Encircled by the Zhong Canal on the west and the Luoma Lake on the east, the Yaowan Ancient Town in Xinyi, Xuzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, used to be a bustling wharf for centuries since the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The Zhong Canal (literally the Middle Canal), part of the Grand Canal, stretches 186 kilometers, connecting Taier'zhuang in Shandong province and Huai'an in Jiangsu province. Excavated during the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it was for replacing a channel filled up with silt of the Yellow River to expedite north-south water transport of tribute grain.

"Yaowan lies on the midpoint of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and it's a convenient spot for ships and boats to pull in to shore for trading or obtaining supply," Zhang Haolin, deputy general manager of Xinyi Luoma Lake Tourism Development Co., Ltd., a state-owned company in charge of developing the ancient town's tourism, told a media tour group on June 25.

"Hence Yaowan gradually became an important wharf on the canal, where grain, salt, silk, porcelain, and other commodities from around the country were distributed, making it flourish into a trade hub."

At its zenith, Yaowan boasted guildhalls of eight provinces; Jiangxi, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Anhui, Fujian, and Jiangsu. There were more than 360 post offices, money houses, stores, pawnshops, factories and workshops.

Because of its vibrant economy, Yaowan also became a melting pot of diverse cultures, embodied by its architecture and cuisine, which feature both local flavors and extensive influences.

Recent years have seen local government ramp up investment in restoring and protecting the ancient town and transforming it into a hot tourist destination.