The most ancient road of Kunming should be the current Tuo Dong Road. Once students who are studying abroad in China looked up the history of this road, they found that this road has been built thousands years ago. In the first year of Yongtai of Tang Dynasty (765 A.D), King of Nan Zhao named Feng Jiayi established a city on the left bank of Dianchi Lake and located between the current Panlong River and Jinzhi River. The city was named Tuo Dong City, which was the origin of Kunming City. Tuo Dong road was named after Tuo Dong City.
Some students who are studying in China and interested in Chinese culture, they may find that Nan Zhao Kingdom was affected by the culture of central China. They extremely worshiped the Chinese national totem “dragon”. In the early Ming Dynasty, Wang Kun mentioned in a book about South Yunnan that: Tuo Dong City is built in the shape of dragon in order to conquer the evil dragon in Panlong River; meanwhile, there is Changchong (means snake in English) Mountain on the north of the river, the city is built in the shape of dragon, for they think that dragon can beat snake and the city can be expanded from northwest in the future development. If you study abroad in China and research the Chinese architecture, you will find that most of buildings in China follow the principle of Fengshui.
Therefore, the long Tuo Dong Road was the body of dragon and De Sheng Bridge beside Panlong River in west was the head; Shang Yi Street in north and Tang Zi Alley in south were the two fore claws; Yu Chuan Alley and Bai Ta Alley were the two hind claws; the tail stretched to the current Wu Li Duo Street. studying abroad in China, you can experience the “dragon-shaped city” in person.
Tuo Dong Road is in the east of Kunming City, west to De Sheng Bridge, east to East Station and 1750 m in total; its width varies from 12 m to 40 m. The roadway of Tuo Dong Road is 7.5 m to 28 m, which is asphalt road and was generally called “Xian Qian Pu” before Ming Dynasty. This road is remained until today. Students who are studying in China should visit this ancient road for it carries the history of Kunming.
In Qing Dynasty, Tuo Dong Road had many names for its different parts: the area in the west of Tuo Dong Road which connects Tuo Dong Road in east and Jin Bi Road in west was called “New Town”; the north part from Beijing Road to Bei Ta Alley was called “Salt Business Street” for lots of salt shops collected there; the middle part from Bei Ta Alley to Jin Zhi River was called “San Yuan Street” for San Yuan Palace located there; the east part from the crossing of Tuo Dong Road and Cha Street to Zhuang Yuan Pavilion was called “Xian Qian Pu”; the south part from Tuo Dong Road to New Peace Village was called “Moat Out of Xiao Nan Men”; the west part was called “Yun Jin Street” for its Yun Jin Night Fair; the part from Jin Zhi River to Cha Street was called “Di Zang Temple”; the part at the crossing of Tuo Dong Road and Jin Zhi River was called “Xiang Gong Dyke” (students who studying abroad in China may have heard about that “Xiang Gong” means husband in ancient China); the Chun Deng Dyke over Jin Zhi River was called “Chun Deng Street”; the part of Tuo Dong Road over Ming Tong River was called “Small Yun Jin Bridge”; the area of west bridge was called “Tai Ping Bridge”; part between Tuo Dong Road and Wu Jing Bridge was called “Tai Yi Bridge”. Ying Leng River was the “city moat” of west Tuo Dong City; the East Gate of Tuo Dong City in the current Cha Street and Ju Hua Village to East Station was called “Chong Guan”(people who have been studying abroad in China for a long period will probably know that “Chong” means “double” in English.).
Even if you are studying abroad in China, you may also feel quite confused about these complicated names in Qing Dynasty. Please don’t worry about this; these parts have been generally called Tuo Dong Road since 1937, although they were once called “Jie Fang Road” in 1968.
After several times of reconstruction, Tuo Dong Road has been the main street of Kunming nowadays.