In the heart of Zhenjiang is an atmospheric warren of ancient streets, whose old buildings
range in age from turn of the century to over 700 years old. The oldest structures are at
the crest of a hill, and date from the Yuan Dynasty,around 1200 AD. A small pagoda is
built over the narrow alleyway, so that passersby actually walk beneath it. Around the
corner is the former British Consulate, whose beautiful 19th century architecture has
been preserved as Zhenjiang’s city museum,. The tree shaded streets around this area
are lined with a fascinating melange of neo-European and traditional Chinese buildings.
Unlike some historic districts, Zhenjiang’s old street is still alive with the rhythms of its
citizen’s daily lives - crates of beer nestle between the crumbling pillars of an old trading
firm, while laundry women duck into narrow gate of a centuries old clan hall.
The neighborhood also has some interesting shops, especially around the former British
Consulate. The consulate is a group of buildings on the side of a low hill – their gray
stone walls and highlighted with red brick doorways and window frames a reminder
of the days Western style architecture was new in China, brought in on the heels of
gunboats and merchants. Around the consulate many small stores and street side
vendors sell odd collections of curios. Some are genuinely old, some are more or less
convincing fakes, but poking around you’re sure to come across some interesting and
memorable things.
