The Sijie historical and cultural block. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

The ancient Sijie and Xinanying historical and cultural blocks in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, are home to 18 historical buildings.

The Sijie block consists of one main street spanning 600 meters and several alleys with charming old residential buildings, including some built in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911).

The Guangxiao Tower, the oldest tower in Nantong. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

In Chinese, "sijie" indicates that there is a temple in the block. This temple is Tianning Temple, which was built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and houses Guangxiao Tower, the oldest tower in Nantong.

The name "Xinanying" can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty, when the then Tongzhou city set up 10 independent battalions, including the Xinan Battalion, or Xinanying, but only Xinanying has survived to modern times.

The Xinanying historical and cultural block located next to the Sijie block. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

The two blocks are home to many of Nantong's oldest schools, including the first women's normal school, first primary school, and first middle school.

Many notable people from Nantong, including one "zhuangyuan", a title given to people who excelled in official recruitment exams, and 24 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, were also born in the blocks.

Sijie and Xinanying boast a rich culture and long history, and many people still live in the ancient blocks. To improve their living conditions, renovations commenced in May last year.