Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DRAGON GATE MALL
Exit the temple the way you entered, and head east (left) on Fangbang Road.
Dragon Gate
Mall
on your right (168 Central Fangbang Road; daily 10am-9pm) is a sprawling vision of the
'new Old City', with H&M, Marks & Spencer and air-conditioned cafés. But we're heading for
the
old
Old City. Follow Fangbang Road for about a block, where it turns into a pedestrian
lane lined with 19th-century buildings. Here you'll find everything from lucky underwear
shops to apothecaries, pickle specialists, rice wine purveyors, vendors with carts on the side-
walk shouting out bargains, loud music and lots of
renao
- Shanghai buzz.
For some authentic street food, turn right on to
Sipailou Road
, see
1
, marked by a
pail-
ou
(traditional Chinese archway) and lined with the city's most delicious street food.
MING-STYLE BAZAAR
Head back to Fangbang Road and retrace your steps past the City God Temple to enter the
Entrance No. 6; daily 7am-late) on your right.
This bold, brash bazaar with new Ming-style buildings is a cacophony of shops, street per-
formers, sedan-chair rides and people everywhere. Follow the signs to the
Huxinting Tea-
the zigzag Bridge of Nine Turnings (because evil spirits can't turn corners). The teahouse is
popularly believed to be the model for Willow Pattern plates, first created by Josiah Spode in
1790 during the heyday of the China trade and based on an original pattern called the
Mandarin. The five-sided teahouse is surprisingly quiet: most people prefer to gaze from the
outside. It's a rare experience to sip delicate Chinese tea from a traditional Yixing teacup on
the second floor, with views of the willow trees.
