Yangloudong Ancient Town

Yangloudong Ancient Town

As the origin of the Ancient Tea Horse Road, by the early years of the Jiajing Emperor’s reign during the Ming Dynasty, Yangloudong’s tea industry was already highly developed. The town flourished as a result, and at its peak, there were over 200 tea firms, a population of nearly 40,000, five main streets, and more than a hundred shops serving travelers. “Dong Tea” was exported overseas, making it the “China’s Grand Tea Market,” and earning the nickname “Little Hankou.”

The former prosperity of Yangloudong is no longer visible today, but the stone-paved street lined with Ming and Qing dynasty architecture remains. The street surface is entirely paved with bluestone, while the houses and shops feature either black-tiled grey brick walls or wooden and bamboo structures. Travelers and visitors stroll along the stone path, captivated by the classic Chinese storefronts, an array of souvenirs, and trinkets. Wisps of tea aroma drift from doorways along the street, gently wafting from one end to the other, as if recounting the long history of this old street.

The Ming and Qing Stone Street in Yangloudong, Chibi City, is located on the hilly terrain at the junction of southern Hubei Province and northern Hunan Province. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides — Beishan Mountain to the north, Songfeng Mountain to the south, and Ma’an Mountain to the east. From the mountaintops, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the ancient town. The town itself is built on flat plains, with an elevation slightly higher than nearby tea-producing areas such as Chongyang, Tongcheng, and Linhu, which helps with tea storage. Yangloudong is the birthplace of “Songfeng Tea” and is well known as the “Hometown of Brick Tea.” During the late Qing Dynasty, the “Chuan” brand brick tea produced here was sold throughout China and enjoyed high prestige in the country’s tea market.

The ancient town of Yangloudong, known as the “Hometown of Green Brick Tea,” is also the renowned birthplace of “Dong Tea.” According to the “Puchi Annals” from the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty: Yangloudong was established in the Ming Dynasty, took shape during the Daoguang and Xianfeng eras of the Qing Dynasty, and underwent renovations during both the Qing and Republican periods. The ancient street of Yangloudong is located west of Songfeng Port and consists of Miaochang Street, Fuxing Street, and Guanyin Street. The sections of Miaochang Street and the front part of Fuxing Street follow the curves of Songfeng Port. Most commercial shops in the ancient town are concentrated along these streets. The buildings on both sides are uniform in scale and style, arranged in a staggered fashion. The front section of Fuxing Street marks the turning point of the entire district, where the street bends westward, with T-junctions at both ends. The rear section of Fuxing Street was partially burned down by the Japanese during the Anti-Japanese War and later rebuilt after the war. The street still retains buildings constructed in different periods.

Attraction Location

Yangloudong Town, Chibi City, Xianning, Hubei Province