Languid Waters: The Old Street Stream

Using the Old Street Stream (Laojie River) as its axis, this guide begins with Zhongli's ancient name 'Jianzili' and Qing Dynasty land reclamation, tracing the river's source, basin, and the history of its culverting and subsequent daylighting restoration. The content connects the River Education Center, Xinshi Park, irrigation canals, retention ponds, weirs, Bogong (Earth God) worship, bridges, riverside settlements, and landscape art to show how the water environment shaped Zhongli’s agriculture, lifestyle, faith, and urban memory. This field study material also explains hydraulic and restoration methods such as gravel contact oxidation treatment, compound cross-sections, submerged dams, and ecological ponds, making it an ideal introductory text for local history, river education, and field investigations.