here is an old saying which describes the so-called Ten-li Long Street in Songjiang, an area in the southwest of Shanghai, “Starting from the Huayang Bridge in the east and ending at the Kuatang Bridge in the west”. The Huayang Old Street is considered to be the starting point of the Ten-li Long Street.

The bridges are among the must-visit sites in Huayang Old Street. Huayang Town (which is now merged into Chedun Town) got its name from the Huayang Bridge. The ancient people treated the east as yang and the west as yin, thus the most easterly bridge outside the east gate of the prefectural office was called the Huayang Bridge.

Among the five listed ancient bridges in Huayang Old Street, the Three-li Bridge is the most easterly one. Built in the Ming Dynasty, it was three li away from the prefectural office at that time. It has been on the list of the preserved cultural relics in Songjiang.

Built in 1472, the QIANs and YANGs’ Bridge was renovated by the emperor of the Qing Dynasty in 1899 and again by the local government in 2006. It was once called the QIANs’ Bridge as it was donated and built by Qian Pu.

This bridge, above the Yang Tie Pond, runs from the south with a full length of 14 meters.

If you count the stone steps of the bridge, you’ll find there are altogether 24 steps made of the granite stone in the north part and 18 in the south.

Built in the Ming Dynasty, the Yong Ji Bridge was renovated by the local government in 2005. It is a stone bridge which is 20 meters long and 3 meters wide. It is also on the list of the preserved cultural relics in Songjiang.

The East YANGs’ Bridge also has a long history and was renewed in 2005. The 17-meter-long bridge is made of Wukang stone.

The stone in the heart of the bridge is quite special, resembling the shape of flowers or maybe a cloud.

Meant to be rebuilt as a town characterized with an architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Huayang Old Street has witness a lot of changes.

The pavilions and terraces alongside the river in the Huang Yang Old Street

Hidden in the Huayang Old Street, the Old Temple of the King of the Inferno is a tranquil space for meditation where the time seems to snooze for a moment.

It is said to be the only ashram which worships the King of the Inferno across Shanghai. With a history of over 370 years, it is on an extension plan.

The Huayang Old Street is the cradle of the city as well as a silent recorder of the changes over time. Thanks to the expansion and renovation plan, the Huayang Old Street will not be forgotten in the dust of history, but reclaim the memory of its greatest glory.