When the hub-bub of the day fades out, the real face of the city appears. Night markets are the hottest places. Therefore, someone says strolling around night markets is the best way to get to know a city.
Visitors who come to Beijing for the first time should climb the Great Wall and ramble around Wangfujing. The most characteristic eating place in Wangfujing is Dong Hua Men Night Market which is on the opposite side of Wangfujing. It is the largest-scale snacks night market. Dong Hua Men Night Market not only enjoys fame in China, but also is famous around the globe. Magaret Thatcher, Britain’s former Prime Minister and other foreign political heavyweights even paid a visit here.
When night falls, floods of people surge into Gulou Square Kaifeng. Hundreds of vehicles can fill the square and only a narrow road in the middle can be available. Baking, frying, stir-frying and rinsing are in hundreds of stoves. It gives off a seductive fragrance in the steamy shadows and restaurants and attracts many customers who drive here from nearby cities including Zhengzhou.
In the Song Dynasty, the Song emperor was reluctant to leave the theatrical stage and beauties were ordered to get rid of the curfew with an open mind and tolerance. Kaifeng became a white night city from then on. Competing in the quality of tea, listening to books and strolling through night markets form the night life of the petty bourgeoisies in the capital city of Kaifeng of Song Dynasty.
In food streets of Hangzhou night markets, the most famous in visitors’ minds is the area of Hefang Street and Gaoyinjie.
As the first street of capital city of Nangsong Dynasty, prosperous and busy Hefang Street is an ancient walking street imitating Ming and Qing Dynasties. There are Hu Qingyu Tang, Wang Xingji Fan Factory and Wanlong Ham Manor which are worth a visit. However more people pay more attention to cuisine in Hefang Street. There are different kinds of gourmet food stores in Gaoying Alley near to Hefang Street. The former Zhuzi Market has now become a popular food street.
As the film “Life Show”, TV drama “Come and Go” (Lai Lai Wang Wang), large-scale Beijing opera “Jiqing Life Show” were hot on screen, many customers of restaurants and tourists came in flocks. They were just for experiencing the demeanor of Han taste.
It is said that Jeff Lau who directed “Chinese Odyssey 2002”, a whimsical director in Hong Kong, even took a group of people to rush into Jiqing Street. Night snacks of Jiqing Street has become part of the classic life of Wuhan residents.
“Wuyi” Starlight Night Market lies in Wuyi Dong Lu and Jing Er Lu includes a food street and a shopping street. People are crowed under the 500 thousand golden star lights. Over 500 booths provide different kinds of cuisine. Tourists are dazzled by the endless array of beautiful products and their eyes cannot take it all in.
As the bridgehead to Middle Asia, products in night market of Urumchi have their own features. Besides speciallising in Xinjiang, it collects special products from neighbouring countries: tin wares from Pakistani, wraps from Nepali and matryoshka from Russia. It must impress you
