Tingjiang Market

　　    Tingjiang Market is situated by the Datong River in Duanfen Town, Taishan City, near Provincial Highway Renguang, offering very convenient transportation. It is a 20-minute drive to Taicheng and only an hour and a half to Guangzhou. Established in 1932, the market covers an area of 60 mu and was built as a small market town by local overseas Chinese of the Mei family along with their relatives. The over 60 closely packed buildings are arranged in a rectangular formation, neatly aligned, with a 40-mu open space in the center dedicated to vendors selling goods, resembling a small square city. Hence, Tingjiang Market is also known as “Mei Family Courtyard.” Although nearly seventy years of weathering have caused varying degrees of damage to the buildings, restoration efforts have preserved their original appearance.

　　    When Tingjiang Market was first built, overseas Chinese designed and planned the structures based on the architectural styles and features of the countries they had lived in, while their relatives incorporated traditional Chinese architectural art. As a result, the buildings in the courtyard blend Western and European architectural styles with traditional Chinese elements, merging the two architectural traditions seamlessly. Though each building follows a uniform size specification, the exterior walls are uniquely designed, each reflecting the architectural trends of the time and the contemporary spirit, giving them high historical and aesthetic value. Several films have been shot here, making it a well-known architectural complex. The founders of Tingjiang Market and their descendants have mostly moved overseas, and the buildings have deteriorated over time due to lack of maintenance. Therefore, preserving this valuable historical heritage requires funding for restoration, and the government must establish protective measures to ensure its survival alongside history.