Shuidong Old Street

　　Shuidong Town was established during the Sui and Tang dynasties. It boasts beautiful mountains and clear waters, as well as numerous historical sites. The town is recognized as a National Civilized Village and Town, a Provincial Historical and Cultural Town, a Provincial Top Tourism Town, and a Provincial Key Central Town, and is currently actively applying to become a China Historical and Cultural Town. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the ancient town of Shuidong thrived as a bustling commercial port due to the Shuiyang River, known as the “Golden Waterway.” The existing old street area covers approximately 0.5 square kilometers, with a total street length of 740 meters and a width of 4 meters. Streets and alleys such as Upper Street, Lower Street, Main Street, Cross Street, Pawnshop Street, Net Street, and Shen Family Lane crisscross to form an interconnected market. The Shuidong Old Street, which follows the Huizhou architectural style, features streets paved with bluestone slabs. Lining both sides are uniformly styled buildings with gray bricks, dark tiles, wooden eaves, and horse-head walls. These structures, set against the smooth bluestone pavement, enhance the ancient charm and the distinctive Huizhou-Anhui cultural feel.

　　The old street preserves over 30,000 square meters of ancient residences, all built during the Ming and Qing periods. Their interiors feature simple yet symmetrical layouts, with exquisitely carved beams and painted rafters, showcasing remarkable craftsmanship and high research value. Representative buildings include the “Da Fu Mansion,” “Black Dragon Courtyard,” “Fire Prevention Bell Tower,” “Wang Tongfa Oil Mill,” and “Qingchangren Pawnshop.” At the entrance of the old street stands Ningdong Temple (also known as Sanguan Hall), which was built during the Tang Dynasty and is the oldest surviving temple in Xuancheng. In one corner of the old street stands the Gothic-style Shuidong Notre-Dame Church, the first Catholic church in southern Anhui and one of the two largest Catholic churches in six eastern Chinese provinces and cities. Shuidong Notre-Dame Church is as renowned as Shanghai’s Sheshan Notre-Dame Church and enjoys high recognition across Southeast Asia. The “Eighteen Steps” and “Five Wells” of the old street are two highly distinctive historical remnants. Above the Eighteen Steps stands a two-story memorial archway, simple and elegant, perfectly blending with the old street’s ambiance. Below the Eighteen Steps lies a square ancient well built from bluestone. Beneath the well is a pool about 20 meters long, and a small stone arch bridge divides the water usage: drinking above the bridge and washing below. The well water is crystal clear, sweet, and never dries up year-round. With its unique charm and cultural depth, Shuidong Old Street attracts visitors from all over who come to explore history and savor life.

　　During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the ancient town of Shuidong thrived as a bustling commercial port due to the Shuiyang River, known as the “Golden Waterway.” The existing old street area covers approximately 0.5 square kilometers, with a total street length of 740 meters and a width of 4 meters. Streets and alleys such as Upper Street, Lower Street, Main Street, Cross Street, Pawnshop Street, Net Street, and Shen Family Lane crisscross to form an interconnected market. The Shuidong Old Street, which follows the Huizhou architectural style, features streets paved with bluestone slabs. Lining both sides are uniformly styled buildings with gray bricks, dark tiles, wooden eaves, and horse-head walls. These structures, set against the smooth bluestone pavement, enhance the ancient charm and the distinctive Huizhou-Anhui cultural feel.

　　After walking for a few minutes, you’ll see a cloth banner on the right side of the street that reads “Millennium Ancient Town Shuidong Old Street.” The four characters for “Millennium Ancient Town” are written in small seal script, exuding an ancient aura. Following the sign, you’ll soon arrive at Ningdong Chan Temple. The temple is filled with the scent of incense, and there is a pair of stone lions at the entrance adorned with red cloth. From the couplet “A Land of Eternal Incense, A Temple of Timeless Peace,” you can sense the former glory of this sacred site. Also known as Sanguan Hall, Ningdong Temple is a thousand-year-old ancient shrine, covering an area of 4,200 square meters with a construction area of 1,400 square meters. At its peak, it had 99 and a half halls and 360 golden Buddha statues.

　　Interestingly, there is also a well-preserved Catholic church on the south side of the old street. Built in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1880), it was constructed by French missionary Jean-Baptiste François (Jin Shiyu) and is the second-largest Notre-Dame church in East China. It is said that many young people from Xuancheng attended Christmas services here in 2008. I’ve visited several towns in southern China, but it’s rare to see a temple and a church coexisting—and thriving—in the same small town. This truly shows how this southern Anhui town harmoniously blends Eastern and Western religious cultures, allowing them to flourish together.

　　Shuidong Town is famous for its dates, and thus the date wood comb has become a unique local product. Look up at the signboard of “Wangji Comb Shop” hanging high above the door, with date wood combs neatly displayed inside. According to the shopkeeper, Wangji brand date wood combs are premium grooming products with a long history, made from date wood over eighty years old and offering various health benefits.

　　The Eighteen Steps is the first of the old street’s five stone wells. Guarded by two stone lions beneath the well is a square ancient well built from bluestone. A small stone arch bridge divides the water usage: drinking above the bridge and washing below. The well water is crystal clear, sweet, and never dries up year-round. It flows from the pool to a stream outside the street and then into the Shuiyang River. Although the old street now uses tap water, the elderly still say the well water tastes sweeter. Movies such as *Sword Homecoming*, *Sister Mei*, and *Postal Bond*, as well as TV dramas like *Taibai’s Immortal Trail* and *Date Girl*, were filmed on location here.

　　Walking along the old streets of the town, the weathered stone walls, smooth bluestone roads, and uneven walls all bear the marks of history. Especially striking is the roof of an old house covered in lush moss—those vibrant little plants standing tall gently sway in the breeze, as if telling ancient stories. Barber shops, blacksmiths, tofu stalls, snack bars, and more all evoke a bygone era. Strolling through here gives you a feeling of stepping back in time—serene, rustic, with a touch of vicissitude and nostalgia.