In 1853, ten surname groups — Mei (梅), Li (黎), Wu (吴), Guan (关), Ruan (阮), Huang (黄), Jiang (江), Chen (陈), and He (何) — gathered at the confluence of two rivers in what is now Taishan's Duanfen Township (端芬镇, Duānfēn Zhèn) and built a market. They called it the Ten-Household Market (十户墟, Shíhù…