A getaway from the bustling urban life, Sheshan National Tourist Resort has long served as Shanghai's backyard garden for visitors to chill out and recharge their batteries.

Located in Songjiang district in the western suburbs 30 kilometers from downtown Shanghai, the resort has an area of 64.08 square kilometers and features an undulating landscape that distinguishes it from the rest of the city.

Sheshan is noted for its rich historical, cultural and religious significance.

Covering about 400 hectares, the Sheshan National Forest Park is Shanghai's only natural forest park. The 12 mountains in the resort stretch 13 km from southwest to northeast, adding a range of scenic mountains and forests to the Shanghai Plain.

Halfway up West Sheshan Mountain, there is a towering Catholic church. Built in 1863 by Jesuit missionaries, the church is one of the most significant Catholic churches in China and has attracted pilgrims from across Asia.

A 30-minute walk along a zigzagging path with woodcarvings on each curve showing the 14 Stations of the Cross leads to the top of the hill and the basilica. The church is a pleasant place to visit in the evenings.

With its 38-meter-high bell tower visible from afar, the red brick church is built in a cruciform shape. No nails, beams or steel were used for the construction. Instead the whole interior is made with granite.

Above the marble altar, the Virgin Mother, holding the baby Jesus in her arms, watches over the faithful.

Over the years, Sheshan National Tourist Resort has built many scenic spots and high-class forest tourist service facilities, such as the Chenshan Botanical Garden, as well as modern hotels and restaurants.

The Chenshan Botanical Garden was constructed to be in harmony with local conditions by restoring ecological balance. It consists of four major functional areas, namely the central display area, plant conservation area, plants from five continents and the peripheral buffer area.

The garden displays a wide array of native plants, including the largest collection of plants from East China.

Its central display area has 26 nurseries, which make up the core of the whole garden. Among them are a botanical garden for the blind, the aquatic plants garden and the rock herbs garden.

In the garden for the blind, the visually impaired can feel and smell beautiful, non-toxic and thorn-less plants with particularly strong scents and unique morphology.

The Shanghai Sculpture Park is an artistic and landscape garden integrating modern sculpture, architectural art, natural scenery and humanistic landscapes with high-end leisure and fashion.

It covers an area of 86.67 hectares, with a lake in the center. The land is divided into spring, summer, autumn and winter zones, each in a different style.

In the woods around the lake, nearly 60 sculpture treasures created by famous artists from all over the world are on display. Most of the works in the park are made of granite and metal.

In addition, there is also a re-creation of old Shanghai - the Shanghai Movie Amusement Park in Chedun township. It includes replicas of buildings and streets in the 1930s. The location is often used as a setting for period movies.

The Sheshan International Golf Club boasts some of the most beautiful courses in the country and has hosted the annual WGC-HSBC Champions, a world golf championship event, since 2006.

The resort is also home to the famed Happy Valley Amusement Park, which is among the largest ones in China and offers a variety of options for entertainment, including roller coasters, bungee jumping and magic shows.

There are also various well-developed hotels for tourists to choose from, including Le Meridien and Sofitel.

yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/05/2013 page17)