Zhugan Lane

Zhugan Lane

Jining was born of the canal and thrived because of it. Zhugan Lane came into being alongside the flourishing of the canal. Originating in the Yuan Dynasty, it flourished during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and has continued to this day, boasting a history of over 700 years. Through historical evolution and changes, the long street of Zhugan Lane now consists of four streets: Zhifang Street, Zhidian Street, HanShiqiao Street, and Xiaozhugan Lane. It extends west to Rencheng Road, south to Shengtai Bridge, with a total length of 684 meters and 185 merchants along the street. Zhugan Lane is world-renowned for its bamboo ware industry. During the Guangxu period, there were 37 major bamboo shops and workshops on Zhugan Lane, employing over 200 people. In the Republican era, there were 153 shops with nearly 400 workers. After liberation, there were 170 shops and over 700 employees. Following the reform and opening-up, in response to the demands of the market economy, the range of goods sold on Zhugan Lane underwent significant changes. It evolved from solely selling bamboo products to a diverse business model incorporating bamboo, wood, sundries, general merchandise, food and beverage, and leisure entertainment, with over 3,000 employees. As a synonym for Jining’s urban area, Zhugan Lane has become a well-known local brand celebrated across southwestern Shandong for its distinctive regional character. The time-honored brands operating here all enjoy high reputations. Among them, there are three century-old brands, one over fifty years old, two over forty years old, two over thirty years old, and three over twenty years old. It can be said that from its inception to development and eventual prosperity, Zhugan Lane has witnessed the historical rise and fall of Jining’s urban center, nurtured rich and splendid historical culture, and become a beautiful landmark that drives the city’s economic and cultural development.

Zhugan Lane emerged alongside the excavation and full connection of the Yuan Dynasty canal. The canal connected Yuhang in the south to Beijing and Tianjin in the north, facilitating the transport of raw bamboo. Bamboo merchants traveled to mountainous regions in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hunan, and Guangxi to purchase raw bamboo, which they sorted, bundled, and transported along the canal to Jining. Piled up like mountains along the canal banks, the annual stockpile reached up to a million jin (approximately 500 metric tons), gradually forming a bamboo product street. Later, as the bamboo trade expanded, bamboo shops extended from Zhugan Lane into the connected Zhifang Street, HanShiqiao Street, and Zhidian Street, forming what is broadly known today as Zhugan Lane.

The smooth flow of canal transport brought about a bustling scene in Jining, with goods moving freely and merchants gathering in large numbers. Canal boats, fresh produce boats, express boats, horse boats, supply boats, patrol boats, salt patrol boats, and civilian cargo vessels shuttled back and forth. The sounds of canal boat gongs, the shouts of guards, and the chants of boat trackers rose and fell day and night. Northern goods such as hides and medicinal herbs, along with southern products like silk, bamboo, tea, and ceramics, arrived via the canal. Grains, cotton, and oil produced in hundreds of counties across Shandong, Hebei, Henan, and Anhui were loaded onto boats for shipment elsewhere, attracting merchants from both north and south. Within Jining City, merchants from nine provinces established seven guildhalls, all located around Zhugan Lane, presenting a prosperous scene of “shops densely lining the banks along this vital canal route.” The smooth shipping, thriving trade, advanced handicrafts, coupled with numerous water management offices and an influx of imperial officials, along with the flashy display of gold and jade ornaments in the streets, strongly stimulated the expansion of Zhugan Lane’s scale and the formation of its architectural style. For a time, Zhugan Lane became widely renowned within the ancient city of Jining, captivating visitors and becoming a stunning cultural landmark of the city.

The Jiangnan-style charm of “small bridges over flowing streams, with homes nestled along the water” gradually permeated Jining over time. As the hub of Jining’s most concentrated handicrafts and most vibrant commerce, Zhugan Lane became the quintessential representation of the city’s Jiangnan water town aesthetic. With the development and prosperity of the bamboo industry, bamboo shops along Zhugan Lane extended eastward, turned southward, and curved along the river at the eastern end, forming a right-angle shape. Zhidian Street, HanShiqiao Street, and Zhifang Street were interconnected, with shops lined up in close succession. At the bend stood the resplendent Jining Dongda Mosque, whose architectural style ranks among the top five mosques in China. Emperor Qianlong personally bestowed a jade plaque upon it, and a beautiful legend was born here, marking the architectural highlight of the Zhugan Lane district. The naturally formed street layout and the legends derived from it reflect the special affection Jining residents hold for Zhugan Lane. The murmuring stream, quaint arched bridges embodying classical Chinese garden artistry, and the fusion of northern and southern cultures transformed Jining into a veritable “Little Suzhou of the North.”

By the time of liberation, Jining’s bamboo industry had reached its peak. At that time, in addition to five larger bamboo product businesses, Zhugan Lane was home to over 100 well-known shops and workshops, including “Xiangtai,” “Shunxing,” and “Taomao.” However, during the war-torn years rife with bandits and soldiers, excessive taxes and levies abounded. Coupled with transportation difficulties, shortages of raw materials, and blocked sales channels, the bamboo industry in Zhugan Lane experienced a temporary decline. Many shops and workshops ceased operations, and the once-famous Zhugan Lane inevitably fell into a desolate state of “deserted storefronts and sparse horse-drawn carriages.”

After liberation, with social stability, the development of industrial and agricultural production, and continuous improvements in water conservancy facilities, some larger shops began using motorized barges to transport large quantities of raw bamboo. After the Yanzhou-Jining Railway was restored, raw bamboo from the south was transported along the Jinpu Railway to Yanzhou and then to Jining. Thus, the long-dormant Zhugan Lane gradually “awoke” once again. To meet the needs of production and social development, craftsmen engaged in the bamboo industry began pursuing mutual aid and cooperation. In 1954, production groups such as Hongguang and Liming were organized. In 1956, based on small collective mutual aid groups (production groups), individual bamboo shops and workshops united to establish bamboo product cooperatives such as Hongguang, Liming, and Jianxin. For easier management, Jianxin, Hongguang, and Liming Bamboo Cooperatives were successively renamed the First, Second, and Third Bamboo Cooperatives. In 1958, the First Bamboo Cooperative was renamed Jianxin Bamboo and Rattan Factory, employing over 300 workers and relocating from Zhugan Lane to Yuehe South Street. Subsequently, the Second and Third Bamboo Cooperatives also moved out of Zhugan Lane, becoming the Sawtooth Factory and Instrument Factory, respectively. From then on, the majority of bamboo shops in Zhugan Lane disappeared, leaving only their retail outlets and a few small workshops. A large number of general merchandise merchants moved into Zhugan Lane, transforming it from a single-specialty street into a comprehensive commercial and cultural district featuring multiple categories, formats, and business models.

After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, with the acceleration of reform and opening-up and the advancement of urban redevelopment, the people of Jining also began transforming their city. The culturally rich streets and alleys within the Zhugan Lane district were renovated and widened. The original bluestone roads of Zhifang Street, Zhidian Street, and HanShiqiao Street were replaced with buildings resembling small boxes on either side and asphalt roads. Although the original names were retained, the ancient appearance of Zhugan Lane changed significantly. Aside from some preserved cultural relics and architecture, the internal and external environment of Zhugan Lane also underwent major changes, with parts of its original character fading. For a time, Zhugan Lane was engulfed by the wave of urban redevelopment. In recent years, with the vigorous rise of the cultural tourism industry, the municipal and district governments of Jining demonstrated foresight. Guided by the principles of respecting history, invigorating culture, and promoting cultural-economic development, they successfully registered the “Capital of the Canal” urban cultural brand with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce in 2006, and established the urban development positioning of “Ancient Jizhou City · Capital of the Canal.” In 2010, city and district governments invested 140 million yuan to renovate the facades and landscape of Zhugan Lane, Qingping Lane, and Yuehe South Street, focusing on the core scenic area of canal culture. The renovated Zhugan Lane now allows citizens and tourists to rediscover its former charm. We believe that, in line with its functional positioning as a commercial and tourism street along the south bank of the canal, a cultural specialty lane for Qingping Lane, and a distinctive cultural lane for Zhugan Lane, Zhugan Lane will soon regain its vitality.

Zhugan Lane embodies the most typical features of Jining’s architectural art, forming a unique artistic style. The convergence and trade of goods from both north and south promoted the blending and evolution of northern and southern cultures, giving rise to a rich commercial culture. The Zhugan Lane district houses the national-level cultural relic protection unit Jining Dongda Mosque, the municipal-level cultural relic protection unit Li Shouxin Archway, and Zhugan Lane itself is a municipal-level cultural relic protection site. Currently, key historical sites and buildings are well-preserved, and the remaining structures along the street are of considerable scale. At present, the municipal and district governments of Jining, in accordance with urban development needs and the precarious state of aging buildings along the street, have renovated some structures in the Zhugan Lane district in the architectural styles of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Additionally, the roads of the three main lanes in the Zhugan Lane district have been repaved with bluestones, and some cultural relics and original buildings have undergone protective restoration. The current state of the Zhugan Lane district is largely well-preserved, with business operations remaining largely in their original form.

As a cultural specialty street in Jining, Zhugan Lane has long enjoyed high visibility and influence across southwestern Shandong and even nationwide. Historically, the daily turnover of retailers and wholesalers in the Qing Dynasty-era Zhugan Lane district exceeded 100,000 taels of silver, drawing significant attention and favor from the Qing government. After liberation, Zhugan Lane served as a lifeline for Jining’s urban economic development, fulfilling its vital role. Once serving as the primary filming location for the movie “Two Little Eighth Route Army Soldiers,” Zhugan Lane became widely known across the country. In terms of cultural heritage, the Jining Dongda Mosque in the Zhugan Lane district welcomes 120,000 domestic and international visitors annually, playing an important role in preserving and promoting religious culture and enjoying a high reputation internationally. Today, as a cultural specialty street and landmark of Jining, Zhugan Lane holds considerable social recognition, influence, and prestige throughout society.