Shantang Street

Construction of the Shantang Canal () started in 825 AD, during the Tang Dynasty by Bai Juyi, a poet and the Cishi (modern-day equivalent of the prefectural governor) of Suzhou, to provide a link between Huqiu and the city. The sludge that was dug out from the construction formed a dam along the north bank of the canal known as Baigong Dam () in honor of Bai Juyi. A street was then built on the dam, which later became the modern-day Shantang Street. Along with Pingjiang Road, the street was declared a Historical and cultural block of China () in 2015. Today, it is a popular tourist destination with visitors being attracted by the heritage nature of the buildings and the various old stone bridges. ==References==