Shengfang Ancient Town

Shengfang Ancient Town

Shengfang Town is located at the center of the Beijing-Tianjin-Baoding triangle, 35 kilometers east of Tianjin, 120 kilometers north of Beijing, and 130 kilometers west of Baoding. National Highway 112 runs adjacent to Shengfang, and the Tianjin–Baoding Expressway has an exit in Shengfang, making transportation convenient. The town currently administers 39 streets and villages, with a permanent population of 90,000 and a floating population of over 60,000. The town covers an area of 104.7 square kilometers, with a planned area of 53.5 square kilometers and a built-up area of 22 square kilometers.

Shengfang was established over 2,400 years ago in the late Spring and Autumn period. Originally a water town, it was initially named Ditou Village due to its location at the confluence of riverbanks. In 278 BC, the King of Yan recaptured the area by force and renamed it Wuping Ting, meaning “peace-sharing pavilion.” Later, to avoid using the emperor’s reign title and because the Wei River flowed through the region, Wuping was changed to Weicheng. During the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, Su Xun, father of the famous poet Su Dongpo, served as a local official here and introduced rice and lotus cultivation techniques from the south to the eastern part of Baiyangdian. The vast waters of Weicheng were then graced with a picturesque scene of reeds and rice fields, lotuses and water chestnuts in full bloom. Literary figures were inspired to compose poems such as “Fragrant Lotus on Victorious Waters” and “Flowing Fragrance of Victorious Waters,” leading to the renaming of Weicheng to Shengfang. In ancient times, Shengfang was a renowned water and land hub in northern China, described as “a forest of sails on the water and a bustle of carts and horses on land.” It was a bustling commercial center with beautiful scenery. Legend has it that Emperor Qianlong visited the eastern Baiyangdian area three times and praised it with the saying, “Visit Suzhou and Hangzhou in the south, and Shengfang in the north.”

Compared to other regions, Shengfang may not have an advantage in natural resources, but it has long had a tradition of commerce and skilled labor, along with a strong entrepreneurial culture and local ethos. As the saying goes: “Men fish, women weave mats, and everyone carries goods to trade.” The earliest financial industry on the Central Hebei Plain and the first postal service in western Tianjin both originated in Shengfang. Influenced by Tianjin, a major shipping and trade hub in northern China, Shengfang also developed a vibrant commercial atmosphere and earned the nickname “Little Tianjin Wei.” Due to its unique geographical location and well-connected water and land transport routes at the time, Shengfang became a key distribution and trade hub connecting Beijing, Tianjin, and Baoding. The people of Shengfang have a strong investment mindset, business acumen, and financial savvy—traditions and inherent qualities that continue to this day.

Location of Attractions

Langfang, Hebei Province