Gaoyin Gourmet Street (高银美食街), formerly known as Gaoyin Alley, was once called Roushi Lane during the Southern Song Dynasty, and it was also known as Guanfei Ridge due to its fame for selling glutinous rice-filled pig lungs. In recent years, with the renovation of the backstreets and alleys, Gaoyin Alley was widened and renamed Gaoyin Street. Today, Gaoyin Gourmet Street has become a bustling food street, attracting visitors and tourists from all directions.
As for why Roushi Lane was renamed Gaoyin Alley, there is a legend.
During the Southern Song Dynasty, there lived a young man named Gao in Guanfei Ridge. Both of his parents had passed away, and his family was impoverished. He made a living by selling glutinous rice-filled pig lungs, barely making ends meet. One morning, as he set out to buy glutinous rice, he noticed a bag lying on the ground. Upon opening it, he found it filled with shiny silver coins. He was overjoyed at the sudden fortune but hesitated. He wondered who might have lost this money. If the person couldn’t find it, it might lead to trouble for them, and he couldn’t bear the thought of causing harm to someone else. So, he decided to wait by the bag, hoping the owner would come looking for it.
Meanwhile, the owner of the lost silver coins was a wealthy merchant who traveled overseas. One day, as he rode his horse through Guanfei Ridge, the rope tying the bag of silver coins to his horse came loose, and the bag fell to the ground. Upon reaching home, he realized he had lost the bag and hurried back to retrace his steps. Arriving at Guanfei Ridge, he saw a young man sitting on the ground beside his bag of silver. Immediately dismounting from his horse, he inquired about the young man’s honesty and integrity. Impressed by the young man’s honesty, the merchant offered him a partnership, asking if he would be willing to work for him as an assistant. With uncertain prospects for the future, the young man eagerly agreed.
From then on, the young man followed the merchant in his business ventures. They transported silk and tea from Hangzhou to various places overseas and brought spices and jewelry from overseas to sell in Hangzhou. The young man proved himself to be loyal, diligent, and meticulous with accounts, earning the merchant’s trust and respect. Each time they returned from overseas, the merchant generously rewarded him with a substantial amount of gold and silver. Within less than ten years, the young man, surnamed Gao, became a millionaire. He bought land in his hometown of Guanfei Ridge, built a grand mansion, and opened a jewelry store. With his substantial capital and thriving business, he attracted other jewelers to set up shops in Guanfei Ridge. Gradually, Guanfei Ridge became a bustling marketplace for jewelers, with daily transactions totaling millions of silver coins. The wealthiest jeweler among them was the one surnamed Gao. Over time, people began to refer to Guanfei Ridge as “Gaoyin Alley.”
Location and Transportation
Gaoyin Gourmet Street is located in the historical district of Qinghe Fang, in the Shangcheng District of Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China. To get there, you can choose one of the following ways:
Bus: Take bus 8, 84, 195, or WE1314 and get off at Qinghefang Stop (清河坊站).
Metro: The cloest metro station to Gaoyin Gourmet Street is Wushan Square. After getting out of the station from Exit D, you will be standing at its west end.
