Keqiao Ancient Town

Keqiao Ancient Town

is the largest town in Shaoxing County and one of the most renowned water towns in Zhejiang. Known for its prosperous economy, abundant produce, and bustling markets, it has long been honored with the nickname "Golden Keqiao." With its deep historical roots and rich cultural heritage, it was among the first group of towns designated as a "Historical and Cultural Town" in Zhejiang and a "Tourism Town of Zhejiang." The Ming Dynasty scholar Zhang Yuanbian wrote in *The Three Rivers Treatise*: "Today, thirty li from Shanyin lies Keqiao, beneath which flows the Ke River." The Ke River runs through the town’s main canal, and the town gets its name from the bridge, which in turn is named after the river. In the 1970s, a stone axe was unearthed in Dushan Village within the town, proving that human activity existed here as far back as the Neolithic Age. *The Annals of Yue* also record that King Goujian of Yue once “established his residence on Dushan” before “moving to Langya, where his tomb was never completed.” During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Cai Yong created the world-famous “Keqiao Flute” here, hence the town is also known as “Flute Hamlet.” Through the Tang and Song Dynasties, and into the Ming Dynasty when the market was officially established, it became a thriving commercial hub. During Emperor Qianlong’s southern inspection tours, he visited Keqiao and admired the scenery. A “Fangsheng Imperial Stele” was erected in the Fangsheng Nunnery near Keqiao Pavilion east of the town.

The terrain within Keqiao Town is flat, crisscrossed by an intricate network of rivers. Dozens of stone and reinforced concrete bridges of various sizes connect the entire town together. The town’s layout takes the waterways as its framework. As a historic commercial town, its main streets run alongside the canals, with shops mostly situated along the water and residences often built next to it. Shops along the river are covered with rain shelters and overhanging eaves to shield against wind and rain. Traditional homes are divided by the canals but connected by ancient bridges. Small black-canopied boats are neatly moored along the riverbanks, and when tourists board, the boatmen use the unique rowing style of Shaoxing—rowing with both hands and feet—to take them to their destinations. The rhythmic sound of paddles and splashing water allows visitors to fully enjoy the charm of traveling through the water town.

The most representative area showcasing the essence of the ancient town is the crossroads where the ancient canal and the Ke River intersect at the town center. The waterway divides the land into four sections, with the eastern, southern, and northern areas connected by Rongguang Bridge, Yongfeng Bridge, and New Keqiao Bridge. The architectural layout follows the contours of the riverbanks, featuring white walls, gray tiles, rain shelters, teahouses, and taverns. Water, roads, bridges, and traditional buildings blend seamlessly to create a quintessential image of the Jiangnan water town—“small bridges, flowing water, and households.” Among the three bridges standing like a tripod, Rongguang Bridge, commonly known as the “Big Bridge,” is a single-arch stone bridge built during the Ming Dynasty. The inner arch is inlaid with three dragon gate stones intricately carved with vivid coiling dragon patterns. The arch houses a towpath, with carved stone heads of mythical water beasts at both ends—wide-eyed, open-mouthed, and tongues curling. The bridge deck is lined with plain solid railings, and the outer edges are covered year-round with lush green vines hanging down like a curtain, adding a touch of charm. The bridge’s simple yet majestic design exudes grandeur.

Originally located east of the town was Keqiao Pavilion. Also called Qiannian Pavilion or Gaoqian Pavilion. The *Book of the Later Han: Biography of Cai Yong* notes: “Cai Yong told the people of Wu: ‘I once visited Gaqian Pavilion in Kuaiji and found the 16th rafter from the east suitable for making a flute. When I used it, it indeed produced beautiful tones.’” Because the bamboo came from Keqiao, the flute made from it later became known as the “Keqiao Flute.” Originally a post pavilion, Keqiao was built on a piece of land shaped like a peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides and blessed with scenic beauty. The two-story structure features upturned eaves and a classic elegant style. Its southern side faces the ancient towpath, and from its upper floor, visitors can enjoy panoramic views and a refreshing experience. Nearby stands the “Temple of Han Dynasty’s Cai Zhonglang,” built by later generations in memory of Cai Yong. Around the time of the Xinhai Revolution, Lu Xun, while teaching in his hometown of Shaoxing, visited “Keqiao’s Keqiao Pavilion” with Zhou Jianren and others to explore historical sites and sightsee. The ruins of the ancient Keqiao Pavilion are now within Keqiao Town Middle School. To the south of the town lies the “Juewo Tu” (Cutting Off the Japanese Coast), an area surrounded by water on all sides. In the 34th year of the Jiajing reign (1555), the village of Dushan in Keqiao produced a hero of anti-Wokou resistance, Yao Changyu. To commemorate this righteous man who “sacrificed one life to save thousands,” a memorial temple was built at the site of his death. The place name was changed from “Huaren Altar” to “Juewo Tu” (Cutting Off the Japanese Coast), and the two nearby bridges were named “Desheng Bridge” (Victory Bridge) and “Wan’an Bridge” (Peaceful Safety Bridge). Later, the temple collapsed, and a “Monument to Martyr Yao’s Resistance Against the Wokou” was erected at the bridgehead. The monument is 6.5 meters tall, with a square base. The front of the body is engraved with an image of Yao Changyu, and the back commemorates his heroic deeds, praising him for “dying for his hometown and leaving a timeless legacy.” The monument is now a protected cultural relic site of the county. To the south of the monument lies the famous Keqiao Scenic Area.

Among Keqiao’s many historical and cultural attractions, the most eye-catching is the ancient towpath. Also known as the Canal Path or colloquially referred to as the “Official Path,” it is constructed from bluestone slabs and blocks produced in Shaoxing. Some sections are built along the riverbanks, while others stretch out over the water. From a distance, it resembles a long, slender blue-and-white ribbon—a hallmark feature of the region's water town landscape. According to the *Shanyin County Annals* from the Jiaqing era, the towpath was “constructed in the 10th year of the Tang Yuanhe reign (815 AD) by the regional inspector Meng Jian,” stretching over a hundred li. The sections on both the eastern and western sides of Keqiao Town are particularly iconic. Near Xieqiao Bridge on the eastern side is a solid-built section of the path, with a foundation made of layered stone slabs and a surface paved with flagstones. The entire section is about three li long, slightly curved in an “S” shape, which not only helps reduce the impact of waves on the path but also adds aesthetic appeal. On the western side, near Danhe Bridge in Ranshe, is a pier-supported section where the towpath consists of a series of small stone bridges. Every two meters or so, a stone pier is built, topped with flagstones to form a continuous walkway. This design reduces the amount of stone material needed while also enhancing the artistic beauty of the path. In January 1988, due to its unique value, the ancient towpath was approved by the State Council as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.