Built during the rules of the Qin (221-207 BC) and the Han Dynasties (206 BC-220 AD), the ancient city of Taierzhuang is a World Cultural Heritage site at the center of the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal. Due to its social and economic status, Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) declared the site “the First Town on the Earth.” The interaction between South and North Chinese culture formed the town’s architectural style. Unfortunately, the Battle of Taierzhuang in 1938 entirely ruined the ancient city. In 2008, the town was rebuilt while also preserving the relics of the Second World War. The current architectural style of the town mostly reflects the periods of the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
The Battle of Taierzhuang was the first major victory of the Chinese over Japan since the beginning of the Second World War.
While rebuilding the town, the urban planners went through 30 local chronicles, 130 history books, 380 old pictures, and 1,279 novels from the Ming and Qing dynasties. They also talked to every resident of the town over the age of 80. Thus, they spent three years to come up with a plan for the reconstruction. Today, Taierzhuang is a great tourist attraction site with ancient city walls, bluestone streets, long alleys, towers, and beautiful stone bridges.
