"I didn't expect to find so many interesting trendy shops on this old street. It's actually pretty cool," said Song Xingmo, a 12-year-old overseas Chinese teenager from the UK, when talking about his first impression of the Chaozong Street Historical and Cultural Block in Changsha on August 5.

The "Mom's Hometown" Overseas Chinese Youth Summer Camp is currently being held in Changsha. On that day, overseas Chinese youth from eight countries, including Germany, the Republic of Korea, Canada, and Japan, visited Chaozong Street to observe China's urban transformation in this "living block."

On August 5, campers attending the "Mom's Hometown" Overseas Chinese Youth Summer Camp visit Chaozong Street. (Photo/Yang Huafeng)

Chaozong Street is named after the nearby Chaozong Gate, a former city gate. Upon stepping into the ancient street, the overseas Chinese teenagers saw ancient eaves with gray bricks and dark tiles overhead, and trendy stores like cafes and cultural bookstores beside them. Paved with 6,500 granite blocks, the old street told them about the "past" and "present" of their mom's hometown in a unique way.

Wang Shuya, a 13-year-old camper from Germany, took photos in front of a stone wall inscribed with Chinese characters "Chaozong Street." "Germany has many well-preserved historical and cultural streets that are like quiet museums; but Changsha's ancient streets are different, with old houses housing new shops, people cooking in the alleys, and children running and playing—the vibrant buzz of daily life is very touching," she said. She added that in Changsha, she felt like she was part of the street scene herself.

This "difference" is a true portrayal of Chaozong Street in recent years. This old street, once included in a "demolition and reconstruction" blueprint, has preserved the historical appearance of its old lanes and alleys through organic regeneration. Within the block, there is the former site of the Shiwu School where Cai E and Yang Changji once studied, as well as a modern bookstore converted from a 70-year-old historical building. Passersby, historical buildings, and trendy businesses coexist harmoniously on the same street, complementing each other.

Chaozong Street is ablaze with lights at dusk. (Photo provided by the Organizing Committee of the Second Changsha Tourism Development Conference)

Chaozong Street has witnessed the struggles and aspirations of generations of youth. As Changsha strives to build a "youth-friendly hub," this ancient street has once again become bustling, attracting an average of 20,000 young people daily. And over 400 young entrepreneurs have taken root here.

Zhou Ruicen from Senegal said her mother is from Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, and has been living abroad for many years. She always says China has changed a lot, and it wasn't until  Zhou Ruicen came to see it for herself today that she understood what her mother meant by "change." The street is still the same street, but the street scene along it is vastly different.

Hosted by the Hunan Overseas Friendship Association, the "Mom's Hometown" Creative Works Competition was launched in June 2025 and received thousands of creative entries from over 20 countries worldwide. Some of the award winners were invited to Hunan to participate in this summer camp. Next, the campers will visit places like the Hunan Museum and the Changsha Aviation Technology Experience Center, continuing to experience the cultural depth and emotional warmth of their mom's hometown as they travel.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Chinanews