Jinbaoli Old Street Introduction
Jinbaoli Old Street, commonly known as Jinshan Old Street, is always bustling with people on weekends, attracting a large number of tourists and thriving local businesses. The street is famous for various local delicacies, such as braised pork and oyster cakes, as well as specialties from Jinshan, like taro cakes and roasted red sweet potatoes. One of the highlights is the popular duck meat stall located at the entrance of the Guanyin Temple in the center of the old street, where a self-service style of dish selection has created a unique local culture. "Jinshan Old Street" is the only commercial old street from the Qing Dynasty on the North Coast. During the Qing Dynasty, the old street was as bustling as modern commercial cities, serving as a vibrant area for trade and commerce. A visit here will reveal many traces of its prosperous past. Nearby, a few remaining old houses next to Cihu Temple are the old "street houses," characterized by traditional long, row-type shop residences with Min-style architecture and Western-style facades, as well as narrow, deep structures known as pavilion-style buildings. The only old rice shop on the street features a century-old wooden facade, a large square wooden tub displaying rice at different prices, and an old-fashioned scale. From the open doorway, one can see several elderly individuals seated and chatting peacefully. Next door is a traditional Chinese medicine shop, where the furniture and displayed medicine jars show signs of a bygone era from the Qing Dynasty. Although the thriving scene of the past is now a memory, thanks to well-planned preservation efforts, the pedestrian area of the old street is equipped with drain covers engraved with the unique characteristics of Jinbaoli Old Street. These creative details are meant to surprise visitors while allowing them to reminisce about the past glory and savor the rich historical ambiance of this nostalgic old street.
