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.

Nestled in the central area of Sanlin town in Pudong New Area, Sanlin Station is near the southern end of metro Line 11, and retains a simplicity that contrasts with the financial center of Lujiazui.

The history of Sanlin town can be traced back to the Northen Song Dynasty (960-1127), when a man named Lin Legeng settled here and started a business with his wife and son. More people were attracted and settled down, and a village was formed along the tributary to the Huangpu River. The village was named Sanlin Tang after the Lin family name. It has since become a commercial center and tourist spot.

A few hundred meters away from Exit 4 to the southwest of the station lies Sanlin Tang Old Street, which is home to several intangible cultural heritage museums. Furthermore, a small shop specializing in local food is also worth a visit.

People perform a dragon dance on Sanlin Tang Old Street. Photos: Niu Mulin/GT and CFP

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Folk Museum

The Folk Museum (203 Donglin Street), which opened in 2012, is hidden behind a pavilion, but is not hard to find thanks to conspicuous signs.

Many pictures, photos, models and objects are on display on the museum's two floors, introducing the culture, customs and agriculture of Sanlin town.

A sandbox contains an overview in models of the location of Sanlin town and its ancient main street, with its landmark houses, residences and bridge. The construction and development of the street is detailed.

In another exhibition room, exquisitely detailed models celebrate Sanlin's intimate involvement with shipbuilding and navigation. Another eye-catching exhibit is a red sedan, traditionally used to carry a bride on her wedding day.

The second floor focuses on the cultural output of the village. In one display case, dozens of models of costumed performers stand before a temple, decked in colorful costumes, in a recreation of the village's famous mid-March Shengtang Temple Fair. Revived in 2008, the fair sees vendors flock to the village to provide various goods.

The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm daily. Admission is free.

Sanlin Embroidery Workshop

A few hundred meters from the museum is the Sanlin Embroidery Workshop (41 Donglin Street).

Sanlin embroidery was classified as an intangible cultural heritage of Shanghai in 2007. Its origins can be dated back to the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). It is famous for its slender thread, skillful knitting and delicate patterns.

The workshop/exhibition room is covered with frames of embroidery. In the corner of the inner room, there stands a glass cabinet containing a white nightgown that mixes Chinese and Western styles, created for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in the 1980s. Made of silk, it has embroidered flowers and braided buttons.

"I learned embroidery when I was 11 years old in order to make a living at the time," said 51-year-old Zhou Weiwen, a needlepoint worker who was embroidering a peony. The flower, which was as large as the palm of a hand, would take her a whole week to complete, she said.

Many of the items on display are available for purchase.

Pickle store

Walking along the street, you can't miss the Sanlin Zhang Wenkui Pickle Store (141 Zhonglin Street). In fact, you're likely to smell it before you see it.

Jars of different pickles stand neatly in the window, including radish, cucumber and garlic. Each kind of pickle is available for tasting. Prices range from 10 yuan ($1.61) to 20 yuan per 500 grams.

The Sanlin pickle got its reputation long before 2010 when this small shop was set up. All the pickles on offer are made according to the secret recipe created by Zhang Wenkui.

Zhang adopted the traditional sousing method of Pudong New Area that involves exposing the marinated pickles under the sun, helping the pickles absorb the sauce while also retaining their original flavor. Zhang used to sell his pickles on the roadside, before his daughter inherited the craft and began running the store. "Shanghai locals like eating pickle with rice in soup, however, Sanlin pickles are rarely seen in the city nowadays," said a saleswoman at the store.