Xi’an Shopping -- Souvenirs Markets

There are many historical souvenirs markets in Xi’an, such as Shuyuan Gate, Xi’an Antiques Market, Wenbaozhai Tour Shopping Center, Ba Xi’an An Antiques Market and Huajue Lane Antiques Market. You can find the famous Tang tri-colored glazed pottery, replicas of clay warrior figures and horses, paper-cut, cloth art as well as many other folk handicrafts local to Xi’an.

Xi’an Antiques Market

Shuyuanmen, the street of artsIt is located at the intersection of Zhuque Lu and Nan Erhuan Lu near the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. Due to its location, local people also call it Zhuque Antiques Market. It was established in 1998 and now it is the biggest antiques market in the city. It is an ideal place for antique enthusiasts as it contains every possible antique known to collectors from large furniture to small coins, including silk rugs, woolen blankets, Tang tri-colored pottery, cloisonné, silk clothing, jewels, jade articles, calligraphy, paintings, historical relics, antiques, model clay figures of warriors and horses, together with bronze cars and horses - altogether 35 categories and more than 200 kinds of goods. There are hundreds of shops here displaying thousands of genuine pieces, especially the utensils, which are mostly ceramic or porcelain pots and in various shapes. There are also two halls for exchanging antiques. Here, you may meet many friends who have a common collecting interest as you, in a very deep traditional atmosphere. After visiting the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, you may move here to look for some wonderful souvenirs.

Bus Routes: 16, 18, 204, 218, 23, 29, 31, 32, 35, 402, 405, 501, 512, 610, 701, 800, 910

Wenbaozhai Tour Shopping Center

Built in 1980 and located at Yanta Zhong Lu, south of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Wenbaozhai Tour Shopping Center is one of the earliest fixed tour shops for foreign travelers in the northwest. It is an important window opening Xi’an to the outside world, gaining the unanimous praise of Chinese and foreign guests. It concentrates on antiques and artworks. Well, you can find many typical Chinese historical and cultural items, including silk rugs, woolen blankets, silk clothing, jewels, jade articles, calligraphy, paintings, historical relics, antiques, model clay figures of warriors and horses, and bronze cars and horses – at least 35 categories and many hundreds of goods. Here, you can appreciate the antique as well as see the whole process of making it, which may give you some comprehensive understanding.

Bus Routes: 401, 21, 22, 23, 25, 27, 30, 31, 41, 500, 527, 601, 710, 715, 716, 118, 619

Peasant Painting Gallery

Located in Huoju Lu, Gaoxin District, Peasant Painting Gallery is one of the most renowned for its display of Shaanxi folk crafts. Having been visited by many tourists both from home and abroad, the gallery exhibits a great deal of Peasant Painting as well as other folk crafts such as paper-cutting and shadow puppetry. Professional craftsmen in the gallery can even teach visitors to paint or cut! In this gallery, you not only appreciate the special beauty of the paintings, but also experience the local culture of Qin and Han Dynasties. Those paintings mainly reflect the local people’s daily life, including the festival, parade, harvest, music, village traditions, farm animals, kitchen work, and life of children. You can discover a primitive style with child-like figures and bright colors through those paintings. You may feel encouraged by these colorful and attractive paintings.

Bus Routes: 208, 227, 228, 240, 242, 308, 44, 528, 602, 700

Ba Xian An (Temple of the Eight Immortals) Antiques Market

Also named Ba Xian Gong Antiques Market, it can be found at the opposite side of the biggest Taoist temple Ba Xian An Monastery. It is a two-tier antique-style wooden building with more than 40 stores, small but elegant. You can find all kinds of antique here, such as Tang tri-color porcelain, green porcelain, archaic bronzes, jade, four treasures, ancient pottery, antique furniture, paintings, calligraphy and other handcrafts. Every Sunday morning the ‘Ghost Market’ has its busiest time.

Bus Routes: 1. Take bus no 709 and get off at Baxianan Stop.

2. Take buses no. 8, 27, 37, 43, 203, 300, 602, 604, K630, 704, 709, 721 or Tourist Bus No.10, and get off at Jishiguai Stop, and then walk east to the Gengxin Street. Turn left, and then walk north about 200 meters (220 yards) and you’ll find the monastery.

Huajue Lane Antiques Market

Located to the northwest of the Drum Tower, it is a narrow street beside the Great Mosque which is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved Islamic mosques in China. It became an antiques market mainly selling nice handcraft at a bargain price. There are many replicas of antiques here; therefore if you want to buy an original, you need to be careful. It is advisable for you to stick to your price and bargain with the seller. Once the seller accepts your price, you have to buy it.

Bus Routes: Take bus 4, 7, 32, 201, 215, 222, 251, 252 or Tourist Bus No. 8 (610) and get off at the Bell Tower Station. Walk to the Drum Tower and find the entrance to the mosque in the Huajue Lane to the northwest of the Drum Tower.

Wuji Antiques Market

It is located at 5, Nanmadao Lane, facing the City Wall, with the West Gate to its north and Hanguang Gate to its east. It comprises ten buildings of Tang Dynasty style making it a cultural shopping plaza in a classical garden pattern. Wuji Antiques Market covers a total building area of about 7,000 square meters and there are more than 600 antiques stores within it. It is an ideal place for tourists to look for all kinds of antiques, such as jewelry, jade, calligraphy, paintings, historical relics, model clay figures of warriors and horses, together with bronze cars and horses.

Buses Routes: Take bus 10, 15, 16, 18, 205, 21, 311, 402, 43, 506, 521, K631, 722 or 900, get off at Xinanchengjiao, Shuisi or Northwest University, then walk there.

Tang West Market

3 km (1.9 miles) to the west of Bell Tower, Tang West Market is a modern international shopping zone. A Silk Road Shopping Street and an antique market lie here, selling the replicas of Qin terracotta warriors, tri-colored figures, horses and camels.

Buses Routes: Take bus No.201, 40, k40, 206 and get off at Datangxishi Station.