Beiliu Alley in Yangzhou. [Photo provided to China Daily]
The 1,000 meter Beiliu Alley, located east of the small old waterway called Qinhuai Brook, was constructed with a mild incline. Historic stories of the old street tell that the slant of the alley was the back of a dragon, the supernatural being guarding the city. It is said that the residence of the alleyway with a guideboard reading "Long Bei" marks the highest point of Yangzhou's historic area.