Stroll along old alleys in Changsha
2022-12-13
Memories of old city in alleys
When you step onto the 300-year-old granite-paved road, you may stumble if you are not careful. In the past, Chaozong Street Historical and Cultural Block was the only way out of Chaozong Gate to the Xiangjiang River, as well as a place where rice industry and warehousing flourished. The ground structure was created by the constant movement of vehicles and rainwater, on which the ancient marks can still be found as time goes by.
If Chaozong Street is a new trendy flavor in an ancient charm, Shouxing Street is where you can soak up the lively ordinary life. The old community is full of happiness, with people chatting with each other under the shade of trees and children running and laughing.
The simple life exists in some memories of the old city. Hongjiping is to commemorate Qu Hongji, a historical figure from Changsha who served the country with integrity and loyalty. The site was formerly known as “Qu’s Palace”, but was later destroyed in a fire and only remnants of a wall remained. Through the old photos on the wall, you will be immersed in the story about this high-ranking official of the Qing Dynasty.
New stories in old city
Walk along Shouxing Street, go through the hustle and bustle of the road and the lively neighborhood, and then enter a small white alley. With classical windows and green branches decorating the white walls, there is Xiyuan Beili, a quiet and elegant alley.
Xiyuan Beili is a piece of pure land in the bustling city, which dates back to the Tang Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Liu Tui, a native of Changsha, studied hard at Xiyuan Beili and eventually became the first scholar in Jingnan, renowned as the “unprecedented scholar”. During the Qing Dynasty, Hu Xingren, governor of Zhejiang Province, bought land here and built a charming garden, known as “Tui Garden”. Many historical celebrities such as Chen Yinke and Tan Sitong left stories here.
In addition, the alley connects 7 immovable cultural relics like Zuo Zongtang Memorial Temple and Li Jue’s Mansion, as well as 15 cultural attractions including Xiyuan Historical Exhibition Hall and Li Li’s Former Residence. It has also attracted numerous young people, continuing to write new stories of Changsha by opening tearooms and record studios.
After a half-hour walk along Huangxing Middle Road, you can reach Baigouyuan Lane, a wealthy district of Changsha in the Republic of China era. With clear pool water and luxuriant gingko trees, the quiet pavilion is a great place to rest, where you can listen to the legends about the lane.
You will feel as if you stepped into a time tunnel when roaming through East Baigouyuan Lane. There are many old photos of old Changsha on the walls, including precious images from the 1970s and 1980s, Hunan Martyrs Park and the railway station decades ago. Strolling along the alleys, you can still experience the splendor of Cheng Qian’s Mansion and Xiangjiang Review Printing Office.
Charm at old streets
Just pass Baigouyuan Lane and you will reach Hualongchi. It is a lively street full of bars known to people. However, the story of thousand-year-alley can be widely known during the day without bustle. Nowadays, you can still see the relics of screen walls of ancient schools in Shanhua County.
Passing Hualongchi and looking up, you can see the lane hanging with big red lanterns. The ancient buildings are arranged in a staggered manner, with scenes of life in the old Changsha City unfolding little by little.
Duzheng Street is not long, but it can impress you with a lot of fun. The beautiful and exquisite Dongchi of the Tang Dynasty has now been transformed into a nostalgic space, where the objects from the 1970s and 1980s are displayed. They can stir up thoughts of nostalgia for the old days. The sound of iron working is replaced by shutters sound. If you take a stroll along Duzheng Street, you will meet a beautiful woman in Chinese costume. There is also plenty of food at Duzheng Street. So if you are tired of walking, why not have a barbecue or sweet snacks to bring the wonderful end to this city exploration?
Duzheng Street is not long, but it can impress you with a lot of fun. The beautiful and exquisite Dongchi of the Tang Dynasty has now been transformed into a nostalgic space, where the objects from the 1970s and 1980s are displayed. They can stir up thoughts of nostalgia for the old days. The sound of iron working is replaced by shutters sound. If you take a stroll along Duzheng Street, you will meet a beautiful woman in Chinese costume. There is also plenty of food at Duzheng Street. So if you are tired of walking, why not have a barbecue or sweet snacks to bring the wonderful end to this city exploration?
If you want to ask what kind of city Changsha is, a number of people will probably answer, “it is a thousand-year-old city.” People are used to using labels to describe a city, but rarely experience it by themselves. Roaming along the centuries-old granite-paved street and indulging in the old memory of a city, you can get a new understanding of Changsha by City Walk.
