Ten-Li Long Street

Ten-Li Long Street

Ten-Li Long Street refers to the current Old Road Bridge Street, located in the bustling commercial district of Luqiao, the trade center of Taizhou. The origins of Old Road Bridge Street can be traced back to the era when a postal station was established here during the Eastern Han Dynasty, boasting a history of approximately 2,000 years. Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty, impressed by the concept that “the road is the bridge and the bridge is the road,” bestowed the name “Luqiao” (literally “Road Bridge”). During the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, Luqiao, a renowned commercial port along the eastern Zhejiang coast, rose to fame. “Ten-Li Long Street” has since become a microcosm of Luqiao’s history and commercial economy.

Built alongside the Nan Guan River, Ten-Li Long Street exudes the charm of a traditional Jiangnan water town. The buildings along the street feature Ming and Qing dynasty street-front architecture, predominantly two-story structures with hanging tower designs. The triangular brackets where the hanging towers meet the ground floor are intricately carved with delicate patterns of flowers, birds, and human figures. The street is paved with bluestone slabs and densely lined with shops. It is recorded that at its peak, there were as many as 820 various shops and over 2,100 market stalls. Ten-Li Long Street also retains more than 20 temples, some of which face each other, giving rise to the saying “temple facing temple, market on the bridge, yin-yang waters.” Ten-Li Long Street is a great destination for sightseeing, shopping, and leisure.