Chaozhou Paifang Street, a historical street combining Chinese and foreign styles in Guangdong's Chaozhou city, was selected into the first batch of blocks for tourism and leisure purposes, according to an announcement released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China on January 21. The announcement brings this ancient street into the spotlight.
Paifang (Memorial Arch) is a traditional style of Chinese architectural arch or gateway structure, which can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty (BC 770—BC 256). It is built to commend and commemorate celebrities and sages.
In the Ming and Qing Dynasties (AD 1368—AD 1912), there were more than 100 Paifangs in Chaozhou. In the late Qing Dynasty, arcade buildings with Southeast Asian architectural style were introduced into Guangdong. Some blocks were gradually transformed into arcade-style commercial streets, which coexisted with ancient Paifangs. Therefore, blocks with a combination of both Chinese and foreign styles was formed.
Located in Xiangqiao district of Chaozhou, Paifang Street has a main road with a length of about 2 kilometers, and 23 Paifangs are intricately arranged inside. There are more than 700 cultural relic sites, including 7 national heritage conservation units, 15 intangible cultural heritage, dozens of airy pavilions and pagodas, 50 ancient lanes, and more than 100 representative historical buildings of traditional folk houses.
In 2006, Chaozhou government started to restore the original appearance of Paifang Street. It spent three years building the street into a large-scale tourism and leisure complex.
Local residents still live in it and share the century-old scenery with tourists together. They offer many stylish home stays, family-run hotels, tea shops, and handcraft shops. Tourists can experience local folk customs and enjoy the most authentic Chaozhou lifestyle.
The street also holds exhibition tours regularly, such as Chaozhou gongs and drums, cotton horse dance (布马舞) and Chaozhou Opera.
Ticket price: Free
Add.: No. 663, Taiping Road, Qiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province (广东省潮州市湘桥区太平路663号)
Author: Ariel, Tonny (intern)
Editor: Wing, Nan, Monica, Abby, Jerry
