 Shantang Canal | |
| Native name | 山塘街 (Chinese) |
|---|---|
| Length | 3,830 m (12,570 ft) |
| Location | NorthwesternGusu District,Suzhou |
| Construction | |
| Inauguration | 825 AD |
| Other | |
| Status | Complete |
Shantang Street (Chinese:山塘街;pinyin:Shāntáng Jiē;Suzhou Wu: Se daon ka,Wu Chinese pronunciation:[se̞dɑ̃kɑ]), also known asSeven-li Shantang (Chinese:七里山塘), is a street in northwesternGusu District,Suzhou,Jiangsu,China. The street connectsChangmen (Chinese:阊门) in the east withHuqiu in the west, with a total length of about 3,829.6 meters (2.38 miles),[1] or a little more than sevenli or traditional "Chinese miles".[2] Due to the great history and events involving Shantang Street it is sometimes stated as being the "First Street in Shuzou".[3]
In 2015, the Shantang Street Scenic Area was added to the list of China's "National Historic and Cultural Streets".[4]
Construction of theShantang Canal (Chinese:山塘河) started in 825 AD, during the Tang Dynasty byBai Juyi, a poet and theCishi (modern-day equivalent of the prefectural governor) of Suzhou, to provide a link between Huqiu and the city. The sludge that was dug out from the construction formed a dam along the north bank of the canal known asBaigong Dam (Chinese:白公堤) in honor of Bai Juyi. A street was then built on the dam, which later became the modern-day Shantang Street.[2][5][6][7]
Along withPingjiang Road, the street was declared aHistorical and cultural block of China (Chinese:中国历史文化街区) in 2015.[8]
Today, it is a popular tourist destination with visitors being attracted by the heritage nature of the buildings and the various old stone bridges.[9]
_The_Art_Sculpture_of_Harmony.jpg) | ThisSuzhou, Jiangsu-related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
