Site of the Old Chongde City and the Architectural Complex of Heng Street

Site of the Old Chongde City and the Architectural Complex of Heng Street

The Site of the Old Chongde City and the Architectural Complex of Heng Street is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

The Site of the Old Chongde City and the Architectural Complex of Heng Street are located in Chongfu, an ancient town in Tongxiang. The Site of the Old Chongde City includes the ruins of the city wall, the moat, and the historic canal bridge Sima High Bridge.

Chongde County was established as early as the third year of the Tianfu era during the Later Jin Dynasty (938), but the city construction came later. The earliest construction of the Chongde city wall dates back to the 28th year of the Zhiyuan era during the Yuan Dynasty. In the 19th year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, to defend against Japanese pirate invasions, the then coastal defense commander ordered the demolition of the Chongde city wall, and all the bricks and stones were transported to Zhapu to build a new fortress. Thus, the old Chongde city wall was dismantled. In the 34th year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, to resist Japanese pirate attacks, Cai Benduan, the magistrate of Chongde, was ordered to rebuild the city wall. On the seventh day of the first lunar month of the following year, Lü Xizhou, a local gentry and then serving as Right Assistant Censor, who happened to be on leave in his hometown, mobilized the entire city’s soldiers and civilians to rebuild the wall to guard against pirates. The new wall was nearly 4 kilometers in circumference, featuring five water gates and five land gates each. After the completion of the wall, upon Lü Xizhou’s suggestion, the course of the Grand Canal was diverted to encircle the city, serving as the moat.

Today, remnants of the city wall still exist—a section about 10 meters long and 20 meters wide—within Chengqiang Lane in Chongfu Town. The traces of the moat are clear, with some sections still navigable. Spanning the moat is also an ancient canal bridge—Sima High Bridge—which is the only remaining ancient stone canal bridge in Tongxiang City. The bridge crosses the river from north to south and is a single-arch stone bridge. It is 29.4 meters long, 3 meters wide, with a clear span of 9.7 meters. Stone railings are installed on both sides, and the bridge’s top is adorned with carved stone lions on the balusters. The arch ring stones are laid in a longitudinal, segmented, and parallel style, with inscribed pillars on both sides. The Sima High Bridge was initially built in the Ming Dynasty, and the existing stone bridge was reconstructed in the second year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty (1876).

The Architectural Complex of Heng Street centers around Heng Street, historically the most bustling ancient street in Chongfu Town. The street stretches approximately 400 meters in length and about 3 meters in width. Its eastern entrance lies right by the canal, and the entire street is lined with shops in close succession, their traditional signs faded yet charming, still retaining a relatively intact streetscape from the Qing Dynasty. Heng Street was not only commercially prosperous but also a gathering place for prestigious families and notable scholars and virtuous individuals in Chongfu. It has been home to generations of distinguished talents throughout history. The former residence of Lao Yongjia, a provincial governor of the Ming Dynasty; the Shouyu Hall of Wu Zhizhen, a representative poet of the Zhe School in the early Qing Dynasty; the former residence of Wu Tao, a renowned painter of the late Qing Dynasty; the former residence of Xu Zihua, a close friend of the revolutionary heroine Qiu Jin; the former residence of Dai Linjing, a famous football player; the former residence of Cheng Qingguo, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and bridge expert; and Shan Changdang, where Chen Yingqi, the military governor of Shanghai during the Republic of China, once apprenticed in business—all are situated along Heng Street.

The ancient city of Chongde (Chongfu Town) boasts rich cultural relics and serves as an important nodal town for studying the early history of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. The county town was built along the canal, and its development is closely linked to that of the canal, reflecting the profound influence of the canal on the politics, economy, and culture of surrounding towns. The commercial district centered around Heng Street had already become a bustling hub during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It has preserved well the urban layout of the Ming and Qing periods, as well as a wealth of historical information from the Republican era, including numerous old brands, shop signs, and commercial advertisements, directly witnessing the prosperity of commerce along the canal. The overall layout of the ancient city remains intact, with abundant cultural relics and historic sites, making it of significant cultural heritage value.

In January 2011, it was announced as part of the sixth batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units.

Chongfu Town: Overview of Chongfu Town: Chongfu Town is a vibrant central town in Zhejiang Province with strong reform and opening-up momentum. It is the largest town in Tongxiang and a key industrial and trade hub. Geographic coordinates: 12 degrees 36 minutes east longitude, 30 degrees 32 minutes north latitude, situated in the central part of the Hangjiahu Plain, southwest of Tongxiang City. It enjoys a uniquely advantageous location: 145 kilometers east of Shanghai, 110 kilometers north of Suzhou, and 45 kilometers west of Hangzhou. It has convenient water and land transportation. The Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway runs south of the town, with the interchange just 3 kilometers away. National Highway 320, Provincial Highway Hude, and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal traverse the town. Area: 100.14 sq km... For more details about Chongfu Town++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units