Xiaohe Straight Street History Protect Block

The Xiaohe Straight Street block sits exactly where the Grand Canal meets the Xiaohe River. Its rows of two-story wooden houses feature black tiled roofs and white walls, typical of traditional Jiangnan architecture. Centuries ago, this intersection functioned as a vital hub for cargo boats transporting grain and silk into Hangzhou. Boatmen gathered here to trade, drink, and rest. Today, the narrow alleys retain those original wooden shopfronts, keeping the atmosphere of a busy nineteenth century inland port alive among the modern city.