Taizhou's Newly Built 'Old Street': Hailed as 'Top Snack Street in Central Jiangsu', Well Worth a Visit

Everyone has a unique sentiment for old streets, starting from prosperity and ending in tranquility. Those ancient streets record moving stories, with mottled walls and green moss in corners carrying too many memories... As time passes, we grow older, and the old streets are no longer as glorious as before. Are you still willing to listen to their stories?

Beside the Fengcheng River in the center of Taizhou, there is a 600-meter-long imitation ancient street. At the entrance stands a newly built imitation ancient archway, with the words 'Old Street' inscribed on its front plaque. This 'Old Street' began construction in 2007, featuring rows of blue bricks and black tiles in an ancient style, though its history is not as long as that of a true old street. Nevertheless, this street gathers the cultural essence of the city and is well worth a visit.

Stepping onto the old street, you can feel the ancient charm from the rustic architecture. The road is paved with granite, the buildings are wooden with bricks and tiles imitating the Ming and Qing dynasties, and old houses with shops in front and workshops in the back are arranged in an orderly manner on both sides. Exquisite brick carvings, carved eaves, and red-painted multi-eaved old houses all tell the long history and profound culture of the old street.

Most of the buildings along the main street have been converted into shops and restaurants. Fortunately, there aren't too many noisy or garish establishments. Red lanterns hang high in rows, illuminating the narrow alleys. There is a wide variety of specialty foods, and many small shops with an artistic atmosphere exude a strong literary flavor.

The old street is also known as 'the No. 1 snack street in central Jiangsu', with specialty foods and time-honored shops lining up in close succession, such as 'Lao Taizhou Taizhou Cai', 'Haitang Chun', 'Cai Family Old Shop', and more. In the morning tea houses, you can enjoy a plate of blanched dried tofu shreds, a serving of crab roe soup dumplings, and a bowl of fish noodle soup. You can also taste classic local delicacies full of Taizhou characteristics like 'grass-stove baked flatbread', 'Qintong fish cakes', 'Qinhu eight fresh delicacies', and 'red-clay hairy crabs'.

In addition, the folk culture atmosphere of the old street is everywhere. There are opera culture teahouses, various antique shops, and folk collections, all reflecting the local customs and profound cultural heritage. You can see traditional crafts like cloth shoes, wheelbarrows, rice mills, and many veteran Taizhou artisans performing live skills for you. You can also visit the Pien Tze Huang Museum to learn about traditional Chinese medicine culture.

The old street is connected to several scenic spots. After crossing the bridge, you will find Mei Garden and Liu Courtyard, both popular places to visit. The night view is also very beautiful.