Qingxi Old Street 青溪老街

About Qingxi Old Street

Its narrow street pattern and vernacular buildings preserve elements of a Jiangnan market-town setting, alongside later restoration.

Bridges are useful anchors for reading the place. Nanhong Bridge belongs to the Qing-period townscape, while Jifang Bridge has a longer history but was relocated after twentieth-century canal works. Looking at the waterway, buildings and bridges together explains how transport and trade shaped the settlement. Individual shops and restored interiors operate separately from the public street.

The street's origins trace to the Song dynasty, and it flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The renovated street opened on May 1, 2021. During Shanghai's 2022 citywide lockdown it was closed, then resumed normal operation on June 1, 2022. The old street runs for about 1,300 meters and is about 3 to 4 meters wide, beside a river (市河) 1,770 meters long.

Its 60,000 square meters of building space include preserved historic buildings and 11,500 square meters of vernacular architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties and the Republican era. Six Ming- and Qing-period bridges are found along the old street; Nanhong Bridge (南虹桥) was built during the Kangxi era (康熙), while Jifang Bridge (继芳桥), built during the Wanli era (万历), was unearthed in 1978 during excavation of the Jinhui Channel (金汇港) and then moved to the old street's river.

What to look for

• The narrow waterside street is lined with traditional vernacular buildings.
• Nanhong and Jifang bridges reveal different phases of the town’s history.

Location & getting there

Getting to Qingxi Old Street

Approach Qingxi Old Street in Qingcun, Fengxian; the travel listing identifies the entrance area at 2765 Nanfeng Highway.