| Liulichang Market  Description With gracefully curved tiled roofs, brightly painted doors and cobbled streets, picturesque Liulichang exudes an old-world atmosphere. The shops lining the streets were once the stomping grounds of the upper-crust Ming and Qing societies; today they are treasure- troves of old coins, lanterns, paper-cuttings, furniture, pottery, swords, books, jade and other objects from days of yore. Visiting them is like stepping back in time. West off Nanxinhua Jie, Rongbaozhai has a vast collection of scroll paints, woodblock prints, paper, ink and brushes. Continuing west, the road narrows and takes on a more market-like appearance, with small stalls and tables. This is where you can practice some traditional Chinese bartering. Heading east from Nanxinhua, you can watch chops being carved in Xie Xian Shun. Carry on to Yidege, where Indian inks have been sold since 1865, and Daiyuexuan Brush Shop, which has provided local artists with top-quality paint brushes since 1916. Musical Instruments: If you are not a fan of traditional Chinese music you will likely find the instruments easier on the eyes than the ears. Beautiful erhu (fiddles), guzheng (zithers) and pipa (lutes) are sold here. The souvenirs are in the front; the professional versions made with bamboo, horse hair and snake skins are in the back. Ask to see them, and staff will give you a museum-quality explanation about them. Artware: Known as "chops", stamps are still commonly used throughout china in place of signatures. You will see their inky effect on paintings and official documents. Everything in this store is beautifully displayed and the shelves here are loaded with jade, marble and stone chops. Some are tiny and others are positively monstrous. Pick one and have your name carved on it in two minutes flat. Brush Shop: Popular with European artists and art restorers, this shop has been perfecting the art of producing sharp-nibbed weasel – and goat – hair brushes since 1916. You can also buy rice paper, ink and ink stones. Then all you will need is the calligraphy skills. Inclusions -Liulichang Market, Musical Instruments, Artware, Brush shop -Private car or mini van transfers -Professional English-speaking private shoppe |