The Ancient Changlin Street

The Ancient Changlin Street

The Ancient Changlin Street is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

The ancient town of Changlin is located at the southernmost tip of Feidong County, bordering Chaohu Lake and adjacent to Hefei's Binhu New Area. In recent years, it has been committed to creating a uniquely charming small town along the shores of Chaohu Lake. Nestled by the lake and river, the ancient town has long been a hub of busy post roads and thriving land and water transportation. According to the "Annals of Anhui Province’s Administrative Evolution," during the Xia and Shang dynasties, it was home to the Huaiyi tribes, and in the Warring States period, it belonged to the Chu state’s Chaoxiang region, where markets had already formed. During the late Yuan Dynasty, factional wars caused severe destruction, leaving only one in ten residents. Later, immigrants from "Waxie Dam" in Jiangxi relocated here, forming the distinctive Jianghuai-style ancient architectural complex seen in today’s Changlin ancient town. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, due to the flourishing canal transport, the town became a distribution hub for goods on the northern shore of Chaohu Lake and was known as the “Little Shanghai.”

Scenic views are found throughout the ancient town

The Ancient Changlin Street scenic area is located at the intersection of the northern side of the Lakeside Ring Road and the western side of Dianzhong Road, offering convenient transportation and a prime location. There are various ways to reach Changlin ancient town, with good road conditions along the route and delightful roadside greenery that gives visitors a taste of the town’s charm even before entering the scenic area. The Visitor Center is located not far from the entrance and serves as the first stop providing services to tourists entering the Ancient Changlin Street scenic area.

The core scenic area of the ancient Changlin town, Ancient Changlin Street, is laid out in a “T” shape, stretching 360 meters from north to south and 240 meters from east to west. The street is lined with 137 households and 370 houses. There were nearly 100 types of businesses, including shops, inns, mansions, halls, stores, houses, workshops, and stalls, primarily consisting of rice merchants, fabric shops, pharmacies, soy sauce workshops, taverns, and five-category department stores. Today, the old street still retains its “T” shaped layout, with rows of uniformly blue-brick, black-tiled houses. As your gaze extends along the winding street, the quaint shapes and pure colors unfold before you. Strolling along the street, you’ll encounter historic buildings such as the “Former Residence of the Wu Family,” the “Century-Old Post Office,” the “Juxian Chinese Old Newspaper Museum,” and the “Changlinhe Folk Culture Museum.”

Tourism services continue to improve

The Changlin ancient town boasts beautiful mountains and rivers, lush trees, and fresh air. Ancient Changlin Street is clean, quiet, and peaceful, making it an ideal place to escape the hustle and bustle and relax. Currently, bus routes 34 and 526 are in operation, traveling to Changlin ancient town from the directions of Cuozhen and Binhu respectively, with stops less than a hundred meters from the ancient street—very convenient. For those driving, those from the Hefei area can head east along the Lakeside Ring Road, or take the Fanhua Avenue eastward and then turn onto Dianzhong Road heading south, with clear and accurate road signs along the way. To better serve visitors, the Ancient Changlin Street has strived to improve its service facilities. At relevant intersections leading to the scenic area, directional signs have been set up, and at the entrance, a comprehensive guide map has been installed, clearly and accurately marking the locations of scenic spots and tourism service facilities. From large signage to detailed information plaques, the Ancient Changlin Street scenic area provides thorough guidance and direction, offering great convenience and high-quality service to visitors.