Nestled against the slopes of Nanshan Mountain on Nanbin Road, Longmenhao Old Street (龙门浩老街) is a historical gem that functions as an open-air archive. It covers roughly 97,300 square meters of steep stone pathways, making it urban Chongqing's largest and most complete historical and cultural district.
The district's name dates back to the Northern Song Dynasty. A massive rock ridge once paralleled the riverbank, looking like a swimming dragon (Long - 龙). A prominent gap (men - 门) in the ridge allowed boats to enter a calm interior harbor (or hao - 浩 in local dialect). In 1056 AD, legendary poet Su Shi floated past this harbor. Enchanted by the sight of the moon reflecting off the quiet basin, he coined the phrase Longmenhao. It eventually became celebrated as one of the "Twelve Ancient Scenes of Bayu".
In 1891, Longmenhao transformed into Western China’s earliest international trading port. Western firms, customs offices, and banks constructed elegant brick consulates. Later, during the War of Resistance against Japan, it served as a secure hub for global embassies.
For safety reason, the riverside viewing platform was closed due to the wet surface after the rain.
However, we found a spot with unblocked view of the city. We could see the Yangtze River Ropeway as the cable cars brought visitors to and fro across the river.
Longmenhao features 18 meticulously preserved historic structures constructed entirely out of original salvaged bricks, tiles, and old structural timbers.
Finally we arrived at the lower level of Longmenhao where we exited and entered a neighboring lane called Xiaohaoli (下浩里).
No comments:
Post a Comment