Leadership Insights | Illustrated Lectures: Changde River Street: An Everlasting Song of Hunan Culture

The diverse traditional cultures of various regions together constitute the splendid Chinese civilization and also promote local economic and social development. Changde is a place rich in cultural legacies. It is necessary to inherit and utilize carriers of the local culture, such as stringed instruments, gaoqiang (high-pitched tunes) and haozi (work songs), and keep them in pace with the times. 

A line from Chu Ci reads, “elegant orchids thrive on the banks of the Yuan and Li rivers, and melodic music played with stringed instruments reverberates in the air.” The profound Hunan culture have been inherited from generation to generation for thousands of years. 

The River Street in Wuling District, Changde City of Hunan Province, has a history of some 1,000 years. Once a bustling wharf in western Hunan, the area witnessed how renowned poets and writers such as Quan Yuan, Liu Yuxi, Shen Congwen, and Huang Yongyu left timeless works. Unfortunately, it later declined due to warfare. In 2015, the municipal government of Changde decided to rebuild the River Street in another site, in hopes to create a historical and cultural block that blends tourism, recreation, holiday, and residence. Eventually, the original look and past glory of the River Street was restored. 

The best time to visit the River Street is at night. As the darkness falls, stalls selling a variety of commodities gradually open on both sides of the street, attracting numerous tourists. People stroll down the street in leisure or enjoy delicious food at restaurants. The chatting of tourists, the laughter of children, and the crying of hawkers reverberate across the street. 

Roaming the River Street feels like traveling into history. Here, people can experience the exquisite Taoyuan Embroidery, an intangible cultural heritage item that represents the elegant, profound Hunan culture, enjoy the gaoqiang performance of the Hanju Opera in Yuanyangzouma Building, taste authentic Changde rice noodles and vegetable bowls in small eateries, or sip a cup of pestled tea, which enable you to feel the hospitality of Changde people. 

The restored River Street awakens the memories of older generations in Changde, arousing their nostalgia, and at the same time, it makes tourists from around the world to experience the traditional lifestyles of Changde, the fusion between historical culture and urban space, and the progress and vitality of Changde as a modern city.