Time
0.5-1 hours
Ticket
None
Attribute
Architecture / History / Culture / Tradition / Shopping / Green / Gastronomy
Shangxiajiu Commercial Street
4.6
Introduction
Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street Born from Tang-Song trading hubs (6th century), it flourished as Song Dynasty’s first commercial settlement. Ming-Qing era saw global merchants gather here, especially after the Thirteen Hongs’ fire shifted trade to these lanes. In the 1930s, 1km arcades arose—Baroque pillars met stained-glass windows. Since 1995, China’s first pedestrianized street hums with millennia of commerce under stone-paved paths
Full-day tour
8-10 hours
Lowest price
160¥ / per
Yong Qing Fang
1st
Shangxiajiu Street
2st
Tao Tao Ju
3st
Chen clan Academy
4st
Beijing road
5st
Canton Tower
6st
Classic one-day tour in Guangzhou
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Traditional Architecture
The architecture of Shangxiajiu holds the ingenuity of old Guangzhou. Continuous arcade columns are weathered, flower and bird patterns are carved on the parapets, wooden lattice doors interweave with glass shop windows. In the arcade corridors that shield from sun and rain, the sounds of footsteps and hawking mix together.
Baroque scroll capitals twine with grape carvings, while Manchurian windows scatter lychee-patterned light. Noon sun projects fruit-hued shadows through stained glass—where Romanesque colonnades frame the steam of Cantonese dim sum.
Century-old houses stand on damp-proof granite bases, their blue-brick walls set with stained-glass windows diffusing subtropical sun. Through rattling timber gates, faded gold-leaf shop signs whisper of 13 Hongs merchants, while beneath carved beams, Cantonese embroidery stalls hum with timeless trade.
Modern architecture-brand store
The alleys flanking Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street are home to a diverse mix of people. Locals, many of whom have deep roots in the area, form a significant part. These long – term residents often run family – owned businesses like traditional Cantonese snack stalls or small handicraft shops, preserving the local traditions. Among them, there are also numerous young migrant workers drawn by the area’s commercial vitality. They work in various stores and restaurants, adding youthful energy. Additionally, a small number of artists and designers are attracted by the unique cultural atmosphere here, opening studios or creative stores. Each day, about 600000 people flow through the area, with these alley residents creating a vibrant and authentic local life scene that is an essential part of the charm of Shangxiajiu.
In the alleys off Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, you’ll find Guangzhou’s liveliest daily life. Elders chat on stools at lane mouths, aunties pick vegetables under overhangs, kids’ laughter mingles with neighbors’ Cantonese greetings. Time moves slow here—every scene is unpolished, authentic life.
Cultural Experience
The goods at Shangbaiji are a tight fit between low prices and brands. Seasonal items from chain fast fashion brands are lined up on roadside stalls and entry-level luxury goods are neatly arranged on the shelves of small stores, typically 20 to 30 percent cheaper than in shopping malls. Whether it’s discount brands, basic items from fast fashion, or products from the secondary lines of time-honored brands, they all carry clear labels, and vendors often price them honestly, so theres no need to haggle. You can get items with brand endorsements for a small amount of money.
The stalls of Shangbaiji Pedestrian Street are mostly scattered along the streetside of the arcade or at the alley entrance, with various watches densely on the not-so-big stalls. There are classic mechanical watches, trendy electronic watches, and also commemorative watches printed with Cantonese elements, all at affordable prices. one to wear on your wrist, which not only has practical value but also hides a bit of the smoke and fire of walking around the old street.
The stalls of brand shoes in Shangbaiji are often next to the old shops, with simple exhibition stands, neatly placed with sports shoes, leather shoes and brand styles, often domestic and foreign affordable brands. The shoe boxes are neatly stacked, and the price tags are clear. The stall owners are familiar with the size and report it skill. When trying on, they will hand over clean shoe trees, although not as delicate as the store, but you can buy the right shoes at a favorable price, which is suitable bargain hunters.
Jewellery and jade stalls are often hidden in the corners of the arcade or at the entrance of alleys, with glass cabinets covered with red velvet jade bracelets exuding a warm and moist luster, silver-set jade pendants flashing with fine and bright light, and various kinds of agate, crystal and ornaments strung together. Although not as luxurious as those in big stores, they allow a close-up view of those items with spirit, and the prices are more down–earth.
The brands of handbags at Shangtiaojiu are mostly set up on the sidelines of the pedestrian street, with neat folding shelves displaying all kinds of bags and leather shoulder bags, mostly from luxury and low-priced fast fashion brands. The handbags range from commuter bags to casual ones, with price tags clearly marked. The will quickly get the bags for customers to look at the details, and although there is no counter setting, you can get versatile styles at a bargain price, suitable for shopping on the.
Street Food
The double-skin milk in Shangxiajiu is an authentic Cantonese delicacy. In porcelain bowls, two layers of milk skin congeal— the top one as thin as silk, the bottom thick and creamy. A spoonful glides over the tongue, with milk fragrance mingling with a hint of caramel sweetness spreading out. There are often queues in front of time-honored dessert shops, and in the clink of porcelain bowls, the cool milky taste drives away the heat of shopping.
The snacks in Shangxiajiu hold the joy of eating while wandering. Chen Tianji’s fish skin is cold and smooth, extra delicious with peanuts and sesame mixed in; Aunt Juan’s ginger pork knuckles have a slight spiciness, with vinegar aroma permeating every soft and glutinous piece; Street stalls’ turnip and beef offal bubble and simmer, the turnip soaked with soup, releasing juices when bitten. You can bump into vendors with carts every few steps, their warm aroma luring people to stop.