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. Don't miss visiting the restored part of the old town near the river (Tunxi Ancient Street), especially in the evening when the red lanterns light up and make for a festive atmosphere. Tunxi Ancient Street is one of China's best antique markets. Don't miss this opportunity or you will regret when you don't see it elsewhere in China.
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.
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Culture 
Tunxi Ancient Street
