Yudong was called as Yuqing in ancient times. It is also known as the “Phoenix City” because of its terrain resembling a phoenix about to fly. Yudong flourished in the Northern Song Dynasty and thrived in the Ming and Qing Dynasties from a tiny coastal village. With its unique sea salt boiling business, it has become a renowned ancient village with over 1,300 years of written history, which was rated as the Famous Historical and Cultural Village of China in 2008.
The village integrates unique salt merchant culture, folk culture, religion, opera, and architecture, exuding the mellow charm of history and humanity. Celebrities from all dynasties, including Luo Binwang, Cui Tong, Jiang Cun, and Li Huiliang, have expressed their hearts about this village in exquisite verses and writings, leaving boundless anecdotes to be told. The quaint and unique facade of the original town is still preserved. Admittedly, many buildings can date back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, such as the Guo Limao Bank, the Zhenfengheng Cloth Shop, The Warrior’s Residence, and the Faguang Temple.
Yudong’s Peking Opera Fandom Association has flourished for over 20 years with its prosperous and splendid cultural heritage. Meanwhile, its Daiqingshan village and Phoenix Bridge are listed in the first batch of the Protected Names of Historic Places in the Haimen District.
