Tunxi Old Street

Tunxi Old Street is the historic heart of Huangshan City and the most convenient slice of Huizhou heritage for travellers, sitting minutes from the railway station, bus station and airport. This pedestrian street, about 1.5 km long, grew up in the Song dynasty as a riverside trading quarter and still keeps its Ming–Qing shopfronts: wooden two-storey stores with carved eaves, hanging signboards and red lanterns. For most visitors it is the gateway to the Yellow Mountains and the perfect place to spend a first or last evening.

What to see and do

The street is a working bazaar of more than 200 shops. Browse for Huizhou specialities — She inkstones (She yan), Hui ink, bamboo carvings, tea, and antiques along Old Street No. 1. Landmark buildings include the grand Wancuilou, a museum-mansion of carved wood, and the stone memorial archway at the entrance. In the evening the lanterns light up and the side alleys (such as Lidong Lane) fill with snack stalls.

Opening hours & tickets

The street itself is free and open all day; most shops trade from about 8:30am to 10:00pm. There is no entrance gate — simply walk in. Individual museums or teahouses inside may charge small fees.

What to eat

Tunxi is the best place to try Huizhou cuisine. Look for stinky mandarin fish (chou guiyu, far tastier than it sounds), Huangshan shaobing sesame pastries, Maofeng green tea, bamboo-shoot dishes and Grandma's tofu. Many sit-down restaurants line the riverfront just behind the street.

Getting there

Tunxi Old Street is in the centre of Huangshan City (Tunxi District), about 10–15 minutes by taxi from Huangshan North high-speed railway station and Tunxi airport. It is the natural base for trips to the Yellow Mountains and the ancient villages.

Practical tips

Come in the evening for the best atmosphere, when the lanterns glow and the crowds thin into the side lanes. Bargain politely in the souvenir shops, and check that "antiques" and inkstones are genuine before paying. It is an ideal stroll on arrival night before an early start up Huangshan.

A little history

Tunxi grew up where the Heng and Lü rivers meet the Xin'an, the historic water highway that carried Huizhou merchants and their tea, timber and ink down to Hangzhou and the wider world. The street took its present shape in the Song dynasty and flourished through the Ming and Qing as a wholesale and retail hub; the older buildings nearest the river preserve that "front shop, rear workshop, riverside warehouse" layout. Restored rather than rebuilt, it is often called "a living Song-dynasty painting" for the way its tiled roofs step down toward the water.

Combine your visit

For most travellers Tunxi is base camp: it is the transport hub for the whole region, with the high-speed railway, airport and long-distance buses all close by, and a wide choice of hotels and hostels. Use it as your launch point for the Yellow Mountains, the ancient villages of Yi County, Qiyun Mountain and the Xin'an River. Spend your first evening browsing the street and tasting Huizhou snacks, and save heavier souvenir shopping — inkstones, tea, brushes — for your last day so you are not carrying them up the mountain. The riverside Lidong (Li-yang) quarter just across the bridge adds more dining and a quieter night-time stroll.

Good to know

Because the street is free and open day and night, it is an easy place to fill a spare hour or a rainy afternoon. Mobile payment is universal, but a few stalls still take cash; ATMs and convenience stores sit on the surrounding roads. Watch your step on the worn flagstones after rain, and expect the biggest crowds on weekend and holiday evenings.