Find a Bargain ： Changsha's Antique Market

Check out a fascinating experience and grab your own piece of Chinese history!

Article created by YUE长沙

Modified and translated by WNIC

Got nothing better to do on a sunny Saturday morning or fancy getting some bargain sounvenirs of a more 'authentic' style? You'd do worse than to check out Changsha's historic 'Second-Hand Market' at the square opposite Tianxin Pavilion along the old Ming Dynasty city wall. 

So what better backdrop for  Changsha's oldest and largest "treasure-hunting spot"? — the Tianxin Pavilion Antique Market. With over 1,000 stalls scattered throughout, it becomes especially lively at weekends, with the sound of merchants calling out and an array of fascinating old items awakening the relaxed and streetwise spirit of old Changsha. Every Friday and Saturday morning, just as the nightlife on Jiefang West Street winds down, the excitement of the Tianxin Park second-hand market officially kicks off. 

On the stone steps, ancient coins, porcelain, pottery and carved jewelry boxes are arranged with a sense of chronology. CCD cameras, popular in the 2000s, vintage radios glowing with retro charm, old yellowed medical books, handwritten Mao-style copies of "Ode to the Plum Blossom Garden," calligraphy and paintings by famous artists... all quietly lying on the stall cloths.

 In 2005, it was officially regulated by the government, becoming an important folk relic distribution center in Central and Southern China. Nowadays, every Friday and Saturday morning, over a hundred stalls stretch from the square in front of the pavilion down to the ancient city wall, with even the old operators from Paozi Street coming to "patrol for treasures." 

If you want to navigate this second-hand market like a pro, the locals have their tricks. The more sophisticated ones bring torches to check the texture of jade, suede cloth to assess the smoothness of porcelain and magnifying glasses to inspect details — because examining old items from Central Hunan requires skill.

For example, a green-glazed jar from the Wangcheng kiln will have unique firing marks at its base; a Hunan embroidery screen must be checked against sunlight to see if the threads are even.

Bargaining is also an art. For a mutton-fat jade seal priced at 300 yuan, don't just try to cut it in half. Use the tactic of "praise then pooh," complimenting, then pointing out subtle flaws, and finally applying a "rounding method" to settle on the price. "Alright, I'll take it, I'll bring friends next time." With such a series of moves, the shopkeeper smiles, and you might snag a deal worthy of a few packs of baisha cigarettes, a back-and-forth exchange done in good spirits. 

• The market can easily be reached from South Gate of downtown Changsha. Nearest metro is South Gate (NanMen):

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• You can also combine this day out with a trip to Tianxin Pavilion and take in some great views of the city. Furthermore, why not take a short walk south of the square and get yourself some fresh well Baisha water, used by locals and safe to drink (though we might suggest you avoid this in mid summer). 

If you ha

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