Luodian Old Town (Luodian Ancient Town)

Luodian Old Town (Luodian Ancient Town)

Luodian was first established during the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1341–1368) and has a history of over 500 years. Legend has it that a man named Luo Sheng set up shops and traded here, hence the name "Luo Shop" or Luodian. As the Lianqi River flows from west to east through the area, it was also called Luoxi; the town, situated along the river, was also known as Luoyang.

Luodian is bordered by Jiading to the west, Liuhang to the north, Dachang to the west, and Wusong to the east. With well-developed land and water transport and a booming economy, it was the leading town in Baoshan. As early as the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, Luodian was already a major commercial hub rich in produce and bustling with merchants. By the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, it had developed into a distinctive trading center for cotton and cotton cloth, attracting a large number of merchants from Huizhou. Business flourished, with transaction volumes surpassing those of Nanxiang, earning it the titles “Golden Luodian” and “Silver Nanxiang.” In the third year of the Yongzheng reign (1725), after Baoshan County was established, Luodian’s population grew and the market thrived. According to the Guangxu-era Annals of Luodian Town, “The market in town was extremely lively, with cargo-carrying carts and boats coming and going every day. Streets and alleys crisscrossed densely, like the lines on a chessboard.” This clearly illustrates the prosperity of Luodian Town. Economic development led to the town’s flourishing, which in turn promoted festive customs tied to the economy, reflecting the vibrant cultural life of the times. Events such as the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month featured lantern displays in temples, with two towering lanterns erected in front of temple gates, attracting endless streams of visitors. Bamboo poles were erected in front of farmhouses, with lanterns hung from their tops, known as “Field Illumination Lanterns.” On this day, firecrackers filled the air, dragon lanterns danced, and the sounds of drums and gongs continued all night. There were also men dressed as women parading the streets, known as “Horse Lanterns.” On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, five or six dragon boats competed in races, their flags bright and dazzling, ranking among the best in the Jiading and Baoshan areas. Iron poles were fixed on the boats at the bow, where boys aged 13 or 14 dressed as opera characters were tied up, a performance known as “Showcasing the Colors.” All these reflected the prosperity of Luodian’s commerce and the unique vitality of its street life.

Many in the surrounding rural areas of Luodian spun yarn and wove cloth. Rural women worked diligently at weaving, turning yarn into fabric to produce various types of cloth products, such as tao cloth, Sijing cloth, purple flower cloth, twill cloth, and chess flower cloth. These were exquisitely crafted and of superior quality. Merchants would purchase them and resell them across various regions, yielding considerable revenue. At the time, businesses dealing in cotton, grain, flower shops, and cloth shops were spread all over town, forming the backbone of the booming economy. This situation lasted until the end of the Qing Dynasty. The Continuation of the Baoshan County Annals, compiled during the Republican era, described the scene: “Luodian Town was the largest, topping the whole county… with a total of six to seven hundred shops of all sizes, including pawnshops, flower shops, rice shops, clothing stores, and sauce workshops, especially two leading tin foil shops. The main streets spanned three li from east to west, with Tingqian Street and Tangxi Street being the busiest, followed by Tangdong Street and Heng Street. Villagers came to town for three markets daily—morning, noon, and evening.” This clearly illustrates the vibrancy of Luodian Town. Economic prosperity brought about the town’s flourishing, which in turn fostered festive customs linked to the economy, reflecting the era’s colorful cultural life. Events such as the Lantern Festival, temple banquets, and tower lantern displays drew endless visitors, while villagers displayed lanterns on bamboo poles in front of their homes, known as “Illuminating the Fields.” On this day, the town rang with fireworks, dragon dances, and continuous drumming, with men dressed as women parading the streets. On the Dragon Boat Festival, five or six dragon boats competed, their banners shining brilliantly, ranking first in the region. Boys aged 13 or 14 were tied to iron poles on the boats, dressed as opera characters, in a performance known as “Showing the Colors.” All of this reflected the prosperity of Luodian’s commerce and the unique liveliness of its urban life.

Since the Ming Dynasty, the town has had many residences of notable figures, with eye-catching buildings including: Chunyang Hall (the study place of Ming scholar Huang Tongli), Yulan Hall (where Ming official Ying Jingliang studied with his brother Jingnan after retirement), Tong Hall (the former residence of Ming dynasty figure Ma Yuantiao), Jianglou (built by Fan Guangqi in the early Qing Dynasty and rebuilt by his great-grandson Chaozuo in the 54th year of Qianlong), Baicheng Tower (built by Fan Hongzhu, frequented by celebrities such as Taicang’s Bi Yuan and Changzhou’s Shen Deqian), and Moreilei Hall (the former residence of Qing Dynasty scholar Shi Hao, with his garden later used as Bi Yuan’s study).

Luodian has been home to many scholars, including those who passed the imperial examinations: in the Ming Dynasty, Fan Chun (successful in the TianShun 1st year), Gu Qiguo (Tianqi 2nd year), Shen Zhifang (Chongzhen 4th year), and Shi Fengyi (Chongzhen 10th year); in the Qing Dynasty, Huang Yujian (Shunzhi 16th year), Yin Yuanjia (Shunzhi 18th year), and Shi Hao (Qianlong 37th year). In addition, there were 20 juren (presented scholars) in the Ming Dynasty, 6 gongsheng (tribute students), 27 juren in the Qing Dynasty, and 22 gongsheng. In the 21st year of the Daoguang reign (1841), Luoyang Academy was established, one of the earliest academies in the county. The private Luoxi Middle School, founded in the 32nd year of the Republic of China (1943), became famous for having renowned scholars and experts as faculty. It became public in 1956 and was renamed Luodian Middle School in 1965.

Luodian has many ancient temples and historic sites, including 20 such as Donghuang Temple, Shuilong Temple, Shidu Temple, Guanyin Pavilion, Dongyue Temple, and Yangwang Temple, all with thriving worship. Over time, only one remains today: Fanwang Palace (originally Yuhuang Palace), which has been restored with funding from the government and relevant departments and is now open to the public for worship. The town’s Datong Bridge (commonly known as Dashiqiao), Fengde Bridge (commonly called Zhangjia Bridge), and Lailong Bridge are all stone arch bridges, each with a history of three to five hundred years. There is also a 140-year-old wintersweet tree with double-layered petals, quite rare and precious; a magnolia tree 15 meters tall with a trunk circumference of 2 meters; and four ginkgo trees, each with a trunk circumference exceeding 2.5 meters.

Historically, Luodian suffered repeated military disasters, with ancient architecture almost entirely destroyed. Currently, only the Ming and Qing structures of Fanwang Palace and Buchang Street remain relatively well-preserved. On August 13, 1937, during the Battle of Shanghai in the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese forces landed at Xiaochuansha in Luojing and advanced directly into Luodian. Our troops and the enemy engaged in fierce battles over the town, with 13 intense back-and-forth struggles. The casualties were unprecedented in history. After the battle, the entire town was reduced to ashes, with few shops remaining, markets desolate, and streets deserted, losing the glory of Golden Luodian.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Luodian gradually recovered and developed. In 1979, it was listed as a key construction area of Baoshan County. Seven new roads were built, including Shiyi Road, Luoxi Road, Luoxin Road, and Qibei Road; the original 32 roads, streets, and lanes were all renovated and repaved with asphalt.

Address: Luodian Town, Baoshan District, Shanghai