Song Xian Qiao Antique Market
The more seasoned travellers all echo the same sentiment, being that every single journey one embarks on should instill as many memories in the mind and heart as it can and there is probably no better way to ensure that you have a real story to tell than to tell that story with the aid of props, by bringing back one or two unique souvenirs in local shopping areas during your trip.
As far as the many Chengdu attractions go, Song Xian Qiao Anitque Market goes down firmly as one of the less discussed places, but it is simply a hidden treasure just waiting to be discovered.
Discovery of the Song Xian Qiao Anitque Market has never been all that easy, in the whole history of its existence as well as the history of the existence of the Chengdu tourism industry, which makes the discovery thereof all the more valuable, much like digging hard enough to eventually find a treasure you didn't even know existed, revealing itself only to those who actually dig hard enough and go the extra mile in conducting research about their next travel destination.
Highlights
A visit down to the Song Xian Qiao Anitque Market easily serves as the highlight of any trip to Chengdu, as well as the surrounding tourist areas within reach, especially if you discover it before buying up souvenirs from other sources that are located closer to your place of accommodation, since a lot of these souvenirs are bought from this little treasure island of an antiques market and resold to tourists at a considerably marked up price.
You can think of Song Xian Qiao Anitque Market as your antiques wholesaler and count yourself very luck to have learned about it prior to your Chengdu trip.
Song Xian Qiao Anitque Market exhibits more than 500 individually run stalls and the sellers are very negotiable so one should never be hasty in closing the souvenir deal, since it is very likely that you might get a better deal in the very next row, or indeed the very next stall for whatever it is that catches your eye.
The mini Buddha statues are probably worth a look-in, as probably nothing says "China" quite like a Buddha.
Depending on exactly what you want to come away with, the budget is entirely up to you as there is a choice of just about anything and everything, from jewellery to watercolour works of art.
Entrance Fees: free
Song Xian Qiao Anitque Market is tucked away quite tightly and it isn't easy to spot, so getting there may require you to walk a few metres off the major bus routes, but asking around with the address or name of the place in-tow will easily get you there, as many of the tourist attractions are inter-linked via an elaborate syndication system.
Operating Time:06:00 - 19:00
