Southeast Net reported on May 12 (Fujian Daily reporter Dai Min, correspondent Chen Tianchang, Zhong Lirong, article/picture)

This "May Day" holiday, with the "beautiful Hakka town - Changting, Fujian" broadcast on CCTV's "Wenmai Spring and Autumn" program, Changting and Diantou Street in the small city became popular again. The continuous rain did not dampen the enthusiasm of tourists from all directions. Diantou Street (above), an ancient street in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, as a must card punching point in a small city, welcomed and sent tourists.

Diantou Street, one of the landmarks of the ancient city of Changting, formed in the Song Dynasty and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, is the earliest commercial street in the ancient city of Tingzhou. It was rated as a famous historical and cultural street in China in 2011 and a national tourism and leisure street in 2023.

Ancient street

Diantou Street, with a total length of more than 450 meters and a width of about 4 meters, is located in the center of Changting urban area. On the 5th, after the rain, the clouds opened, and the bluestone road that had just been washed by the heavy rain was shining in the sun. Looking up at the green tiles on the roofs on both sides, the warped corners, tiles, and Bo Feng on the ridge told the story of the old street.

The street retains the architectural features of the Ming and Qing dynasties, including the front store and the back house or the front store and back square. There are 1 national security, 4 provincial security, 12 well preserved ancestral temples and 45 historical buildings. These ancient buildings are either grand in scale or small and unique, and the cornices, carved beams and painted buildings are exquisite and unique.

"In the protection of the ancient city, Changting is closely linked to the word" ancient charm "." Li Jingsheng, the head of the famous city management committee of Changting County, introduced that in order to continue the historical style of Diantou Street, the local protection and utilization mode of small-scale, gradual, micro transformation and micro renewal was adopted to achieve the original protection of the original block pattern, the architectural layout of front stores and back houses, and the architectural style and features of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

In order to ensure the authenticity of the building, local craftsmen who master the traditional Hakka building construction skills will be organized to participate in the protection and restoration of the block.

In 2010, the famous city management committee of Changting County invited Huang Youbai, a "soil expert" from the local construction industry, to participate in the construction restoration of the block. "At that time, the ancient buildings in Diantou Street were dilapidated, and all kinds of folk houses were mixed with each other, which was extremely uncoordinated." Huang Youbai said that he and his team reshaped the style of the ancient street and improved the living environment by taking measures such as pipe network, rainwater and sewage diversion, ancient building restoration, and slope roof reconstruction.

In addition to the architectural style, fireworks are the biggest feature of Diantou Street. Benefiting from the building structure of the front store and back house or front store and back square, residents live and work here. There are nearly 300 households living here.

In an old street, carving, hairdressing, portraits, clocks, restaurants, snacks, collections, all kinds of businesses are available.

In order to protect these traditional handicrafts, the local government, on the one hand, offers rent concessions to them, and on the other hand, carries out publicity activities of its own historical and cultural connotation through facade packaging to further enhance its brand and popularity.

The numerous cultural relics protection units and historical buildings also make Diantou Street a natural history museum. The Flying Tigers Memorial Hall, the former residence of General He Tingyi, Gonghe Small Building, Tingzhou Intangible Cultural Heritage Wine Museum, etc. are distributed in the streets, bringing tourists the memory and inheritance of the history of the town.

New business type

As night falls, the bluestone slabs are lined with light and shadow. Tourists come close to each other. The shops on both sides have a variety of specialties, and snacks give off bursts of fragrance. Tourists dressed in national costumes are shuttling through the streets and the wine shops along the street. From time to time, guests are drinking and guessing.

Diantou refers to the best shop in Hakka dialect. There are more than 150 shops along the street. In recent years, more and more new commercial formats have settled down in Diantou Street, making this ancient street fashionable.

"Come and have a cup of tea!" In front of the "Meow Street Barbecue", the boss Xiao Deng greeted the tourists warmly. "I used to work in Beijing, but when I returned to Changting, I felt that the old streets in my hometown were well repaired, so I had the idea of starting a business." Xiao Deng said that now there are many young people coming and going in Changting, and the business in the store is booming. "Tourists often say that our neighborhood is full of fireworks."

In the same old street, there is a "Bogu Posthouse" homestay. The owner is an antique collector and often shares the whole cabinet of "toys"; The cafes in alleys have opened up many young people's "poetic" entrepreneurial paths... Many local explorations have been made on how to leave cultural entrepreneurs rooted in alleys in the repaired historical and cultural blocks, and how to form "new forms, new business forms, and new life" on the basis of maintaining the "original appearance, original residence, and original flavor".

Diantou Street is connected with the ancient city wall and the South Street of another street area. With the popularity of night tours of Tingjiang River, Wolong Academy and other scenic spots, many scenic spots have become "popular" online punch points. Diantou Street, located in the middle of it, has significant geographical advantages.

"Especially at night, the ancient city is very easy to be filmed at night, so many guests, especially female tourists, like to wear various ethnic costumes and take photos by punching cards." Xiao Fang, the head of a tourist photography shop in Diantou Street, said that in less than two years, more than 10 tourist photography shops have opened in Diantou Street and nearby.

"Now, Diantou Street has a rich business form and a thriving popularity, with 146 merchants, 3 century old brand stores and 88 cultural businesses," said the relevant person in charge of Guyun Tingzhou Culture and Tourism Group Co., Ltd.

With a long history and culture, Diantou Street, an ancient street in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, is presenting a new look that is not old and full of vigor.