The Chaozhou Riverside Promenade

The Chaozhou Riverside Promenade

In the year 2001, after what felt like a dream, the ancient city walls of Chaozhou shed the dust of a thousand years and gently set aside their vicissitudes. Thus, another note was added to the melody that beats in people’s hearts—blending the Phoenix Terrace’s timely rain, the West Lake’s fishing rafts, and the Xiang Bridge’s spring rise... Standing by the riverside, amidst the gray and green reminiscent of the Great Wall, what comes to mind is certainly not the tragic ballads of ancient battlefields with galloping cavalry and neighing steeds; nor is it entirely the misty willows and lilting melodies of the Jiangnan region. Perhaps, it is merely a tranquil reverie about a small ancient city, with perhaps just a touch of life’s poetic charm and nostalgia. On a sunny day, when the sky is blue, the water is clear, and a gentle breeze blows, stroll northward from the head of the Han River Bridge into the Riverside Promenade. Winding through the banyan trees with rustling roots and leaves, you can enjoy a harmonious symphony of wind and shadow. Amid the banyan shade, you’ll find curious rocks, lovely flowers, winding corridors, and small tables. Here and there, elderly couples may be seen, some holding books, others fanning themselves, chatting and laughing leisurely... The city walls have shed all traces of time, and it is fortunate that they remain simple and unadorned. Along the eight-mile-long city embankment, four gate towers still stand adorned: the Xiashui Gate Tower, the Guangji Gate Tower, the Zhumu Gate Tower, and the Shangshui Gate Tower. The brand-new, antique-style structures seem to stubbornly hold onto fragments of old Chaozhou’s memory—just like an occasional string poem drifting from the walls, or the crisp fragrance of Kung Fu tea... The night view of the Riverside Promenade is also extraordinarily enchanting. The crystal-clear path lights and dazzling festive decorative lights attract thousands of locals to come and admire the scenery. From the Shangshui Gate to the Xiashui Gate, the ornamental lights on the gate towers shine brilliantly, complementing the night views of the Xiangzi Bridge, the Han River Bridge, and the Phoenix Islet Park, creating a magnificent scene. At that time, the Han River seems to dance with dragons and phoenixes, akin to a fairyland, leaving one feeling refreshed and endlessly admiring the view. As the saying goes: “Visiting Chaozhou without seeing the bridge is a wasted trip.” With the Riverside Promenade, this long corridor is surely even more worth seeing...

Location of the Attraction

North side of the Han River Bridge, Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province