Danggar Pedestrian Street

　　The former Danggar, now known as Huangyuan, is located on the eastern shore of the famous Qinghai Lake, covering an area of 250,000 square meters. Since ancient times, Danggar has been the gateway to the Mongolian and Tibetan pastoral areas. Historically, it was referred to as “the strategic stronghold of the ancient Tang-Tibetan Road and the key junction of the Silk Road’s auxiliary route,” and was renowned as the “Throat of the Sea and Tibet.”

　　The ancient town of Danggar was first built during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty and boasts a history of over 600 years. Since the Western Han Dynasty, it has gradually developed into a key town where business, military, religion, and folk culture converge. During the Tang Dynasty, the first “tea-horse trade market” on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was established at today’s Riyue Mountain by the Tang Dynasty and the Tibetan Empire, giving rise to the ancient Tang-Tibetan Road. In the Song Dynasty, it became a vital hub along the southern silk road, and in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it grew into the largest trade distribution center in northwestern China at the time. Merchants and artisans from Beijing, Tianjin, and other regions flocked here, while merchants from Britain, the United States, Russia, and other countries set up shops and conducted commercial trade and financial services. A specialized group of “Tibetan traders” engaged in ethnic trade also emerged. Danggar gained widespread fame under the titles “Tea-Horse Trade Capital” and “Little Beijing.” The town’s main street, about 6 meters wide and less than a kilometer long, connects architectural complexes such as the City God Temple, Confucius Temple, and Danggar Prefecture Office, showcasing the historical development and cultural features of Huangyuan.