North Flagstone Street on the He River in Changjing

North Flagstone Street in Changjing

The North Flagstone Street in Changjing Town is currently the longest and most well-preserved flagstone street in the Jiangyin area. Walking into the old streets of Changjing Town, you are greeted by the distinctive simplicity and charm of the Jiangnan water towns — quiet alleys, silent well curbs, deep courtyards, and especially the weathered lattice windows all whisper tales of centuries of history.

Changjing was historically known as Dong Shuncheng, with a rich historical and cultural heritage, and is one of the birthplaces of Wu culture. The Changjing Flagstone Street, which stretches about one Chinese mile in total length, is a symbolic structure of ancient Changjing’s civilization.

It is said that the street was first built during the Ming Dynasty, initiated by local merchants, virtuous gentry, major trading firms, and residents. Hard, slip-resistant Jiangnan mountain grindstones were chosen for the construction. The flagstones are about one meter long, 40 centimeters wide, and 20 centimeters thick, with nearly a thousand pieces laid in total. Each slab is engraved with a number. The stones are laid horizontally with drainage channels underneath, and the sides are paved with small blue bricks. People walk on top of the stones while rainwater drains below, leaving the street clean after rain — a design that is remarkably scientific and rational. From the specifications, scale, and the smooth, polished stones of the flagstone street, we can almost sense the prosperity and heyday of the street during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

During the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1573–1620), Old Street of Changjing was at its most prosperous and thriving period. Seven wealthy and influential families — the Xia, Ma, Liu, Yuan, Miao, Gu, and Zhu families — operated countless shops. Merchants from near and far gathered here, and the street hosted numerous businesses such as rice shops, fabric stores, storytelling houses, teahouses, general merchandise shops, inns, bathhouses, and tailor shops. There were as many as seven pawnshops alone, making Changjing’s wealth widely renowned within a hundred-mile radius. “It truly became a major market town in the southeastern part of Jiangyin County” (“Jingli Annals”).

In the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, the Song family from Beisongwan in Jing, located in Changjing Town, began constructing houses and opening shops. In the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928), Song Chucail established a silkworm egg farm at the eastern entrance of Old Street, naming it “Dafu Silkworm Egg Farm.” The flagstone street extended eastward all the way to the east Guan Yu Temple, with stepping stones laid directly to the temple. Song Chuying developed commerce along East Street, mainly running general merchandise and soy sauce shops. To the west of Zhongqiao (Xingshun Bridge) were houses and shops built by the Wang and Wang families, extending all the way to Hongqiao (Xingshou Bridge), where the main businesses were pawnshops. By then, the Old Street of Changjing had formed a thousand-meter commercial street stretching from the Dafu Silkworm Egg Farm in the east to the base of Hongqiao in the west. In the 25th year of the Republic of China (1936), local gentry and citizens pooled funds to renovate the street and erected a commemorative stone on East Street.

On the south side of the street are two-story buildings or single-story houses built along the river, usually two to three bays deep. On the north side, from east to west, there are several north-south alleys, namely Temple Alley, Cao Family Alley, Poplar Alley, and Wang Family Alley, all narrow and deep. Most buildings on the north side of the street are single-story, except for the midsection where there are some two-story structures, extending four to five bays deep. Many residential buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties along the old street are hidden behind tall walls. The Old North Restaurant, the former residence of actress Shangguan Yunzhu, “Huihongxuan,” and the Wang Family Stone Archway all have a long history. The preservation of Ming and Qing architectural structures along the old street, both in scale and quantity, is quite rare in Jiangyin.

As you walk down the street, you’ll find that although it is rather narrow, the folk atmosphere is incredibly rich. Shops line both sides of the street, stretching as far as the eye can see. Look up, and you’ll notice how the narrow street and the traditional Ming and Qing-style eaves cleverly form a “slit of sky”! Adjacent buildings lean toward each other across the street, their beams almost touching — all contributing to the unique charm of this ancient town.

To preserve and restore this segment of the town’s history, in accordance with the principle of repairing in the style of antiquity, the Changjing Town government carried out restoration work on the flagstone street in the summer of 2007, bringing back the old street’s former charm.

Changjing Town: Formerly known as Dong Shuncheng, Changjing is an ancient Jiangnan town with a long history, abundant talent, profound culture, and is one of the birthplaces of Wu culture. Research shows it has a history of over 7,000 years, more than 5,000 years of civilization, and 2,500 years of recorded history. The town covers an area of 54 square kilometers, with a registered population of 56,000, and administers 12 administrative villages and one community residents' committee.

Changjing Town is under the jurisdiction of Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, located at the geometric center of the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou economic zone in the Yangtze River Delta. It borders the Yangtze River to the north and Taihu Lake to the south, enjoying a highly advantageous geographical position. The area enjoys distinct seasons, … More details about Changjing Town++