Dongguan Street Historic District is located in the heart of Yangzhou, paved with cobblestones that form the main street. As you stroll along, you can occasionally see the grand courtyards of salt merchants with blue bricks and gray tiles. The concentration of local delicacies and specialty trinkets adds to the pleasure of shopping for tourists, making it a representative historical street in Yangzhou city. Dongguan Street extends from the ancient canal in the east to Guoqing Road in the west. The Dongguan Ancient Ferry at its eastern end was a bustling dock in Yangzhou during the Tang Dynasty, which led to the development of the densely commercial Dongguan Street. The current Dongguan Street still maintains its appearance from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
When visiting Dongguan Street, it is natural to first taste the local specialties of Yangzhou. Simply choose a popular store on the street for a meal, and the prices are generally reasonable. You can enjoy local delicacies such as lotus root powder tangyuan, four happiness tangyuan, dumplings with noodle soup, Huangqiao baked cakes, braised dried tofu, and lion’s head meatballs on Dongguan Street. Some restaurants are located in old mansions, such as the Jiangnan Yipin Zhonghan Mansion (312 Dongguan Street), originally the former residence of banker Hu Zhonghan, now mainly serving private dishes of salt merchants. However, it is more about the atmosphere of dining in an old mansion, and service can be slow when there are many tourists.
If you wish to shop, among the numerous small shops on the street, there are many century-old stores. For example, Xiefuchun (243 Dongguan Street), established in 1830, is known for its duck egg powder, which many guides recommend as a must-buy souvenir in Yangzhou and is popular among young women. Note that the product costing hundreds of yuan is for facial use, while the one costing about twenty yuan is a solid perfume, which can be placed in the wardrobe to make clothes smell pleasant. Another example is the Simei Sauce Garden (138 Dongguan Street), established in 1817, where you can buy some pickled vegetables to share with friends during meals, adding to the enjoyment.
On the west side of the archway inscribed with ‘Dongguan Ancient Ferry’ is the site of the East Gate, also known as the Double-Weng City Site. The city gate you see now is newly constructed in modern times. Climbing the city gate allows you to overlook the entire Dongguan Street, and inside the city tower, there is an exhibition hall that displays the cultural history of Yangzhou and Dongguan Street.
There are many alleys branching off on both sides of Dongguan Street. To experience the authentic old Yangzhou, you must visit these alleys where residents still live. Chatting with the locals can reveal that the ancestors of Yangzhou people have lived in these winding alleys for generations. The Changle Inn is also a very unique place in Dongguan Street, with a quaint style, serving both as a hotel and a tourist attraction, encompassing the Yi Garden of money broker Li Hesheng, the Hua’s Garden of salt merchant Hua Youmei from the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China, and the General’s Mansion of Qing Dynasty general Li Changle. If guests take the time to visit these attractions, they can spend several hours there.
Living on Dongguan Street, you can come out for a stroll again in the evening. The buildings are all lit up. Until nine or ten o’clock in the evening, the street is still bustling and very lively. 300 meters south of Dongguan Street is Dongquanmen Historical Block, which is parallel to Dongguan Street. Together, they are called “Double Dong Historical Block” and can be visited together. Open all year round and open all day.
Preferential policies: Children: Free for those under 1.4 meters (inclusive). Elderly: Free for those aged 60 and above with senior citizen card or ID card. Disabled people: Free with their own disability certificate (issued by the Central Disabled Persons’ Federation). Military personnel: Free with their own military officer ID card (active duty) or soldier ID card (active duty). Journalists: Free with their own press card (issued by the Central Press and Publication Administration). Students: Preferential tickets for full-time undergraduate and below students with their own student ID cards. Others: Free for those with the retired cadre certificate issued by the State Council and the Central Military Commission. Free for national medical staff and police officers with their own valid certificates. Supplementary note: The above are the preferential policies for Wudang Palace, Zhang Yuliang Memorial Hall, Li Changle’s Former Residence, and Ruan Family Ancestral Hall in the scenic area. For reference only. The specific situation is subject to the actual disclosure of the scenic area. Service facilities: Parking lot: [Anjiaxiang Parking Lot]. Reference price: 4 yuan/hour. WIFI: Account: yangzhou-free; Password: No password for WeChat login; Scope: The whole scenic area. Mobile phone charging: The tourist center is equipped with charging power sockets. Luggage storage: Scenic area interpretation: The scenic area provides artificial interpretation services. Cost: 50 yuan for less than 10 people, +5 yuan/person for more than 10 people. Toilets: There are multiple toilets in the scenic area, and they are marked with eye-catching signs.
