Guangren Road Pedestrian Street [Photo/Yantai Travel Network]

Guangren Road was built in 1851 during the reign of Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It antedated Yantai Port by 10 years.

The opening of Yantai Port first brought prosperity to the road, which became a gathering place for merchants from all over the world. The road now preserves a complex of ancient buildings with foreign styles.

The former schools, companies, shops and associations on the road have played an important role in Yantai's history. Mingsheng Lamp Co provided the first lamp service for the city. Yangzheng Elementary School was the first private elementary school after the old-style education system was abolished in the late Qing Dynasty. The library of the Young Men's Christian Association was the first public library in the city.

The road has been a bustling area since it was constructed. During the development of the pedestrian street, old buildings on the roadsides were transformed into shops and restaurants. Since 2009, a string of businesses have settled on the street. The Polaris Horologe Culture Museum was built on the old site of Mingsheng Lamp Co, exhibiting various watches and clocks.

Now the old building of a former Fujian chamber of commerce still stands on the corner of the road, with the weather-beaten walls showing its long history. There are also many bronze statues telling local history, such as a proud businessman followed by his energetic porter, a veteran traditional Chinese medicine doctor with spectacles and an antiques collector showing off his collections.

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