Shopping on Jinli Street: Shop till you drop!
Renown for being among the most historical commercial streets in Xi Shu area, Jinli Street is a prominent tourist attraction in Chengdu. During the period of Sanguo, the street was highly popular throughout the nation for baldachin which is an ornate, red cloth. During the Shu Kingdom the street was a bustling shopping hub. In 2004, the street was opened to the public after being put through restorations, with the intention of reclaiming its former glory. Also referred to as ‘First Street of the Shu Kingdom’, the street attracts visitors from all across the country and beyond who come to purchase unique items, taste local snacks, admire the traditional-style buildings and simply to relax.
The buildings on either side of the street including stores and tea houses have been designed in the architectural style of a traditional ancient town in western Sichuan Province. The brick-walls and wooden steles of these structures add to their old world charm.
As you take a stroll down the street, you will pass ancient stores selling paintings, calligraphies, curios, folk handicrafts, lacquer products and shu embroidery. Additionally some traditional arts such as clay and paper-cut figurines created by skillful craftsmen are also sold here. Most of the artwork found here are reminders of the country’s eventful past. Regardless of how busy the street is you can browse through the items at your own pace.
A hand puppet show and a shadow puppetry show put on by folk artisans will keep you entertained during your visit. Visitors can also enjoy folk music and the wooden stage at the middle of the street is said to be used for the performances of classic Sichuan Operas. In front of the stage various open air movies are shown. On the days of traditional local festivals such as Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Lantern Festival, the street hosts some theme activities such as lantern exhibitions and eating competitions.
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