Tunxi Old Street 屯溪老街

Tunxi Old Street lies in the centre of Tunxi District, Huangshan, on the north bank of the Xin'an River, near the meeting of the Heng and Shuai rivers. It grew from a river wharf and market with Huizhou merchants and became a busy trading street in the Ming and Qing periods. Today it runs more than 1,200 metres, with a core stretch of about 832 metres, arranged in a fish-bone pattern of one main street, three cross streets and eighteen lanes.

The street is described as China's best-preserved ancient commercial street in Southern Song, Ming and Qing styles. More than 300 Huizhou-style buildings from different periods line the route, with white walls, dark tiles, stepped horse-head walls, carved doorways and stone paving. Shops often follow the traditional front-shop, rear-workshop or rear-home pattern, and many are two storeys. Because it still feels like a living market, it has been called a 'moving Qingming Shanghe Tu' and a 'modern Song city.' It is a national key cultural relic protection unit and a China Historical and Cultural Street.

A walk here is as much about daily life and craft as architecture. Old-brand shops sell tea, inksticks, inkstones and local products, while carved details appear throughout. The street also holds many intangible cultural heritage skills and craftspeople, and small museums add context.

Don't miss

• Walk the stone-paved main street and eighteen side lanes
• Look up for horse-head walls, dark tiles and carved eaves
• Browse old-brand shops for tea, inksticks, inkstones and crafts
• Visit Tunxi Museum and Wancui Lou for local history

Visiting tips

Allow three to four hours to walk the main street, its side lanes and small museums. Wear comfortable shoes for the stone paving, and take time in the narrower lanes, where widths vary. The street is central and easy to combine with other Tunxi sights.