Li Xinchang Transshipment Firm

Li Xinchang Transshipment Firm

Li Xinchang Transshipment Firm is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

Located on the north side of Chaixu Road, Li Xinchang Transshipment Firm is one of the best-preserved and largest transshipment firms in Gaogang, serving as a historical testament to the flourishing trade and commerce of the port area.

During the late Qing Dynasty, when the Port of Kou’an thrived in trade, transshipment firms emerged accordingly. Historical records indicate that at its peak, there were as many as 48 such firms in Kou’an, and Li Xinchang was one of the larger ones. The ancestors of Li Xinchang ran a “foreign shed” (a business handling transportation for foreign ships) and owned over 100 buildings in Longwo Port. By Li Xinchang’s generation, they began engaging in timber transport, becoming timber merchants, and later expanded their operations to eventually run the transshipment firm in Kou’an.

The Li Xinchang Transshipment Firm exhibits the architectural style of civilian residences from the late Qing Dynasty. Facing south and built with brick and wood, the structure features a partial second floor and stands as a typical example of pre-Qing commercial-front-and-residence-rear architecture. In 2010, the People's Government of Gaogang District carried out protective restoration on the residence and transformed it into the Gaogang Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall, covering a total floor area of approximately 1,116 square meters. The exhibition hall includes eight sections: Historical Evolution, Trade Culture, Folk Culture, Religious Culture, Red Culture, Notable Figures of Gaogang, Eight Scenic Spots of Chaixu, and New Look of Gaogang, comprehensively showcasing the historical development and unique culture of Gaogang.

In March 2019, Li Xinchang Transshipment Firm was included in the eighth batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units