Tunxi Ancient Street

Tunxi, a city steeped in history, is a great bonus destination for tourists visiting Huangshan. It is the major gateway to Huangshan. It is located about an hour away from Huangshan Mountain. Tunxi Ancient Street has budget accommodations, restaurants and many unique things to offer. The restored part of the Tunxi Ancient Street is particularly beautiful at night when the red lanterns lining the river are lit, and create a very festive atmosphere. Tunxi Ancient Street also has one of China's best antique markets.

Originally built during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the deep and narrow Tunxi Ancient Street is paved with maroon flagstones. The buildings are built in the traditional Hui ethnic minority group style. Most of them are only three stories high, with a stone foundation and brick walls. The houses are decorated with gray tiles, exquisite wood carvings, white walls, and horse-head double eaves on the roofs.

Tunxi Ancient Street is lined with antique shops, medicine shops, teahouses, restaurants, and galleries. Many of these shops have been opened for more than a hundred years. Many of the shops carry the "Four Treasures of the Study", which are the paintbrush, ink, inkstone, and paper used by artists to create traditional Chinese paintings. Huangshan is famous throughout China for creating the best hand-made artist supplies. The shops, workshops, and residences here have continued to maintain the characteristics and operational layout of ancient stores. These stores also continue to use the same methods of production, display, and operation as they did in ancient times. Here, you can see traditional Chinese curios and handicrafts, such as brush calligraphy, ink painting, and woodcarving. Surrounded by so many beautiful and elegant works of art, the Tunxi Ancient Street is like a simple and unadorned artist's gallery. It is a paradise for tourists to buy souvenirs like Maofeng tea rich in Chinese culture at comparatively low prices and is a must-see before or after hiking to Huangshan.