In Minhang district, intangible cultural heritage is not just for display. You can make it, experience it, and even take it home.

Spend a weekend exploring workshops that bring Shanghai traditions to life. Here's where to start your hands-on journey.

 

Hongguan Hongqiao Artisan Base

Step into Hongguan Hongqiao Artisan Base's latest exhibition, dedicated to the art of making. Through displays and live demos, it bridges folk craft and contemporary design. Try your hand at stitching a scented sachet or luck-pouch under the guidance of a master — a small keepsake filled with meaning.

If you go

Where: No 2800 Wanyuan Road, Hongqiao town

When: Jan 1 to March 3, 2026 (dates subject to change)

 

Qibao Shadow Play Art Museum

Qibao shadow puppetry is among the first items to have been inscribed as an intangible cultural heritage of Shanghai. Here, puppetry is a living art form, still performed, crafted, and passed down from one generation to the next.

The museum combines exhibitions, craft making, and live shows, where traditional stories come alive behind the screen. Whether you're visiting with family or discovering puppetry for the first time, you'll feel the charm of this centuries-old craft.

If you go

Where: No 95 Beixi Street, Qibao town

Open: 9?am to 5?pm

Ticket price: 5 yuan (71 cents) per person

Note: Shadow?puppet performances are staged only on Sundays from 1:30?pm to 3 ?pm.

 

Incense-making craft

Making incense is a practice of patience. In the Haishang Xiangshi workshop, you can learn about ancient incense-making techniques from a craftsman, attend a talk on agarwood culture, or create your own fragrant piece.

From selecting materials to pressing and shaping, the "slow" art of incense offers a hands-on experience that quiets urban white noise and connects makers to the rhythms of daily life.

If you go

Where: No 3 Zhuhang Alley, Qibao Old Street

Open: 10 am to 8:30?pm

Ticket price: 130 yuan/person (price subject to change)

 

Tie-dye art

Tie, dip, and reveal your own pattern in the Bu Dian indigo-dye studio. Learn the basics of natural dyeing and walk away with a unique blue-dyed textile — wearable heritage you helped make.

If you go

Where: Lane 236, Qingnian Road, Qibao town

Open: 10?am to 9?pm (hours subject to change)

 

Maqiao dried tofu

At the Maqiao Dried Tofu Family Workshop, you can witness the traditional process up close and purchase freshly made, authentic tofu to share with your companions.

It's a taste many locals grew up with, offering a unique opportunity to savor both the craftsmanship and the rich history behind it.

If you go

Where: No 2020 Jiangchuan Road, Maqiao town

Open: 5?am to 3:30?pm (hours subject to change)

 

Gourd-carving & painting

Step into the gourd greenhouse to see how they grow, then explore the history of this ancient craft.

You can try gourd-carving and painting, or play the traditional game touhu (pitch-pot), rediscovering classic Chinese pastimes.

If you go

Where: No 1689 Zhahang Road, Huidong village

Ticket price: 60 yuan/person (group of 20 required)

 

Zhuanqiao bucket?steamed cake

Zhuanqiao bucket?steamed cake is a beloved local treat. Made from a mix of glutinous and regular rice flour with brown sugar and steamed in a cedar bucket, it's soft, sweet, and not sticky — and remains delicious even after reheating.

You can buy it as a gift, or book ahead to make your own, bringing home that sweetness straight from the steamer.

If you go

Where:

• A Xiao Di Bucket-Steamed Cake: No 40 Hexiang Road
• Ji Ji Xiang Bucket-Steamed Cake: No 47-2 Beisong Highway

 

Sources: WeChat account of the publicity department of the CPC Minhang district committee at "minhangnews", venues mentioned above