The poetic charm and the long cultural lineage: Qingzhou Travelogue (Part Three) - A Night Stroll in the Ancient City (Middle)

Qingzhou has a history of over two thousand years of city building. It has been the site of national capitals, provincial capitals, and state administrations, where many eminent figures once stood tall and issued orders. The fortresses built could not withstand the test of time and were mostly destroyed in wars. Today, only a few ancient relics remain. Speaking of ancient streets, the relatively well-preserved ones include Zhaode Street, Dongguan Street, Wei Street, Ouyuan Street, North Gate Street, and North Guan Street, etc. These streets are connected end to end, spanning a total length of 5 kilometers, known as the 'Ten Li Ancient Street'. It is impossible to visit this large area of ancient streets in less than half a day, so I chose the Dongguan Zhaode district, which still retains the best of the ancient charm to this day. The Zhaode district starts from North Guan in the north to Ouyuan Street, Wei Street, and Dongguan Zhenjiao Temple in the south. It mainly includes North Guan Street, North Gate Street, Ouyuan Street, East Gate Street, Dongguan Street, Grain Street, North Ge Street, Zhaode Street, and the alleys on both sides. They are interconnected from north to south and east to west, forming a group of Ming and Qing ancient buildings that are 'linked together', with green bricks and grey tiles, red railings and white walls, and bluestone pavements, exuding a strong sense of ancient elegance. The deep and ancient alleys, a path polished bright by the years, leads us to the continuation of history in the ancient city of Qingzhou... Walking south from the north of the city, it only takes a moment to reach the Ten Li Ancient Street. The Ten Li Ancient Street starts from North Guan Street in the north to Ouyuan Street in the south, stretching for 5 kilometers. Chessboard Street, Wei Street, and Zhaode Street on the left and right are interconnected, forming the most representative group of ancient Ming and Qing residential buildings in Qingzhou. Although the journey through the ancient streets is not short, one must walk along the way, because only when your footsteps firmly tread on the bluestone slabs in the middle of the ancient street, can you feel the pulse of history. Admiring the ancient Ming and Qing buildings on both sides of the ancient street to the rhythm of history's pulse, a profound sense of history will naturally emerge. It's as if you're not walking on stone slabs that have been polished bright through a thousand years of wear, but through vivid and lively historical scenes. The alleys extend continuously, and the scroll of history unfolds endlessly...