburban environment. A high-speed highway was completed in 2008. Then, a new bus line opened between Shanghai and Jinshan. The Shimei Line runs between Jinshan and Jinjiang Park station. The travel time is about an hour.
Since 2012, the Shanghai Suburban Railway connects to Jinshan. The Jinshan Railway runs to Shanghai South railway station. This trip takes about 30 minutes.
Jinshan District is home to the Donglin Temple. This Buddhist temple is dedicated to Guanyin. She is the bodhisattva of compassion. Jinshan peasant painting comes from Fengjing town. It is a nationally and internationally known folk art.
The district houses the headquarters of Shanghai Petrochemical Company Ltd. It also contains Jinshan Industrial Park.
To visit Jinshan, take a suburban train from South Railway Station. It costs 10 RMB and takes 30 minutes non-stop. Check the schedule because trains may only run once an hour.
Other attractions around Jinshan include the Ancient Town of Fengjing and Donglin Temple.
Jinshan City Beach is in Jinshanwei town. It is one of Shanghai’s few beaches. The beach has imported sand from Hainan. A concrete wall surrounds it. There are restaurants and toilets. You can rent beach volleyball and soccer fields. You can also enjoy trampolines and jet skis. Couples often take pre-wedding pictures here. An annual beach fireworks display happens in August.
Near Jinshan City Beach is Jinshan Binhai Park. It has lawns, artificial lakes, rockery buildings, and pavilions. There is also a children’s playground.
Jinshanwei is the site of Jinshanzui Fishing Village. It is the earliest and last fishing village in Shanghai. It dates back over 2,000 years. Xiangyu Lake has thousands of lotus flowers in summer. You can find teahouses, inns, and seafood here. There is also a fishery museum and folk art gallery.
Jinshan District has one subdistrict and nine towns. These include Shihua Subdistrict, Caojing, Fengjing, and Jinshanwei. Others are Langxia, Lüxiang, Shanyang, Tinglin, Zhangyan, and Zhujing.
In the next five years, Jinshan district will implement the Transformation of Baoshan and Jinshan districts. Jinshan will become a significant platform for “Shanghai Manufacturing Brand”. It will be a pioneering area for supporting rural development. It is a bridgehead for higher-quality integrated development in the Yangtz River Delta region. The district aims to be a vibrant, eco-friendly, and livable bay area. This area will be open, innovative, smart, and low-carbon. Jinshan District offers a unique blend of history, culture, and natural beauty.