Linqing House in the novel "On Idleness" in the Ming Dynasty, "Linqing House, although a state government, is the thoroughfare of thirteen provinces, and is called" Big Horse Head ". Merchants gather and goods are filled in parallel. He is also a 36-line agent with deep pockets, competing to play social fire and pretend stories. What's more, all kinds of businesses are pouring in. It' s really a sea of people, and it' s hard to squeeze in. "
Li Dongyang, a scholar at Wenyuanting University in the Ming Dynasty, wrote "Crossing the Site of Ao Tou Ji Ruins", saying, "There are ten miles of people on both sides of the strait, high-rise buildings enter Qingyun, official ships pass by, and gongs and drums are loud. Shockingly, the sound of the waves rang with spring thunder day and night. There are thousands of fireworks in the city and Qian Fan sails on the river. "
In the twentieth year of Jiajing, a new town was built in Linqing Prefecture. The poet Huangfukui wrote: "A trip to Linqing New Town": "If you don't see it, Qingyuan has no place in the world. Yesterday, you came to build a city to prepare for the westward journey, but you knew that protection was a good policy. The boat passed by the river, and the steaming clouds shone on the building. Huajing Zhi Ding strives for hegemony, and the air pressure is Zhongzhou 120%. I am wandering in the Qipo River, and I am enjoying the sails on the left and right. The first party entered the clouds one after another, red waves and green trees sang, and bells rang. My emperor hung clothes for 20 years, and the jade and silk group cooperated with the ceremony. The head was slightly unprepared, and there were many barriers between the Jin Dynasty. The Jintang Committee lost its long-term care and the city prospered. I even heard that Anshi went down to Dongshan and there were horses drinking in the river. "
During the Chongzhen period, the book "Eunuchs from all walks of life hold high and ask questions" said: "The total area of the city is more than 30 miles, and there are nearly one million people in one city, regardless of the goods of the north and the south, that is, gentlemen and businessmen."
Linqing's position in people's minds at that time can only be described by Shanghai today. There is a poem to prove it. In the late Ming Dynasty, when Zhao Shenwei described Zhujing Town in Songjiang Prefecture (now Shanghai), he described Zhujing Town like this: "Thousands of fireworks are like the capital, and Yuanshi was once Italy. It is estimated that passengers are fully loaded, and there are not many people so far. "
In the Qing Dynasty, Linqing City did not expand because of years of war. After three dynasties, Kang Yong was promoted to Zhili Prefecture in 41 years after Qianlong, leading Xiajin, Wucheng and Qiuxian, reaching its peak. Emperor Qianlong praised Linqing as a "canal rich county".