On the Paifang Street,

there are 22 grand stone arches

with exquisite carvings and paintings.

They display the long-standing culture of the community.

Chaozhou embroidery, stitch by stitch,

captures the love for life of the local people.

You will see the running Han River and a long bridge lying over it.

The hustle and bustle of city life

unfolds before your eyes.

Chaozhou is more than this!

You need to come and discover yourself.

Here, time slows down and worries go away.

You can expect nothing but joy in Chaozhou.

Must-see sights

No. 1: Paifang Street

The Paifang Street is at the center of Chaozhou Old Town. There are ancient arcade buildings on both sides. The 22 stone arches along the Street are a permanent memorial to the 22 remarkable Chaozhou heroes. Their intriguing stories are depicted vividly on the arches. What you shouldn’t miss is the local specialties here, such as glutinous rice dumplings, sweet spring onion pancakes, fermented bean curd cakes and steamed rice cakes. 

No. 2: Beef Balls of Chaoshan Restaurant 

Chaoshan Restaurant is on the Dongmen Street. Chaozhou meals and snacks are available here. Try some of the local delicacies while watching the cooks pound the beef. Tender, juicy and bouncy beef balls is a must-have in Chaozhou.

No. 3: Chaoxiu Family on the Dongmen Street

Chaoxiu Family is located on the Dongmen Street. Like a museum, it displays a variety of beautiful Chaozhou embroidered artworks. It is worth mentioning that in addition to watching skilled artisans create fancy needlework, you can also try sewing yourself!

No. 4: Guangji Tower/Dongmen Tower

The Guangji Gate Tower is also known as the Guangji Tower or the Han River Tower. Local residents usually call it the Dongmen Tower. It is the most well-known of Chaozhou’s seven gate towers. The historical relic, formerly served as a city defense, stands next to the Han River and the Guangji Bridge.

During the evenings, the illuminated Tower draws many. Whether up close on the city wall or far away in front of the city gate, the Tower is a sight to behold. It’s a fantastic location for pictures.

No. 5: Guangji Bridge

The Guangji Bridge, commonly known as the Xiangzi Bridge, was built in the seventh year of the Qiandao period in the Song Dynasty (1171 AD). It is renowned as one of China’s four famous ancient bridges, with the other three being the Zhaozhou Bridge, the Luoyang Bridge and the Lugou Bridge. Crossing the Han River, the Guangji Bridge is a prime example of traditional Chinese bridge design. It’s the only one of its kind in the country, combining elements of a beam bridge, arch bridge and pontoon bridge. As night falls, the old bridge glows with modern radiance in the light and music show.