Changdi Historic District 长堤历史街区

About Changdi Historic District

The Guangdong provincial government portal published Changdi in the fourth batch of provincial historic and cultural street districts, and the district was formally unveiled under that title on 12 October 2023. It is one of five street districts in Jiangmen holding the provincial designation, the others being the Xuegong and Daxin Road–Renshou Road districts in Xinhui and two districts in Taicheng, Taishan. Most of the buildings inside it were put up in the Republican period. Official counts record 5,402 buildings standing in the district, among them six immovable cultural relics and 75 listed historic buildings, together with more than 2,000 traditional buildings identified as having conservation value and more than 1,000 comparatively well-preserved qilou, or arcade houses.

The protected core takes in several named sub-areas, including Qimingli, Shiwan Zhijie, Yuqingli, Jiangmen Xu and the arcade-house blocks — which the district government describes as witnesses to Jiangmen's history. Qimingli was formerly one of thirteen old overseas-Chinese villages in Jiangmen's urban area, and its century-old houses combine traditional Lingnan style with Western architectural features. A municipal regulation on the protection of historic and cultural street districts and historic buildings has been in force across Jiangmen since 1 December 2020. The district has also served as a filming location for screen productions including Chu Bao and Kuang Biao.

What to look for

• The arcade-house (qilou) blocks: more than 1,000 of them survive in comparatively good condition, most dating from the Republican period.
• Qimingli, formerly one of thirteen old overseas-Chinese villages in Jiangmen's urban area, where century-old houses mix traditional Lingnan style with Western architectural features.
• Jiangmen Xu and Shiwan Zhijie, two of the named sub-areas the district government lists inside the street district.
• The six immovable cultural relics and 75 listed historic buildings recorded within the district boundary.
• Street frontages used as locations for screen productions including Chu Bao and Kuang Biao.

Location & getting there

Getting to Changdi Historic District

Choose a precise starting address and return transport stop. Access to individual buildings, performances or viewing platforms is separate from access to public streets.

• Search for 长堤历史街区 with 江门市 and 蓬江区.