Shaobo Ancient Town

Shaobo Ancient Town

One of the thousand historical and cultural towns in China, it boasts a history of over 1,600 years. In 2008, Shaobo was included in the fourth batch of China's Historical and Cultural Towns. In 2014, the Ming and Qing Dynasty canal ancient road of Shaobo, the cluster of Shaobo docks, the ancient embankment of Shaobo, the old ship lock of Shaobo, and the main line of the Huaiyang Canal (Shaobo section) were listed in the World Heritage Protection List of the Grand Canal of China. Shaobo Ancient Town is the ancient town with the most heritage sites along the Grand Canal.

Shaobo Ancient Street

The old street of Shaobo was built during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. The road surface of the ancient street is paved with nearly ten thousand bluestone slabs, stretching over three li. Originally a dirt road, it was very inconvenient to walk on during rainy days. Later, through public fundraising, this smooth, flat stone road was laid—free from puddles when it rains and dust when it’s sunny. During the Great Leap Forward in 1958, the alleyway stones were repurposed, but fortunately, the stone-paved road of the main street was preserved. When you visit Shaobo Old Street, take a stroll along this ancient path and perhaps encounter an ancient Tang Dynasty stone, a Song Dynasty well, a Ming Dynasty house, or a Qing Dynasty shop.

Ancient GanTang Tree

The ancient GanTang tree was planted in 385 AD by local residents to commemorate Xie An for relieving the region of drought in the west and floods in the east. For hundreds of years, it has remained lush and vibrant. Legend has it that this GanTang tree has three wonders: first, it moves without wind; second, it flowers but bears no fruit; third, it blooms before closing. It is an extremely rare and precious species.

Town Water Iron Ox

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The Town Water Iron Ox is a treasure used for flood control in Shaobo Town. Cast during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, it has a history of over 300 years. It is said that along the entire thousand-li stretch of the Grand Canal, there are nine oxen, two tigers, and one chicken, with the Shaobo Iron Ox being one of them—all used to subdue water. The weather-beaten Iron Ox is affectionately called “Iron Ox Grandma” by the locals.

Damatou (Big Wharf)

As everyone knows, Emperor Qianlong made six southern tours, but few know that each time he visited Yangzhou, his dragon boat would dock at Damatou. The three characters “Damatou” were personally inscribed by Emperor Qianlong. Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, Damatou has been an important port along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Tribute ships passed through here, cargo ships gathered and dispersed, examination candidates traveled to and fro, officials came to take office or go to the capital, and official boats were ferried while tourists came and went—making Damatou the bustling heart of the town.

Douye Pavilion

Douye Pavilion was built in the second year of the Xining era of the Northern Song Dynasty, overlooking Shaobo Lake. For centuries, it attracted numerous literati and poets to gather and compose poetry, gaining widespread fame. The name of the renowned pavilion and its location nearly faded into obscurity after enduring a thousand years of turbulent history, until it was destroyed in a war around 1930. The current Douye Pavilion was funded and constructed by the Shaobo Town government in 2001. Inside, it houses calligraphy masterpieces by the Four Great Calligraphers of the Song Dynasty—Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu, and Cai Xiang—along with stone tablets inscribed with poems by the Seven Sages. It is truly a place of famous poetry and calligraphy.

Shaobo Cuisine

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After admiring so many architecturally rich and historically significant sites in Shaobo, how can you not sample the local cuisine? Shaobo offers a wide variety of delicious food. “Shaobo Lobster” is the town’s culinary pride—if you don’t try it, you haven’t really been to Shaobo. Other lake delicacies such as “Shaobo Braised Fish,” “LuYang Lake Duck Eggs,” “Shaobo Sausage,” and “Shaobo Salted Goose” are also waiting for you to taste.

Shaobo Defense Battle Memorial Hall

After enjoying the food, let’s visit the meaningful Shaobo Defense Battle Memorial Hall. The Battle of Shaobo Defense was a model of positional defense in the early stages of the Liberation War in Central China. It was the sixth battle of the “Seven Victories in Seven Battles” and a major triumph where Commander Su Yu successfully employed the “Attack Huang to Save Shaobo” tactic, making immortal contributions to the liberation cause. Let’s pay tribute to the martyrs of the “Seven Victories in Seven Battles” at the Shaobo Defense Battle Memorial Hall.

Shaobo Ship Lock

The Shaobo Ship Lock is the largest and oldest along the canal, with a history dating back 1,600 years. “A myriad boats glide effortlessly, the lock tames dragons without a ripple” vividly depicts the scene of numerous vessels passing through the lock. Let’s carry our aspirations, reminisce about the historic scenes of ships passing the lock, and learn about the knowledge of canal locks.

Shaobo Lake

Shaobo Lake is vast and misty, known for its expansive waters and the poetic praise, “Where thirty-six pools have set their sails, only the finest lake scenery remains.” Standing on Shaobo Lake, experience the mirror-like calm and the towering white waves when the wind rises. Then take a pleasure boat ride to fully enjoy it.

Shaobo—a small town brimming with history and culture, exuding the fragrance of history everywhere. Once you come, you’ll fall in love with it.