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Liulichang, a bustling antique street
During the Qianlong reign (1736-1796), the street was even more
prosperous. There one could find "rooms filed to the roof beams with all kinds
of books," "a street filled with treasures and trinkets," and the "quintessence
of all the markets in the capital concentrated in one street." When Emperor
Qianlong decided to revise the Complete Library of the Four Branches of
Literature, he ordered scholars from the project, and Liulichang became a center
for research in textual criticism.
In 1927, when Hepingmen (Peace) Gate was opened up in the city wall, the
bridge was demolished and Nanxinhua Road was built, dividing Liulichang into
eastern and western sections. The east became known as a center for antiques and
curios, while the west was famous for its books. Shanghai Commercial Press, China Publishing House and Youzheng
Press, which published books of Chinese calligraphy, all established branches here.
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