Paifang Street

The Archway Street is located in the old city of Chaozhou. There are 22 archways on the street, and there is a story behind each archway.
Most of the memorial archways were built for Jinshi, Zhuangyuan, Shangshu, etc. The earliest memorial archway on the street was the Zhushi Memorial Archway which appeared in 1517.
The Four Jinshi Archway, the Number One Scholar Archway, the Zhushi Archway, the Imperial Mandate Three Gifts Archway, the Tan's Grace Three Gifts Archway and other archways are all worth a look.
Many arcade buildings are preserved along the street. In addition to visiting historical sites, Chaozhou hand-made beef balls, taro cakes, duck eye twists and other delicacies are very unique.

Attractions Location: No. 663, Taiping Road, Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province

Tickets: free

Opening hours:
All day (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)

Contact Details: 0768-2228900

Transportation:
Take the D1/D2 electric car to Kaiyuan Square bus stop and walk about 111 meters to arrive

Time reference: Less than 1 hour


Recommended itinerary for Paifang Street tours

1-Day Itinerary: Explore Paifang Street

Discover the vibrant atmosphere of Paifang Street, known for its traditional Lingnan architecture, local snacks, and bustling shops selling Guangdong specialties.

  • Arrive in Guangzhou city center.
  • Take Metro Line 1 to Ximenkou Station, then walk 5 minutes to Paifang Street.
  • Stroll along the street, sample local street food like dim sum, rice rolls, and herbal tea.
  • Visit nearby Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street for more shopping and cultural experience (10-minute walk).

Accommodation/Food: Stay in downtown Guangzhou near Beijing Road or Shangxiajiu Street for easy access. Try traditional Cantonese dim sum restaurants.

Souvenirs: Cantonese snacks, herbal teas, jade jewelry, traditional crafts.


2-Day Itinerary: Paifang Street + Shamian Island

Combine a day at Paifang Street with a relaxing visit to historic Shamian Island, famous for its colonial architecture and riverside views.

  • Day 1: Explore Paifang Street and Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street.
  • Day 2: Take Metro Line 1 to Huangsha Station, then walk (~15 minutes) or take a short taxi ride to Shamian Island.
  • Walk around Shamian’s tree-lined avenues, visit cafes, and museums.

Accommodation/Food: Stay near the Pearl River area or Liwan District. Enjoy seafood and Cantonese dishes.

Souvenirs: Handicrafts from local shops on Shamian, pearl jewelry, Cantonese-style tea sets.


3-Day Itinerary: Paifang Street + Shamian Island + Chen Clan Academy

Add a cultural day at Chen Clan Academy to explore exquisite Lingnan-style architecture and folk art.

  • Day 1-2: As above.
  • Day 3: Take Metro Line 1 to Chen Clan Academy Station and visit the academy museum.
  • Spend the afternoon at nearby Xiguan Old Houses and Lingnan Impression Park (bus or taxi, ~20 minutes).

Accommodation/Food: Stay downtown near metro lines for easy transit. Sample traditional Cantonese herbal soups.

Souvenirs: Traditional embroidery, folk art crafts, antiques replicas.


4-Day Itinerary: Paifang Street + Shamian Island + Chen Clan Academy + Yuexiu Park

Include Yuexiu Park, the largest park in Guangzhou, to enjoy nature and historical sites such as the Five Rams Statue.

  • Days 1-3: Follow previous itinerary.
  • Day 4: Take Metro Line 2 to Yuexiu Park Station.
  • Explore park’s lakes, gardens, and historical relics.

Accommodation/Food: Stay near Yuexiu or Liwan District. Try Cantonese roast meats and street snacks.

Souvenirs: Local teas, traditional Cantonese pastries, jade crafts.


5-Day Itinerary: Paifang Street + Shamian Island + Chen Clan Academy + Yuexiu Park + Canton Tower

Add an evening visit to Canton Tower to enjoy panoramic city views and river nightscapes.

  • Days 1-4: As above.
  • Day 5: Take Metro Line 3 to Canton Tower Station.
  • Visit the observation deck, skywalk, and nearby Zhujiang New Town.

Accommodation/Food: Stay near Zhujiang New Town or Tianhe District. Sample fusion Cantonese and international cuisine.

Souvenirs: Modern souvenirs, Guangzhou-themed gifts, specialty teas.


6-Day Itinerary: Full Guangzhou Cultural Experience Including Paifang Street

Expand your journey with visits to Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King and Beijing Road Shopping District.

  • Days 1-5: Follow previous itinerary.
  • Day 6: Visit Nanyue King Museum (Metro Line 2 to Ximenkou Station).
  • Explore Beijing Road Shopping Street nearby.

Accommodation/Food: Stay downtown. Try Cantonese seafood and traditional desserts.

Souvenirs: Archaeological replica items, traditional jewelry, local snacks.


7-Day Itinerary: Comprehensive Guangdong Tour Centered on Paifang Street

Complete your week with day trips to nearby attractions such as Guangzhou Zoo and Baiyun Mountain.

  • Days 1-6: As above.
  • Day 7: Visit Guangzhou Zoo (Metro Line 5 to Guangzhou Zoo Station) and Baiyun Mountain (bus or taxi, ~40 minutes from city center).
  • Enjoy natural scenery and animal exhibits before returning to city.

Accommodation/Food: Stay near city center or Baiyun area for ease. Try Cantonese street food and local fresh produce.

Souvenirs: Animal-themed gifts, natural herbal products, local handicrafts.


User Reviews

By Globe Knight |

Chaozhou is a city with rich cultural heritage and a strong sense of fireworks.



Chaozhou was founded in 591 AD, the 11th year of the Kaihuang reign of the Sui Dynasty. The Chaozhou culture represented by Chaozhou Gongfu tea and Chaozhou cuisine has a far-reaching influence and is well-known both at home and abroad.



Teahouses, old houses, ancient temples and small restaurants can be found everywhere in the streets and alleys such as Jiadi Lane and Bushu Street near Chaozhou Paifang Street. It is delicious and fun, and it is indeed a great place to wander around when you are bored!

By Shanghai Next Life |

Chaozhou is not a tourist city. There are not many attractions. People go there mostly for the food. Paifang Street is similar to most ancient towns and pedestrian streets in China. The food sold on the whole street is all so-called specialties. The people lining up are either time-honored brands or Internet-famous shops. It is purely a man-made special street for outsiders to check in. The real folk food is not on that street. Of course, compared with the slightly messy streets in Chaozhou, Paifang Street is still very clean.

By Yimi Xiamo |

Paifang Street is quite lively at night, with many tourists and many shops on both sides, making it very convenient for enjoying snacks and shopping.

After passing through Guangji Gate, you will reach Paifang Street. Paifang Street is brightly lit at night and is very bustling.

The current archway and the shops on both sides have been renovated many times and lack the heavy sense of ancient history.

On both sides of the archway are various Chaoshan specialties, tourist souvenirs, etc. If you want to bring souvenirs to friends or family, you can buy some here. The specialties here can be said to be very complete. It is recommended to visit several stores and compare prices to avoid being ripped off.

By Scorpion arrow |

Chaozhou Ancient City Archway Street should be a gathering place for tourists in Chaozhou. On a main street, there is an archway every few dozen meters. (Of course, most of them are newly built, and the original ones were mostly destroyed due to various factors.) Whether it is day or night, it is quite spectacular. The shops along the street sell all kinds of food and specialties, including old brands and new Internet celebrities.

By Shuishui |

I still remember that when I came here ten years ago, the land acquisition and reconstruction of this street had just begun, and there were no memorial archways yet. All the rebuilt memorial archways now were collected from the public or from information in old materials and pictures, and then rebuilt in a unified manner.

I asked many locals, but no one could tell me exactly how many memorial archways there are on Taiping Street.

By Star Ocean |

In every ancient city, there is an old street that carries the century-old memory of the prosperous center. Chaozhou also has such a street: Archway Street. Historically, Chaozhou was the political and economic center of eastern Guangdong, with merchants and talented officials. Archways were everywhere in the city. After wars, natural weathering and other changes, many archways were seriously damaged and later demolished. On this two-kilometer-long street stand 22 newly built and restored ancient archways, each of which has a historical story worth telling slowly. In addition to the archways, there are many arcade buildings preserved along the street, most of which are food stores. The whole street can be said to have collected Chaozhou's most famous snacks and specialties. If you want to save trouble and effort, just eat from one end of the street to the other, but as for whether the taste is authentic, it is unknown. I don't eat much on this street and don't have much say.

By Raging milk girl |

The reason why the Archway Street is called the Archway Street is because there are many archways along the street. Each archway is engraved with words, recording historical stories. I particularly like this thoughtful operation. You can scan the QR code on the archway with your mobile phone and listen to the historical stories here while walking. Even though I forget such history after seeing it, I still enjoy the feeling of someone explaining it to you in your ear.

Paifang Street is home to Chaozhou’s specialty snacks and various Chaozhou cultures. If you don’t have time to explore in depth, it’s best to come here for a quick drink!

By Beifeng Primary School Student |

There are many delicious foods in Paifang Street.

I first ate a portion of Raoping's specialty sea stone flower 12. Sea stone flower seems to be a kind of medicinal material. I don’t know much about it. Anyway, it looks transparent and tastes cool and refreshing. I like the sweet red beans inside it the most.

I saw a shop called Niu Jia Jiang that specializes in beef balls, so I went in and had a serving of beef tendon balls for 15. The shop has homemade shacha sauce and chili sauce, but I didn't put any in there, just the original flavor, and it still tasted really good, which made up for my regret that I couldn't control the heat in the hot pot restaurant just now.

After eating the beef balls, I bought a cup of almond tea at Shunxingji for 5. The packaging of Shunxingji is very simple, it is the kind of plastic cup with a happy pattern on it, but the taste is not simple, full of almond flavor.

Wu Dou Fang's five-grain chacha and five-bean tofu pudding were an unexpected bonus when I came to Chaozhou. I originally planned to eat eight-treasure duck mother twist, but when I arrived, the duck mother twist was sold out, so I ordered five-grain chacha 25 and five-grain tofu pudding 25. Later, I looked at other people's five-bean tofu pudding photos online, some were the same as mine, and some had five colors, I don't know what's going on.

I didn't get to eat the Eight Treasure Duck Mother Twist 20 on the first day, and I was still thinking about it. The next day I went there again and finally got to eat it, hahahaha. Duck Mother Twist is actually glutinous rice balls, but it is cooked in sugar water, and there are some other things in the bowl. It tastes sweet and delicious.

After eating the duck meat, I saw a public welfare book stand that I hadn’t noticed the night before. On a whim, I left a book and a postcard for someone who is destined to receive it, hahahaha.

By gahra1412 |

Paifang Street is unusually quiet late at night, with only a few small shops in the alleys still open for business. The owners don’t really care whether they welcome customers or not, and most of them are chatting with friends.

In the morning, Paifang Street is very busy, with few tourists but only locals walking on the street with different purposes and directions. Some of them are carrying vegetable baskets, riding worn-out bicycles, or strolling with their children.

It doesn't feel like a tourist area, but more like living in a residential building in the old city. The atmosphere of life is overwhelming.

By Still speaking |

Some people say that the archways here are all fake, but they do look very new. Regardless of whether they are true or not, these archways may have existed in history. Maybe they have been repaired and restored to their original state. You can pretend to travel back to that era to learn about history and take a photo. Chaozhou Archway Street is located in the ancient city of Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City. It is one of the historical and cultural landmarks of Chaozhou Ancient City and a unique archway street in the country. This street, about 2 kilometers long, is famous for its well-preserved Ming and Qing stone archways. There are 23 ancient archways, most of which were built to commemorate imperial examinations, loyalty, filial piety, chastity, or official achievements, such as "Zhuangyuan Archway" and "Neo-Confucian Archway". The archway combines Chaozhou stone carving, wood carving and calligraphy art, with a simple and elegant style, and is more charming under the lights at night.

By Brother Water |

Located in the center of Chaozhou Ancient City, Paifang Street is a cultural ancient street integrating intangible cultural heritage, traditional crafts, special snacks, etc. The characteristic architecture of Paifang Street is the arcades that combine Chinese and Western styles. The 22 Chinese-style Ming and Qing stone archways and the arcades with Nanyang style on both sides complement each other. The arcades with Nanyang architectural style were introduced in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, forming a unique overseas Chinese hometown style that combines Chinese and Western styles.

By Zheng Zizai |

Other places in Chaozhou are just so-so. There is no need to buy a ticket to go up there. Just look around from outside. The night view and lighting are also so-so. It is better to go shopping and check in at Paifang Street.

By Purple Sword Soul |

The main road in the ancient city is more than 1 km long and runs from north to south. There is a memorial arch every few dozen meters. The contents of the memorial arches are varied, mostly about the achievements of ancient people who made it big, to leave a good reputation or inspire future generations. There are endless snacks on both sides of the street. You can compare prices and find the one with the best value for money.

By Still wanting more |

Archway Street is located in the center of Chaozhou Ancient City. The 22 Ming and Qing Dynasty stone archways and the Nanyang-style arcades on both sides complement each other, becoming a unique cultural landscape in the country. Historically, Chaozhou City was the political center of eastern Guangdong, with many talents and a rich cultural heritage. Therefore, many archways were built in Chaozhou City during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Chaozhou once had nearly 100 archways. Later, due to their age and disrepair, most of these archways were damaged and demolished. The current 22 archways were restored and rebuilt in 2006 according to the original site, with 20 archways on Taiping Road and 2 archways on Dongmen Street.

By Want to eat clay pot rice |

Archway Street is the symbol of Chaozhou. I remember it was always on CCTV. Although the 22 archways were rebuilt in recent years, they are very imposing and distinctive. Each archway commemorates a local celebrity and praises his merits. Looking back at the history of the archways, they are all from the Ming and Qing dynasties, with texts introducing the people and events. Think about it, in ancient times, setting up archways for certain people not only made them glorious, but also set a model image for the people around them, encouraged everyone to study hard, and improved the quality level of the region, which is very positive!

By Ella_Ye |

【Paifang Street】A commercial pedestrian street connected by 22 memorial archways, each with its own story, is a feature of Chaozhou ancient city. The words "commercial pedestrian street" will give you a clear idea of the price level inside.

By Go your own way |

In addition to the Guangji Bridge, the most famous place in Chaozhou is the Archway Street in the Ancient City. It is said that the Archway Street was first formed in the Northern Song Dynasty, and was finalized in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. The archway group was formed in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and the arcade was formed in the late Qing Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty. The variety and number of Chaozhou archways are rare in the world. At its peak, there were 180 stone archways of various forms, with the most concentrated in Taiping Road and Dongmen Street. In 1951, due to obstruction of traffic and injury caused by falling, the 19 stone archways that still existed at that time were all demolished. In 2006, Chaozhou City launched the Archway Street Restoration Project. 22 ancient archways were restored according to their original locations and appearances, forming the Archway Street that stretches for 2 miles now.

By UNCLE |

Some only record achievements, such as the "Four Jinshi Archway" and the "Top Scholar Archway"; some only record official positions, such as the "Dali Siping and Liangzhe Duyun" Archway; some only record prestigious titles, such as the "Enguang Yanci" Archway; some record both achievements and official positions, such as the "Golden List Lianfang and Liangjing Kedao" Archway; some record both official positions and prestigious titles, such as the "Important Towns of Wu and Chu, Four Generations of Officials" Archway.

By Xu Ke |

This time I came to Chaozhou and stayed in Paifang Street, and I had a deep experience. Although Paifang Street has been rebuilt, it is still very distinctive. In fact, it is a commercial pedestrian street. Cars are not allowed to pass from 9 am to 11 pm. There are many shops on both sides, and there are many food and shopping. The prices are a little higher than outside, but it is acceptable, not a rip-off, and there are many cats; the alleys on both sides are inns and B&Bs, and the prices are up to you.

By Zhang Ashui |

Paifang Street is the core area for visiting Chaozhou. I personally feel that the evening after the rain is the most attractive. The stone floor reflects the lights on the archway. Walking on it feels like traveling through time and space.

By Fishing Alone in the Snowy River |

Paifang Street is located in the old city of Chaozhou. There are many arcade buildings preserved along the street. There are 22 archways on the street, telling the great achievements of many Chaozhou heroes in history. There is a story behind each archway, which is thought-provoking.

Most of the memorial archways were built for Jinshi, Zhuangyuan, Shangshu, etc., recording their great achievements and also highlighting the outstanding people of Chaozhou.

By E. |

Each archway in Paifang Street has its own characteristics, so you can visit and observe them carefully.

By Mr. Yang |

It's just a tourist attraction with local characteristics... you can go and have a look

By China-TravelNote users |

I feel that the thousand-year-old town has produced many talents, which gave me a new understanding of the ancients

By Shelley Oriole |

I made an appointment with my colleagues to go there for fun on the weekend. We said we went there for fun, but actually we went there for the Chaozhou snacks. We ate all day long and became quite fat.

By Miss Liu |

This street is very wide, the snacks are very good and affordable, I like it here

By Yu Lele |

A tourist check-in spot. Lao Zheng beef balls are really delicious.

By Natural |

There is a strong commercial feel here. The buildings on both sides, including the archways, feel relatively new. They should not have been built in the same era as the old houses in front.

There are indeed many archways here, the whole road is full of them, and they are very dense. Most of Chaozhou's various delicacies and snacks are also around this area, you can stroll around for a long time

By A large pear |

The Archway Street in the old city retains the quaint arcade style. There are 22 archways on the street, each of which records the great achievements of various Chaozhou heroes in history.

The alleys are mostly lined with small shops that have been open for a long time. There are babbling babies, lazy cats and dogs, and the atmosphere is full of the local flavor.

By left ear |

Flags fluttered on the ancient street, and there were many memorial archways. The small shops selling delicacies and specialties made the place more popular. Of course, commercialization was inevitable. That day was the last day of 2018. Although there were not so many tourists and no grand New Year's Eve ceremony, we could still feel the excitement of everyone bidding farewell to 2018 and looking forward to the new year.

By Autumn Poems |

The original style of the Archway Street is well worth a visit as it has many local specialties.

By Lia |

Paifang Street is not just a street. There are many paths and lanes here. There is a memorial archway every few steps. The shapes and words engraved on them are different. Most of them are telling interesting stories. I counted that there are about 22 memorial archways in the whole Paifang Street. If you take an aerial photo, the bird's-eye view may look like a nine-square grid, with small grids one by one, hahaha~

Most of the things sold on the street are Chaozhou specialties and snacks.

By ▼. 👑 Gentle |

I saw all kinds of rice cakes on Paifang Street. They looked good. The bamboo shoots were delicious. They tasted like dumplings. The skin was very thin. There were bamboo shoots inside. The fried chicken was refreshing and delicious! ! The three major Chaozhou specialties: Xianghuang, Laoyaoju, and Huangpigu. You can bring souvenirs to your family and the elderly. There are many such shops on Paifang Street.

By Cute |

The Paifang Street is a pedestrian street consisting of 22 archways. The archways have been renovated. There are many snacks and specialties on the street. There are not many people on the street at night, but the lighting project is good.

By Mrs. Joan |

There are various archways on the Archway Street, recording different stories. Both sides of the street are typical arcade buildings, selling some souvenirs or snacks. Although the commercial atmosphere is strong, there are also many aboriginals. If you observe carefully, you can see many scenes of market life.

By totojuaner |

The current Paifang Street, except for the arcades on both sides, has had its archways rebuilt and the arcades restored to a brand new look. It is a gathering place for tourists and, like most antique streets in the country, it is bustling with people hawking specialties.

We happened to encounter a parade, which takes place every Saturday at 8:30 pm with Chaozhou gongs and drums. It has a local flavor, but it's a little hard for outsiders to appreciate it.

By South Jinling |

There aren't too many people before eight o'clock. After watching the lights, you can go directly from Guangji Bridge into Paifang Street to watch the lion dance performance, which should be around 9:00.

By Nicole is not Kidman |

Walking along Paifang Street, you can see many old-style arcades, as if the immigrant era has not yet left. There are also many alleys on both sides of the street, which are full of interesting things.

When the lights are turned on at night, it seems like we have returned to the prosperity of ancient times. In fact, Paifang Street is more lively at night than during the day.

There is a Zaiyang Inn in the deep alley, which is actually a theater where you can watch Chao opera for a table fee. It is really full of history.

By jinxiaott's nest |

Each archway in the archway street has some inscriptions recording the deeds of Chaozhou's ancestors, and the archways are lined with typical arcade buildings. In comparison, the shops are more commercialized, selling some food and some local specialty products, and you can buy some souvenirs and gifts.

By Lin Xiaobin |

The historical and cultural ancient street that fully preserves Chaozhou culture

By Edogawa Early in the Morning |

There are so many cats on Paifang Street. I don't know if they are helping the boss to attract business. Let me tell you that Paifang Street is more beautiful at night! ! It is more than 10 times more beautiful, the lighting color is not low at all, Paifang Street is super beautiful at night.

By My feet are sore, miss |

Paifang Street is a long pedestrian street (cars can only be parked on the main road outside), with arcade-style buildings on both sides and many archways. Chaozhou's streets are full of private cars on both sides, and it is very difficult to find a parking space near Paifang Street.

Many shops had long queues. We walked and had oyster omelette (40 yuan for a large plate). The portion was enough for 4+1 of us... It was different from the oyster omelette we had eaten before. One was that the oysters used were different. The other was that Chaozhou oyster omelette used flour, while oyster omelette used sweet potato flour.

There are many shops selling salty rice cakes. We randomly picked one. 20 small pieces cost 10 yuan each. The tasteless rice cakes were filled with juice similar to salted dried radish. Before eating it, I thought it was the same as the rice cakes we eat here. In fact, the taste is not as good as rice cakes. Anyway, I don’t like it very much. While waiting, a local came and only bought half a portion. I didn’t know that I could buy half a portion. I should have bought less if I had known.

By MASTER_FAN |

It is a very distinctive pedestrian street with many snacks. Going out of Guangji Gate is Hanjiang River and Guangji Bridge. There is a light show by the river at night, which is worth seeing.

By Recaumi |

The main scenic spots and special snacks of Chaozhou are all in Paifang Street. You must go here when you come to Chaozhou. There are different scenery here during the day and at night. I highly recommend it.

Overall evaluation is good~

By Blue fish |

Paifang Street was newly renovated and looks very new. Paifang Street is a street building, mainly for commercial operations, selling Chaozhou preserved fruits and snack shops. We tried a century-old brand and ordered fried rice noodles, oyster omelette, beef ball rice noodle soup, snack steamed rice cake, fried spring rolls, etc. Except for fried rice noodles, rice noodle soup and steamed rice cake, the oyster omelette tasted good, and the fried spring rolls were even worse, all cold and full of oil. It was unpalatable... Wouldn't this level be a slap in the face of the old brand's signboard?

By Quentin |

Although it was raining, it didn't stop us from having fun. Besides, we were hungry and wanted to enjoy the food. It was less than 200 meters from the hotel to the east entrance of Paifang Street, and it only took a few minutes to walk to Paifang Street.

Today is not a weekend, so there are few tourists. Holding an umbrella, strolling on the archway street in the drizzle, looking up at the inscriptions on the archway, or lingering in the food and sundry shops on both sides of the street, relaxing your body and mind. Without the hustle and bustle of the past, it is also quiet and elegant.

By Wlq |

Paifang Street is quite commercialized, and the food there is more or less the same. I only tried some Chaozhou snacks this time. The ones that impressed me the most were Bingmasilin Zongqiu (zongzi with two kinds of fillings, the taste is really good, probably because the owner is an old man, cash is accepted here, friends who want to try it don’t forget to bring cash), Shibaqu Laowei Fish Dumpling Shop (but the service attitude is not so good, a bit regrettable that I didn’t try the fish noodles), Hu Rongquan (there are several restaurants in Paifang Street, the one near Kaiyuan Temple has high reviews on the Internet, but I went there around 5 o'clock that day and it was closed, so I didn’t get to taste it. I went to another one to eat duck mother dumplings, which I personally think is not very delicious and not in line with the old brand).

By Bai Qi |

The locals live a very comfortable life. In the morning, they don't do business first, but have breakfast first, then make a pot of tea, and then start their day's work. The comfort and tranquility of this small city can be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys.

By Rest, little thief |

There really was a group of ancient archways here in the past, but they were all demolished later, and then a new group was built. Now it is mainly a commercial street where you can look at small things and eat some snacks.

By Free and Forgetful |

A very distinctive commercial street, unique in the world, different from other commercial streets, very Chaoshan characteristics

By Deer horns |

Please don't have too many extravagant expectations for Paifang Street. The reason why Paifang Street is called Paifang Street is because the street is built with many archways. For tourists, such a dense visual impact will be very impressive.

By CHR Ran |

The archways tell the stories of history. If Guangji Tower is a "badge of Chaozhou", then the archways on Archway Street are the "tunnel of memory" of the city. After the restoration, Archway Street has brought a variety of shops. It can also be said to be a food street. Eat while walking in this "historical tunnel". What you eat is not only local food, but also the history of time.

By Lonely Traveler |

Friends who have been to Guangzhou Shangxiajiu should know that this archway street is similar to Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street. The road is not wide, and there are shops on both sides. I remember eating a bowl of sweet soup there at that time. The locals called it "Duck Mother Nian". There were two or three glutinous rice balls, snow fungus, lotus seeds and other sweet soup. There are also many places selling antiques on the archway street. There are tickets, copper coins, antiques and the like from the 1940s and 1950s. If you are interested in archaeology, you may find treasures!

By Sherie |

Paifang Street is a nice commercial street. The whole street is very long and there are many different shops. It is a good choice to eat and shop here.

By hazelhu |

The central entrance of Paifang Street is next to Kaiyuan Temple. There are 22 retro archways on Paifang Street, each with a different inscription and its own story. The archways you see now were rebuilt in 2007. The ancient archways were demolished in the 1950s because they hindered traffic, fell into disrepair and had feudal content. Because the archways are densely distributed, they look very imposing at first glance. Both sides of the street are typical arcade streets, and the buildings are relatively old, giving people the feeling of returning to Guangzhou in the 1980s. The current Paifang Street is full of Chaozhou Three Treasures, local specialty stores and snack shops. There are not many tourists in the afternoon, and it is too quiet to be a tourist attraction.

By Half River Sese |

Walking towards Guangji Tower, there are many memorial archways and shops. When you reach Guangji Bridge, there is a row of city walls with many towers, including Guangji Gate Tower, Zhumu Gate Tower, Shangshui Gate Tower, and Xiashui Gate Tower. Some of these towers can be driven into, some cannot, some can only be entered but not exited, and some can only be exited but not entered.

By Groundhog |

There are many snack shops worth tasting on the snack street

By Reeves |

One of the must-see classic attractions in Chaozhou. Whether it is historical stories, cultural customs, or delicious snacks, there is always something for you to learn.

By Jill |

Basically, all the good food, fun and accommodation are in or near Paifang Street. I basically spent two days and one night happily playing and eating in Paifang Street and its surroundings.

By Joy |

You can buy all three treasures here, but don’t just look at the price, there is a difference in quality.

The archway landscape of Chaozhou Taiping Road, which has made Chaozhou people proud for hundreds of years, was once the best in the country and is still talked about by many elderly people. You can also buy a lot of porcelain at a special price here.

By Mushan |

It is suitable to go in the evening, the weather is not so hot, the shops are open, and you can also see the night view

By kkkkkkkka |

Because the sun was too strong during the day, I took the time to stroll around at night. It is said that there are 91 archways in Archway Street. Interested friends can count them. Most of the archways in Archway Street are places selling souvenirs. There are also many places selling copperware and handmade bamboo baskets. Every time I pass by, I can't help but walk over to take a look. The bamboo baskets are really exquisite and look very festive. The price of bamboo baskets varies according to size, ranging from about 30 to 50.

By Photographer: Fruity Orange |

The contrast between the old and new houses is also quite interesting. They sell Chaozhou-style salted rice cakes, which are similar to steamed bread. The outer layer of the rice cake is soft and glutinous, and the inner layer of preserved radish is salty and sweet. I have never eaten it anywhere else. It is a very distinctive snack and worth it. Environment: 1 star. Generally, they are small stalls. Recommendation index: 3 stars

Address: There are many stalls like this on Paifang Street

By Teacher Cao SpongeMel |

A must-visit stop in Chaozhou Old Town, it is full of antiques and there are many old houses of locals in the alleys on both sides of the street, which is the original ecology of Chaozhou people's life. From one end of the street to the other, you can eat almost all the Chaozhou delicacies!

By oO oO |

The central street of the ancient city - Archway Street. It seemed like we walked this street countless times in two days. Along the street formed by so many archways, many small streets also extended vertically, as intricate as a chessboard, and connected to each other. Unfortunately, except for some plaques, the archways in the past were destroyed in the process of destroying the four olds, and now these are all new archways.

What's interesting is that during the day, there are large wooden flower beds under these archways, which only allow pedestrians to pass. When I went out at night, I found that the flower beds were pushed to the side of the road, and cars whizzed past under the archways. This scene was so time-traveling, hehe... The next morning, these flower beds magically returned. You know, there are at least 30 archways on this street. Even if there are 6 flower beds under each, that's more than 100, and they are filled with soil and flowers. It's heavy. I tried to push it, but there are no wheels. I don't know how they did it?

By Apple |

The narrow arcades with thin columns on both sides of the pedestrian street are completely renovated in the uniform gray plastering, and are rebuilt in a neat and uniform manner. At night, the pedestrian street is decorated with lights and is crowded with tourists. Under the lights, the details of the archways are varied and beautiful.

By WinKing |

Chaozhou City was the political center of eastern Guangdong in history. It was the seat of state, road and prefecture, and many high-ranking officials gathered here. After the Song Dynasty, many talented people emerged and the culture and art gathered here. Therefore, many memorial archways were built in Chaozhou City during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

According to historical records, Chaozhou had 91 memorial archways, including 39 on Taiping Road, 44 on other streets and alleys, and the rest in Jinshan, Hanshan, and Xiangziqiao. In addition, there are 57 memorial archways in towns and villages, so people call it "Meifang City"; and the memorial archways concentrated on Taiping Road (Main Street) are mostly four-pillar and three-door archways that span the road surface. They are large in scale, lined up one after another, have unique styles, and are extraordinary in momentum, so they are known as "Meifang Street".

Taiping Road and Dongmen Street are the sections with the most ancient memorial archways in Chaozhou. According to historical records, there are 39 stone memorial archways from the Ming and Qing dynasties on Taiping Road, of which 34 were built in the Ming Dynasty and 5 were built in the Qing Dynasty. The earliest one was built in the 12th year of the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty (1517) and was the "Zhu Shi" archway built for the censor Xu Hongyou. The latest one was built in the 50th year of the Qianlong reign of the Ming Dynasty (1785) and was the "Shengchao Shixiang" archway built for the Governor-General of Zhili, Zheng Dajin.

The archways in Chaozhou are all made of stone, except for the "Gongbao Shangshu Archway" and "Liuxian Archway" which are wooden structures, and the "Shijing Jiexiao Archway" and the "Qiutai Archway" which was rebuilt after it collapsed and are made of bricks. These archways have "two pillars and one door or four pillars and three doors, with stone carved hip roofs, pillars, beams and other small parts, and three-layered archways. On both sides of the plaque, some are decorated with stone carvings such as "double dragons playing with pearls" or "dragons and phoenixes curling grass", and stone lions or stone drums are added to the pillars. Chaozhou people call them pavilions."

Due to natural and man-made factors in history, there were 39 archways in total when Chaozhou was liberated in October 1949, including 19 on Taiping Road, 3 on Yian Road, 13 on other streets and lanes, and 4 on Jinshan and Hanshan (quoted from the archived "Record of Ancient Archways in Chaozhou in 1950", among the archway photos preserved in the museum, there are 17 on Taiping Road, the "Liangzhe Duyun Archway" which lacks the "Touting" and the collapsed "Baisui Xiangbin Archway"; 2 on Yian Road, the "Enshen Yuehai Archway" is missing, proving that the above figures are accurate).

In 1951, the 19 stone archways that still existed at that time were all demolished because they obstructed traffic and caused injuries due to falling. Fortunately, photos were taken before the demolition and the inscriptions on the archways were recorded. After the demolition, some components were collected by relevant units, while the rest were scattered everywhere. Later, some components were recovered.



For more details, please refer to China-TravelNote Travel Notes: http://www.mafengwo.cn/i/9268721.html

By Elf Potato Deer |

The sun has begun to set slowly. Perhaps it is a weekday, there are no bustling pedestrians on the street. The whole street seems very quiet in the afterglow of the sunset, and my restless heart also calms down. It feels like the pace of life has slowed down all of a sudden. The shop owners on the roadside are drinking tea and chatting at the door. They are not in a hurry to greet passers-by. If you walk up to them, they will greet you with a smile. If you just look at them and leave, they will not care. We also slowed down unconsciously, for fear that our impatience will destroy the whole tranquility.

By Single port |

Fortunately, we drove through at 11:30 pm, otherwise we would not have reached the end even if we walked for an hour.

By Dust particles are light |

There are so many things to eat on this street... I can't count them all. I suggest you just go there and eat while walking... And this street is very long... There are so many memorial archways... You can walk around for a long time... For snacks, we only had five-grain cha cha and salty rice cake, and they tasted very good...

By You |

I found a Haishihua restaurant on the side of Paifang Street. It has sweet quail eggs in it. It's very special.

There are many self-service claw machines on Paifang Street. You need to bring your own change to play the claw machines! I bought a sugar scallion pancake on Paifang Street. This pancake is a pancake skin in the Minnan region, wrapped with maltose, peanuts and coriander! The key is coriander!! Since I can't eat coriander, I didn't add it, so the whole pancake felt sweet and greasy. In the end, I didn't finish half of it... This should be a paradise for coriander lovers

A temple is located in the middle of Paifang Street. The temple is very popular and there are many people coming and going. The temple is very large and there is a long corridor for people to rest. The corridor is engraved with the names of people who donated money to repair the temple. The first one on the list is Mr. Li Ka-shing's family. The scenery in the temple is very good. Remember to take a good look around.

By leaf |

It has local characteristics and is not very commercialized yet. There are many snacks to eat. It is suitable for foodies to play. Recommended snacks - Phoenix fried tofu

By Chishi Mashed Potatoes |

Archways are actually not uncommon, and there are many in the ancient city areas of Quanzhou and Zhangzhou, but those that stretch for an entire city block like the one in Chaozhou are still quite spectacular.

By Junnan |

The whole street and shops are of antique style, and the shop signs are also very historical. Walking on the Archway Street is like traveling back to ancient times. The main street is very long, and there are many alleys, so there are few tourists. Each shop has its own characteristics, and the most common ones are the three treasures of Chaozhou. Special snacks, wood carvings, Chaozhou embroidery, etc., handicraft shops are also very distinctive. When passing by Archway Street at night, I saw an artist telling Chaozhou stories, which is similar to contemporary storytelling. It is also an integral part of Chaozhou culture. Although I don’t understand it, it’s nice to feel the atmosphere.

By A Diao |

Like many famous commercial streets in China, the shops here also sell specialties.

But these stores still maintain their simplicity and intimacy.

Tourists are just passing by in a hurry, but shop owners are at ease in these shops.

To them, the shop is also their home.

When waiting for customers, the shop is just like my own living room, watching TV and drinking tea.

If there are customers, they will put down their bowls and chopsticks and come forward to ask for prices.