What is the story behind Qinghefang?

Qinghefang Historical Street - the most famous neighborhood in the history of Hangzhou and the only relatively complete old neighborhood in Hangzhou. It is a microcosm of Hangzhou's long-standing Qinghefang scenery (1) (20 photos). The history of Qinghefang originated in the Southern Song Dynasty. The Southern Song Dynasty established its capital in Hangzhou, built the Jiuli Imperial City, and opened Shili Tianjie (today's Zhongshan Middle Road). As a result, on the outskirts of the palace city and on both sides of Tianjie, the royal relatives and dignitaries and servants built palaces and private residences one after another. To the east of the Zhonghe River was the Deshou Palace, the Kaiyuan Palace was built on Shanghuaguang, the Prince Hui's Mansion was built on Houshi Street, and the Longxiang Palace was built on Huimin Street. The name of Qinghefang is related to Zhang Jun, the grand master at that time. In the third year of Jianyan (1129), Zhang Jun defeated the Jin soldiers in Mingzhou (today's Ningbo) and won the victory at Gaoqiao. In his later years, he was named the Prince of Qinghe County and was greatly favored. He built the Prince's Mansion of Qinghe County in Taiping Lane, Hefang Street today, so this area was called Qinghefang. At that time, this area was lined with shops, restaurants and tea shops, and there was a constant flow of business. Qinghefang Street once had small bridges and flowing water

It is the most prosperous commercial district in Hangzhou. In ancient times, it was called the former dynasty and the back market. The former dynasty refers to the court in front, which is the imperial city of the Southern Song Dynasty on Phoenix Mountain, and the back market refers to the north. There are shops, namely the Hefang Street area. It went through the Yuan, Ming, Qing and Republic of China periods. Until the eve of liberation, this area was still a prosperous commercial area in Hangzhou. Many century-old stores in Hangzhou are concentrated in this area. Qinghefang flourished in the Song Dynasty and flourished in the Qing Dynasty. Most of the existing ancient buildings in the neighborhood were built in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Most of them, such as the century-old Hu Qingyutang, Wanlong Ham House, and Mutton Soup Restaurant, were built at this time. Although the years have been cruel, the current charm is still there. . As the pace of reconstruction of Hangzhou's old city accelerates, ancient buildings such as ancient streets and shops are disappearing in large swaths of the city. Now more than 70% of Hangzhou's ancient city no longer exists. The "Four Corners" located at the intersection of Hefang Street and Zhongshan Middle Road is the heart of Hangzhou's traditional neighborhoods and the only intact historical area in Hangzhou's ancient city. Here, famous century-old shops such as Kong Fengchun and Fang Huichun Hall stand out, surrounded by the former residences of celebrities and various buildings. In March 1999, the Hefang Street widening and reconstruction project was fully launched. The word "demolish" climbed up the wall of the "Four Corners" building, trees fell down and houses were demolished, and the old shops in the ancient street were about to be destroyed by the bulldozers approaching day by day! Huang Xiaohang, a member of the Democratic National Construction Association and deputy editor-in-chief of Zhejiang Market Herald, wrote to the main leaders of the Hangzhou Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, demanding that the demolition projects in the "Four Corners" and nearby areas be stopped immediately. The next day, Hangzhou acting mayor Qiu Baoxing gave instructions in the letter. Li Jinming, deputy secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee and secretary of the Hangzhou Municipal Party Committee, also gave instructions immediately after seeing Huang Xiaohang's letter. Relevant departments conveyed the spirit of the instructions at all levels and quickly organized personnel to conduct on-site inspections. The demolition project was finally suspended. Starting from April 8, 2000, the Shangcheng District Government has protected the historical buildings in Qinghefang, and at the same time developed new streetscapes. In accordance with the principle of "repairing the old as before", it has been strictly protected according to its original features. At present, Qinghefang Historical Street covers an area of ??1,366 hectares. In addition to retaining the famous time-honored brands in the area, the business layout of the entire block also introduces merchants to sell antiques, calligraphy and paintings, tourist souvenirs, handicrafts, and famous local specialties from Hangzhou and other places in the form of leasing, joint ventures, etc. and other projects that are in line with the historical and cultural atmosphere of the neighborhood, forming a virtuous cycle of attracting business through the street, promoting business through the street, promoting tourism through commerce, and promoting prosperity through tourism. In October 2002, Hangzhou Qinghefang Historic District was officially opened to the public one and a half years after the renovation and protection project was officially launched. The 460-meter-long pedestrian street condenses the urban style of Hangzhou during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and has become the focus of attention of citizens and domestic and foreign tourists. After reconstruction, the Qinghefang historical district is gradually forming a cultural, entertainment, commercial and tourist district with a strong traditional flavor. It has become a place where "Hangzhou people often come and foreigners must visit". Its restoration and transformation have left a valuable historical and cultural heritage for Hangzhou. The following is a brief introduction to the famous century-old brands, which are also typical ancient buildings: Hu Qingyutang is located in Dajing Lane at the northern foot of Wushan Mountain and was built based on the ancient pharmacy building. The ancient building complex was founded by Hu Xueyan, a "red-roofed businessman" in the late Qing Dynasty. It is now well-preserved, with high walls and gates, and a dignified appearance. The design is unique, and the whole body is like a crane. The gate tower is like a crane's head, the corridor is like a crane's neck, and the hall is like a crane's body. It is exquisite, exquisite in carving and painting, typical and simple. It is also accompanied by a square pavilion for resting and admiring, a "beautiful leaning" curved bridge and a fountain. Hu Qingyutang covers an area of ??3,000 square meters and houses more than 160 cultural relics. It is composed of five major parts: exhibition hall, traditional Chinese medicine handicraft workshop, health care clinic, business hall and medicinal diet hall. Visitors can not only explore the essence of the treasure house of traditional Chinese medicine, but also appreciate the style of the ancient building of "Jiangnan Medicine House", which is a national cultural protection unit.