Situated at the center of the Tunxi district of Huangshan city – in Anhui province – Tunxi Old Street and Cultural Block is an ancient precinct surrounded by mountains to the north and rivers to the south and dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
The main street has a total length of 1,272 meters and a width of 5-8 m, with the core section covering 853 meters. [Photo/IC]
The quarter consists of one straight street, three horizontal streets and 18 alleys and includes more than 300 Huizhou-style structures with white walls and black tiles, built in different eras. [Photo/IC]
The entire precinct is laid out in a fish-bone shape, with it being narrower westwards and wider eastwards. It is also known as the flowing "Qingming Shanghe Tu" as it is located at the intersection of the Hengjiang, Shuaishui and Xin'an rivers.
Qingming Shanghe Tu, or Life along the Bian River During the Pure Brightness Festival, is one of the greatest Chinese classical paintings of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). It features a panorama of daily life, business activities and social interactions in Bianjing, the Chinese capital at that time and now the city of Kaifeng in Central China's Henan province.
In the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), this area was a busy commercial center with many roads and alleys.
This quarter has the best-preserved ancient market – with the architectural styles of the Southern Song (1127-1279), Ming and Qing dynasties – of anywhere in China. [Photo/IC]
Famous attractions:
Tunxi Museum, Wancuilou
*Wancuilou is a museum filled with ancient buildings and features building components in the Huizhou-style.