Lánkǒu

Lankou takes its name from the mouth of the Lan stream, where it joins the Dong River in northeastern Guangdong. A water station was established here in 1369, followed by a patrol office in 1373, guarding a route between Heyuan and Longchuan. In 1743 the patrol officer Meng Xiongfei built rooms and shops near his office, using his own pay and contributions from merchants. The shops were rented to local residents, and traders gathered outside to sell pottery, chestnuts, tea and other goods. The office thus stood amid a growing market by the river.