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Tunxi, a city steep in history, is a great bonus destination for tourists visiting Huangshan. It is the major gateway to Huangshan. You could stay in Tunxi and get to Huangshan Scenic Area in about an hour. Tunxi has budget accommodations, restaurants and something interesting to offer.
Deep and narrow, Tunxi Ancient Street were originally built in the Song dynasty. The street is paved with maroon flagstones with a total length of about 1,200 meters. The buildings here are in typical Hui-style. Most of them are only three stories high, stone-based and brick-laid, decorated with gray tiles, exquisite wood carvings, white walls, and horse-head double eaves on the roofs.
Tunxi Ancient Street is lined up with antique shops, medicine shops, steelyard stores, teahouses, restaurants and galleries. Many of these shops carry more than a hundred years of history. Nearly all the shops here sell traditional Chinese painting stationeries, where you can find the "Four Treasures of the Study". The shops, workshops and residences have continued to maintain the characteristics and operational layout of ancient stores such as "shop in the front and workshop or house in the back". These stores also continue to use the same methods of production, display and operation as they did in ancient times. Here, you can appreciate traditional Chinese curios and handicrafts, such as brush calligraphy, ink painting and woodcarving. Surround by many beautiful and elegant arts, the Tunxi Ancient Street is like a simple and unadorned gallery. It is a paradise for tourists to buy souvenirs rich in Chinese culture with comparatively lower price and is a must-see before or after hiking to HuangShan.
Features of Tunxi Ancient Street
Tunxi Ancient Street is paved with maroon flagstones with a total length of 1,273 meters (about 1,392 yards), of which 895meters (about 979 yards) is the pedestrian commercial street. Shops standing on both sides are generally of two or three floors, which feature the local Anhui style of stone base, brick construction and tile roof. The layout of these buildings commonly takes on the appearance of shops in front while houses and workshops are to the rear. Once a professor from America was amazed by it and he said he had found an Oriental Ancient Rome. Nowadays it is also used as a natural studio for films and TV series.
There are two well-known museums in the street. One is the Tunxi Museum with a display of furniture from the Ming and Qing dynasties on the first floor and an exhibition of calligraphy, paintings and china upstairs. The other is Wancuilou, a four-storey structure which is the first private museum of ancient architectural style. Famous ink stones and the four treasures of study, writing brushes, ink sticks, ink slabs and paper are displayed or for sale on the first floor. Here you can find the biggest inkstone weighing more than 12,500 kilograms (about 27,558 pounds). Cultural relics and other artworks collected by the owner of the museum are exhibited on the second floor.
Along the street there are many shops that have existed for over one hundred years. Curios and knick-knacks including inkstones, brushes, local teas, and Mao badges can also be found. It is a paradise for tourists to buy souvenirs rich in Chinese culture with comparatively lower prices and is a must-see when you are traveling in Huangshan City.
Tunxi Ancient Street Reviews
"A Step Back in Time": Tunxi Ancient Shopping Street-a well preserved cobblestoned street, steeped in history and showing the architectural styles of the Ming & Qing Dynasties (1368-1912). The streets are lined with tea houses, traditional medicine and herb stores, clothing, food, antiques and many unique stores. Many of these stores have been in existence for over 100 years. Recommend an evening walk as it's beautiful at night when the red lanterns are lit. Worth a visit if you are going to the Yellow Mountains.
"Will make your eyes pop!": Great street! Spent hours mooching and photographing in this street. We also had dinner twice although not at the restaurant with the guinea pigs and bunnies in cages out the front :( Photographers paradise. Definitely worth a visit.
"Authentic old China":This street has an unbroken line of old buildings with traditional shops at street level. Many places to buy some souvenirs, prices ok. A couple of restaurants too. Worth 1-2 hours at most, especially good for taking classic photos of the China that was.
How to get Tunxi Ancient Street
Located in the center of the old city district, it can be reached by Bus 6 and 12.