Shedian Town

Shedian Town, located in central China芒鈧劉s Henan Province, is famous for its commercial culture that dates back hundreds of years.

The township was built during the reign of Emperor Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Commerce and trade flourished here during the reign of emperors Qianlong and Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). At the time, the downtown area covered 1.95 square kilometers, and the suburbs occupied more than five square kilometers of space. Population then was about 130,000.

Over the course of almost 300 years from the time it was established, Shedian developed into a major trading center, boasting some 72 commercial streets and more than 1,000 shops. Merchants from 16 provinces did a thriving business here and set up their respective chambers of commerce or 芒鈧揳ssembly halls.芒鈧?/P>

The Shanxi and Shaanxi Assembly Hall is the oldest, biggest and best-preserved of the 80 that still remain around the country. It stands as a testament to Shedian as the birthplace of modern Chinese commercial culture.

As the main center for the china trade during the Qing Dynasty, Shedian specialized in products made at six artisan schools and five famous kilns. Remnants of its past glory days have been well-preserved.

Shedian芒鈧劉s other claim to fame is the nine-gated rampart that fortifies the township, an honor shared in China only by the Forbidden City in the capital, Beijing.

This is why Shedian is a renowned 芒鈧揊amous Historic Cultural Town芒鈧?and home to the biggest collection of Qing Dynasty architectural landmarks in central China.