Yaowan Ancient Town

Yaowan Ancient Town

Yaowan Ancient Town is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Yaowan Ancient Town is located at the southwestern edge of Xinyi City, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, at the confluence of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and Luoma Lake; it borders the cities and counties of Suqian, Suining, and Pizhou.

Yaowan Ancient Town has a history dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period, and has been an established settlement since the Tang Dynasty in 618 AD, boasting over 1,300 years of history. The ancient town lies to the west of the Grand Canal and to the east of Luoma Lake, surrounded by water on three sides, serving as a key hub for north-south water transport and an important center for commodity distribution. The prosperity of water transport led to rapid commercial and industrial growth in Yaowan. During its heyday from the Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, the town housed guildhalls from eight provinces and business agencies from ten countries, attracting merchants and missionaries from the United States, Britain, France, Italy, and other nations. The town was home to over 360 shops and workshops, including money shops, fabric stores, pawnshops, and general merchandise stores.

Major attractions in the ancient town include the Wu Family Courtyard, Zhao Xinlong Sauce Shop, China Pawn Museum, Yaowan Folk Museum, Daqing Yaowan Post Office, Jiangxi Guildhall, Shanxi Guildhall, Suzhenyang Guildhall, Catholic Church, and more than 10 other sites.

Yaowan Ancient Town is often described as “facing the sea to the east, looking back at Pengcheng to the west, overlooking the Huai and Si rivers to the south, and gazing toward Mount Tai to the north.” It is known as the “Golden Triangle of the Golden Waterway,” praised as “a scenic water town in northern Jiangsu that rivals southern Jiangnan,” and also referred to as the “Little Shanghai.”

Yaowan Ancient Town took shape during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the Republican era. It was once an important wharf on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and a major commodity distribution center in northern Jiangsu and southern Shandong. Merchant associations from eight provinces were established here, and business agencies from ten provinces were also set up. In the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, the town had over 360 businesses, factories, and workshops, including 13 money shops. Goods from the three northeastern provinces were transported through Yaowan to Southeast Asia, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, and other destinations.

Yaowan boasts profound cultural heritage and abundant local specialties. Its rich history has nurtured unique folk traditions, culinary culture, and commercial culture. Historical figures such as Yue Fei, Zhu Yuanzhang, Shi Kefa, and Emperor Qianlong left their footprints here, and patriotic general Zhang Huatang lived in Yaowan for many years. A large number of precious historical relics have been unearthed in Yaowan, including stone steles with imperial edicts from the Qing Dynasty, murals, calligraphy, paintings, embroidery, and porcelain. Historic structures that remain, such as ancient guildhalls, temples, bridges, old locust trees, and memorial pavilions, hold significant cultural value. Yaowan gave rise to a number of influential merchants and notable figures who helped spread its culture far beyond the town after leaving. Streets named “Yaowan Street” can be found in cities such as Nanjing, Suzhou, and Shanghai. Yaowan’s osmanthus cake, mung bean cake, and sweet soy sauce are widely renowned; Yaowan’s mung bean liquor, originally an imperial wine from the Ming Dynasty palace, is brewed with dozens of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs and was once designated as tribute wine by Emperor Qianlong.

With its long history and splendid culture, Yaowan has become one of the most beloved tourist attractions for residents of Xuzhou and surrounding areas, recognized as a National Characteristic Landscape Tourism Town and a national AAAA-level tourist attraction following years of preservation, development, and construction.

Address: Yaowan Town, Xinyi City, Xuzhou

Type: Ancient Town

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visit Duration: 4–6 hours

Phone: 0516-88557679

Official Website: http://www.ywgz.com/

Opening Hours: 9:00–17:00