History, Mushroom Tea, and Mahjong

Some streets tell stories through their buildings. Others tell them through the people who actually live on them. Zhongshan Middle Road in Hangzhou does both — and then throws in a cup of tea you won't soon forget.

I arrived expecting something a bit touristy. What I found was way more genuine.

The street is genuinely beautiful. Old bank buildings with faded facades sit right next to Song Dynasty remnants and Republican-era shop houses. It's the kind of place where you can see history layered right under your feet. This used to be the Southern Song Imperial Street — the emperor's own ceremonial route. Later, it became known as "Hangzhou's Wall Street," full of banks and Western-style buildings that still stand today Western banks are now gone, of course, and nobody is crying after them.  The street  is pedestrian-only, well-preserved, and somehow still feels alive.

But here's the thing: I barely saw any other tourists.

I walked past groups of locals playing mahjong right on the street, their tiles making that familiar clacking sound that seems to follow you everywhere in China. Old men hunched over boards, young women chatting over cups of tea, kids running between tables — everyone seemed to belong here in a way I clearly didn't. And honestly, that was what made it so enjoyable.

Then I wandered into a small tea shop.

Not the usual green tea or oolong place. This shop was selling something called "tree mushroom tea" — made from mushrooms that actually grow on trees. The staff told me they harvest the mushrooms, dry them, and grind them into a powder before brewing. They offered me a complimentary cup, and I have to say: it was earthy, smooth, and completely different from anything I'd tried before. Not quite tea, not quite soup — somewhere in between. Strange, but in a good way.

The locals

I kept walking, past the Drum Tower, past the old mosque, past tiny food stalls selling beef pancakes and lamb shaomai. The street has been around for over a thousand years, but it doesn't feel like a museum. It feels like a neighborhood. Elderly come here to dance under open sky (video).

What struck me most was how local it all felt. Sure, the street has a polished, almost touristy look — restored buildings, nice lighting, clearly some investment behind it — but the people enjoying it were unmistakably Hangzhou locals. They weren't putting on a show. They were just going about their day. Playing cards. Eating noodles. Shopping for everyday things.

Zhongshan Middle Road was renamed in 1946 after Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the man often called the father of modern China. But its history runs much deeper. Underneath the pavement are remnants from the Song Dynasty. Above ground, you'll find a Yuan Dynasty mosque, Qing Dynasty shop houses, and Republican-era banks all mixed together. This street has seen emperors, wars, revolutions, and now — a foreigner sipping mushroom tea while watching mahjong games on a lazy afternoon.

If you're ever in Hangzhou, skip the West Lake crowds for a few hours. Walk this street. Try the weird tea. Watch the locals do their thing.