Numerous ancient alleys built in the late Qing Dynasty scatter around the Grand Wharf and Sanbao Sandai areas in old Yiyang. Winding and secluded, the alleys feature blue brick walls and arched decorations overhead, with flagstone paving on the ground. These narrow crisscrossing lanes are lined with well-preserved old residences built on stone foundations and blue bricks. Exquisite brick carvings and plaster ornaments adorn the lintels; patterns of grass dragons decorate the gables, while traditional ink paintings embellish the beams.

As silent witnesses of history, the alleys record the vicissitudes of Yiyang. Even today, the remaining lanes still reveal the city’s profound cultural heritage. Now covered with weeds and mottled moss on grey brick walls, they have lost the hustle and bustle of old days yet gained a solemn sense of history.