Have you been to Xi'an even if you watch the Terracotta Warriors and Horses go shopping at the snack street? Not enough, you have to go here!
Author: Zhang Yuan Han Yiyu
The fireworks in the world are the most soothing to the hearts of mortals.
If you want to learn more about a place, in addition to checking out the scenic spots and walking around the streets, the local market must not be missed, where you can see the living conditions of the locals and feel the strong smell of fireworks in the city.
The most typical of Xi'an's traditional old bazaar is the century-old city, Xicang Bazaar, which is still lively.
The picture shows the Xicang Market.
Photo by Ai Yuhan
There is an old saying in Xi’an: “If you haven’t been to Xicang, you won’t be counted as having been to Xi’an; if you don’t know Xicang, you won’t be counted as an authentic Xi’an.” If you want to truly walk into Xi’an’s history and culture and appreciate the livelihood of the ancient city, then Xicang Market is an excellent place to experience.
The picture shows the map of Xicangxiang.
Photo courtesy of Lianhu District
Xicang is located in Lianhu District, Xi'an City, north of the middle section of Miaohou Street in the northwest corner of the city.
This is the famous flower, bird, fish, and insect market in Xi'an. It has maintained the tradition of opening every Thursday and Sunday.
Xicang is the official granary Yongfengcang built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is called "Xicang" because it is opposite to Jinglucang on Heping Road.
During the Republic of China, Xicang was the only formal grain storage warehouse in Xi'an, with a capacity of 12.5 million kilograms of grain.
The Xicang area has gradually become a rare centralized trade market in the city due to the large number of people coming and going, and the transactions of food and other activities.
In 1981, the four streets and alleys of Xicang were renamed as Xicang East Alley, Xicang South Alley, Xicang West Alley, and Xicang North Alley. Their names are still in use today.
The picture shows the Xicang Market.
Photo by Ai Yuhan
From the government granary to the folk flower and bird market, Xicang is hidden in the city and prosperous.
Passing through the long and narrow Laowu Alley, it seems to come from a modern city made of reinforced concrete to a lively paradise.
Jia Pingwa described the scene at the opening of the Xicang Bazaar in "Abandoned Capital": "It is a huge private trading market. The main livelihoods are domestic animals, rare birds, flowers, birds, fish, and insects. It also includes utensils and feed supplements. The crowds of men, women, young and old, and idlers flocked to the venue, cradles with satchels, and households were restricted to wear, which made the hundreds of meters long venue full of voices and hustle and bustle. It was a lively and prosperous place."
The picture shows the crowd in Xicang Market.
Photo by Ai Yuhan
As stated in the book, Xicang Bazaar is a comprehensive market. Four laneways are densely covered. Flowers, birds, fish and insects, cultural and miscellaneous items, clothing accessories, daily necessities, second-hand items, etc. are all traded here, as well as shoe repairs. Techniques such as cutting heads, pedicures, and dental implants can also be seen here.
Here you can find a lot of gadgets that we are not familiar with, so Xicang also has the name of "Taobao Street".
Businessmen and stall shoppers of all kinds of life make this market very lively.
People gave an interesting name to the folk market formed under this special background: Dangzi.
The picture shows the craftsmen in Xicang Market.
Photo by Ai Yuhan
There are divergent opinions on the origin of the name "dangzi".
Some people say it is because the small stalls in the Xicang market are connected, and they look like stalls one after another, hence the name; some people say that it is because long ago stall owners often carried burdens and brought goods to sell, saying "burden" When you read it, the homophony becomes a "dangzi", and there are various sayings.
The origin of "dangzi" has been difficult to verify, but going to Xicang to "go shopping" is the memory of the older generation of Xi'an people.
"As long as there are no special circumstances, it is my habit to go shopping in Xicang every week. I have insisted on it for ten years." According to Uncle Liu, who lives in Xi'an Huixin Homestead, many people do not necessarily want to buy something when they come here. Just like this lively feeling.
Because Xicang is near Huifang, no matter where you come from, you will encounter many delicious foods on the road.
In the morning, street stalls have various snacks such as Zeng cake, soy milk, jujube paste, spicy soup, fried oil cake and so on.
Many old Xi’an drank a bowl of hot spicy soup on the side of the road, and then came to Xicang with peace of mind to see the flowers and funny birds. When they encountered objects of interest, they stopped to play twice and follow the road from time to time. While chatting with the street vendors, it was almost noon when they brought one or two cheap gadgets to go home with satisfaction.
The picture shows the Xicang Market.
Photo by Ai Yuhan
If foreign tourists come here for the first time, they will be deeply impressed by the bustling crowd and rich life atmosphere here.
Mr. Wang, who sells miscellaneous goods in Beixiang, said that he has been setting up a stall here for seven or eight years, and he rushes over every Thursday and Sunday when the market opens at five o'clock.
"It is similar to the free market in rural areas. It can also be regarded as helping some people solve the employment problem and provide citizens with flexible and diverse services. I have also done business in Shanghai and Guangzhou before, compared to only 100 per day. The stall fee of RMB has attracted many small merchants because of the low cost. Usually, the number of people is between 11 and 2 noon. This year, the number of people affected by the epidemic is relatively small. The traffic volume of the previous peak period could reach 30,000 or 40,000. There are so many people, they can't walk."
“Xicang Dangzi is a microcosm of Xi’an’s city culture. I often come here on Sundays for Taobao. What little things are missing at home, the first thing that comes to my mind is to come to Xicang for a round. Sometimes I bring my son here. There are various animals in the market. When you are tired, you can order a lamb bun in the nearby Huifang. The whole morning is considered to be a fulfilling one." said Mr. Zhao, who came to buy bird food from Xi'an Xiaozhai.
The picture shows the Xicang Market.
Photo by Ai Yuhan
Previously, because some residents reported that the Xicang Market was seriously occupied by roads, the environment was dirty and poor, and there were potential safety hazards, the Lianhu District Government carried out comprehensive management of the Xicang environment. This matter was once rumored to be "Xicang Market will be Banning" caused an uproar in the market.
After the epidemic stabilized this year, Shaanxi Province issued the "Several Measures to Promote Market Consumption and Actively Responding to the Impact of the New Coronary Pneumonia Epidemic." The stall area allows mobile vendors to occupy the roads for a certain period of time and area to operate, which can be regarded as a reassurance for many small businesses.
With the advancement of urbanization and the influx of foreign population, the old charm of Chang'an City seems difficult to capture.
But Xicang Market, a century-old stall hidden in the narrow alleys and narrow streets, has already burned itself into the memory of old Xi'an in time. There is a vivid pulse of the city and the smell of fireworks in the market.
Times are changing, and life is always hot.