Dongguan Street

东关街

Yangzhou's most bustling commercial street since the Tang and Song dynasties, with 1,122 meters of bluestone paving lined with salt merchants' mansions, time-honored shops and the Dongguan Ferry on the Grand Canal. It's a must-visit in Yangzhou's old town.

Dongguan Street runs from Guoqing Road in the west to the Dongguan Ferry on the Old Grand Canal in the east, a total length of 1,122 meters. Already in the Tang dynasty it was the main road from Yangzhou to the canal docks, and during the Ming and Qing dynasties salt merchants settled here. The street still has bluestone paving and many time-honored shops, including Xie Fuchun, a face-powder shop founded in the Daoguang era of the Qing, where duck-egg powder and scented sachets make good souvenirs. Others are Simei Sauce Garden, Sanhe Simei pickles, the Lüyangchun Teahouse and Juxiangzhai. There are also garden courtyards and residences such as the South Gate of Ge Garden, Yipu, the Wang Family Small Garden (a salt merchant's residence) and Jienan Study (the library of the Ma brothers). The Wudang Palace and Zhunti Temple are also on the street. At the east end, Dongguan Ferry is the dock of the Old Grand Canal. In the evening you can take a night cruise on the Old Grand Canal (about 60 minutes, around RMB 80) to see the lights on both banks. The stretch from the South Gate dock to Bianyi Gate is the most beautiful. Parallel to Dongguan Street, Dongquan Gate Street is quieter and has the Wang Family Small Garden and the former residence of Zhu Ziqing. To enjoy it, walk east from the South Gate of Ge Garden along Dongguan Street in the evening, sample local snacks such as Huangqiao sesame cakes, red bean glutinous rice balls, lotus root starch balls and Yangzhou fried rice, then go to Dongguan Ferry to see the night views or take a boat, and return via Dongquan Gate Street. The street is free to walk. Individual courtyard attractions cost RMB 10–35 each. Getting there: take bus 8 or 45 to Dongguan Street station, or bike about 15 minutes from Slender West Lake. Notes: holiday crowds are very large, so go after dinner or early in the morning. Snack prices vary, so look for the time-honored shops. Night cruise boats board according to their schedules.

Dongguan Street

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