Houtouwan Village, Abandoned village on Shengshan Island, China
Houtouwan Village is an abandoned fishing village on Shengshan Island, a small island in the East China Sea. The stone and wood houses are covered in thick vines and moss, with many roofs collapsed and walls partially fallen.
The village was a working fishing community through the 1990s, when residents depended on the sea for their livelihood. As Shanghai grew into the dominant center for trade and fishing in the region, people gradually moved away, leaving the village fully abandoned around 2002.
Reaching the village from Shanghai involves a bus ride to a ferry terminal and then a ferry to Shengshan Island, followed by a taxi or short walk along dirt paths. Sturdy footwear is important since the ground between buildings is uneven and some sections can be slippery.
Some of the old houses still contain furniture and household objects left behind by former residents, slowly decaying under the vines. Today, none of the few people still on the island depend on fishing; instead, they sell water and occasionally guide visitors through the site.
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