[2025 Yixing Attraction] Travel Guide for Liheshu Shan Gunan Street (Updated Jan)

How can you not visit Gunan Street when you come to Yixing? Although the scenic spot is not big, many Yixing clay teapot craftsmen gather here, and many cultural masters have visited. Shushan Gunan Street is located in Dingshu Town, Yixing City, with the Li River to the south and Shushan Mountain to the north. The street is 1,000 meters long and only three or four meters wide. It has been a distribution center for the production, trade, and distribution of Yixing clay teapots since the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Gunan Street was formed in the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was the main distribution center for Yixing ceramics, the birthplace of Yixing clay teapots, and the production and sales center of Yixing clay teapots from the mid-Ming Dynasty to the 1960s. Later, with the development of land transportation, the production center of Yixing clay teapots moved to Dingshan, and Shushan became quiet. In 1996, it was included in the municipal-level cultural relics protection unit. The buildings are all two-story brick and wood structures, mostly 1-2 story commercial storefronts. The style and form are basically well preserved, with the unique characteristics of being close to the mountains and rivers and integrating life and production. More than half of the residents here used to be engaged in the production and operation of Yixing clay teapots, and many Yixing clay teapot masters, such as Ren Ganting and Gu Jingzhou, have emerged from here. It is a veritable cradle for the growth of Yixing clay teapot art masters. There are also many former employees of the Second Pottery Factory who have been making Yixing clay teapots all their lives and have their own studios here. If you meet a teapot that catches your eye, you can buy it. The street is not big, and you can walk through it in an hour. However, if you want to take a closer look at the Yixing clay teapots and talk to the craftsmen, it may take some time.

📍Yixing Ancient South Street was the main distribution port for Yixing ceramics during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the birthplace of Zisha culture, and an important carrier of Zisha culture. Here, a number of former residences of Zisha masters and former sites of famous shops have been revitalized into Zisha studios and exhibition halls, constantly attracting young pottery workers to return and start businesses. With a shop in the front and a workshop in the back, a teapot and a cup of tea bring the old street to life. Compared with the old streets of other ancient towns, this street is extremely focused on Zisha teapots and utensils. There are not many restaurants and cafes, but there are many snack stalls. 🌟Surprisingly, there is a quiet Green Grass Art Museum in such a chaotic old street. The name "Green Grass" is taken from the ink painting "Water Town Green Grass" by the "master of painting" Wu Guanzhong. Several teaching works by Liu Haisu are on display. ✅There are many gadgets on the stalls, so you can buy a Pixiu as a souvenir.

I went to Yixing this weekend. There are large tea gardens and grasslands, and intangible cultural heritage purple clay teapots. I enjoyed the colorful autumn scenery. Yixing is really a great place to take a leisurely stroll. • Stop 1: Tao Factory No. 2 ✨ It was transformed from the old site of the Purple Clay Factory No. 2, a collision of old factories and modern art. The exterior of the Tao Art Museum is made of locally produced ceramic tiles, and the surface is treated with a curved concave-convex texture kiln change effect, making the museum itself a work of art. The light and shadow effects and the reflection of the pool make it easy to take a great photo from any angle! Stop 2: Shushan Ancient South Street ✨ It is about 600 meters away from Tao Factory No. 2 and can be reached on foot. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Yixing was the birthplace of purple clay culture. The ancient buildings, bluestone roads, former residences of celebrities, pottery studios, and purple clay merchants are all here. You can do pottery DIY and buy a set of your favorite porcelain. The coffee shop "Shushan Dongsi" at the entrance of the alley is worth a visit. Stop 3: Longbeishan Forest Park 🎫 Free national 4A-level tourist attraction The park is very large, and it takes about 2-3 hours to walk around the entire park. It is recommended to navigate to "Yangxian Gate". The large grassland is perfect for lying down. There are Dutch windmills, cedar forests, leisure trails, lawns, flower fields, cherry blossom forests, bamboo forests, rose gardens, osmanthus gardens, bayberry gardens, azalea gardens, tea gardens, lotus ponds, cafes, and Wenfeng Tower. It is suitable for picnics and camping, and the scenery is also very beautiful. • 📝Travel tips 1️⃣ The museum is closed every Monday. 2️⃣ Citywalk is about 20,000 steps per day, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. 3️⃣ Food recommendations: black rice, wild mushrooms, Gaocheng pork, salted pork and bamboo shoot soup, Xushe small sugar crisp, and Heqiao dried tofu.

🌈 A grocery store on an old street, a little happiness discovered by accident, with a Chinese aesthetic atmosphere and carefully arranged details, is very photogenic. The store is full of things, including purple clay cups, ceramic coffee cups, ceramic fridge magnets, bracelets, earrings, etc. Here, time seems to be frozen, making people forget the hustle and bustle of the city. - 🔖 When the staff sees you are interested in something, they will immediately come to introduce it to you, with enthusiasm and patience. - ✅ This is a very healing grocery store with both beauty and quality. Cup lovers will linger in the store and finally can't help but buy a ceramic coffee cup. - 🔖 Xiangshang Cultural and Creative Space 📍 Address: No. 182, Shushan Gunan Street, Dingshu Town, Yixing City Shushan Gunan Street

✅ A wonton shop recommended by a friend on the old street. I found it after passing through a small alley. As a road idiot, I almost got lost. The shop is small, but the decoration is very atmospheric, and the details are in place, so it is good for taking photos. - 🔖 The open kitchen is directly facing the door, and the aunt will tell you to find a seat and scan the code to order when you enter the door; there are many kinds of snacks in the store, the price is cheap, and there are many special side dishes. - 🌈 Wonton (soup): 8💰 a bowl of handmade wonton with thin skin and fresh soup. The proprietress said that the wontons are freshly made every day; although the wontons are mini, you can eat the real meat filling when you eat them. 🌈 Black rice dumplings: two per serving/5💰, the dumplings are covered with a layer of white sugar, and you can dip a little white sugar when you eat them, which is soft, glutinous, fragrant, and sweet. 🌈 Shrimp sticks: crispy and tender. - ✅ Three snacks cost a total of 21 yuan, which can be said to be both beautiful and delicious, and cost-effective; suitable for small gatherings of three or five friends or one person. - 🌿 Nanjie Wonton 📍 No. 212, Gunan Street, Dingshu Town, Yixing City

This blind box trip took me to Yixing, the capital of ceramics! It's truly a hidden gem city. Not only does it boast a thousand years of history, but it also offers stunning natural scenery. Wander through the Great Lawn Park, hike through the bamboo forest, climb the Little Great Wall, visit the majestic ancient temple, and explore the thousand-year-old ancient town to experience the local history and culture. No crowds, high vegetation coverage, and lush greenery. Reverse tourism is the way to go here~ ✔️ Yixing Bamboo Sea A natural oxygen bar rich in negative ions, where you can take a deep breath. The mirror lake, like a piece of jade, is home to schools of fish that play from time to time. Looking up at the highest peak in southern Jiangsu from the mirror lake, it's quite majestic. ✔️ Longbei Mountain Forest Park ⏰ Time: 8:30-16:30 Located south of Yixing City, with three entrances: Taodu Gate, Yangxian Gate, and Jingxi Gate. It's a national 4A-level tourist attraction with a total area of about 5.5 square kilometers. It's one of the largest urban forest parks in East China. The terrain is flat, and the environment is excellent. The park is so large that there are two-person electric cars and multi-person bicycles available at the Yangxian Gate entrance. There's also a camping base. It's really refreshing and comfortable in the summer. Park at Taodu Gate for convenience, walk to Yangxian Gate, and Jingxi Gate is a bit far, not recommended. ✔️ Tao Er Factory It was newly built last year (if I remember correctly), and the interior is not yet finished. The exterior is as pictured, and it's great for taking photos. If you like taking photos, you can go and take some. ✔️ Shushan Ancient Nan Street The Ancient Nan Street Historical and Cultural District is located in the northeast of Yixing Dingshu District. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it has been a gathering place for the production, manufacture, and trade of Yixing Zisha pottery. Ancient Nan Street is located at the foot of Shushan Mountain, close to Li River. Shushan Mountain got its name from Su Dongpo's "This mountain is like Shu". Li River got its name from Fan Li, who lived in seclusion in the countryside and sailed with Xishi. There are many literary and artistic shops, and you can also experience Zisha DIY. There aren't many people, so it's a good place to take your time and explore. It's also a great place to take photos. 🚌 Transportation: Self-driving or ride-hailing is preferred to get to each attraction.

Walking a few hundred meters from Dongpo Academy, I arrived at Ancient Nan Street. This is a small and beautiful old street, with Shushan Mountain on one side and a river on the other. Dongpo Academy is located nearby. This small street is clean and comfortable, with many shops selling purple sand products. Many small items are very beautiful, and I couldn't help but buy a few. After checking, I found out that this is the origin and distribution center of Yixing purple sand. It turns out that the land near Dongpo's purchase is the origin of purple sand teapots. It is truly a treasure trove, and I apologize for my ignorance. I knew that the purple sand here was world-famous, but I thought it was in Yixing City. It turns out that it is in this small town called Dingshu.

Yixing is the new favorite spot for summer outings with kids! Cool down this summer, it's a parent-child paradise 🌞 🌟 Honestly, Yixing is simply the hidden MVP for summer outings with kids! It's incredibly chill, and I unilaterally declare it the top spot for water activities this summer! 🏖️ Departing from Nanjing, it's a two-hour drive 🚗, perfect for a day trip without any hassle. It's like a forgotten vacation haven ✨ 🌊 Yixing Creek Tracing Map revealed, a must-have checklist for outings with kids: 1️⃣ Fuxijian Bridge in Huxi Town, gentle water flow 💧, set up a tent ⛺, enjoy camping and water activities, perfect for parent-child time! 🏕️ 2️⃣ Longshan Village, a series of farmhouse inns along the creek 🏡, dining, accommodation, and creek tracing all in one, leisurely and carefree! 😌 3️⃣ Qianyuan Village, next to the Yixiantian Scenic Area 🏞️, adventure and scenery go hand in hand, fulfilling kids' adventure dreams here! 🚀 4️⃣ Shaodong Village, a hidden gem 🔍, fish scale dam reflecting bamboo groves 🎋, like stepping into an ink painting, few people, beautiful scenery, perfect for photos! 📸 5️⃣ Shangba Village Longjian Bridge, scenic view at the village entrance 🏞️, play under the fish scale dam 💦, take a post-meal walk to the tea mountain for wild food, perfect connection! 🚶‍♀️☕ 👣 One-day tour route revealed, follow me and you won't get lost: 🔥 Taoer Factory: Industrial style mixed with artistic flair 🎨, the central art museum designed by master Kengo Kuma, you become the star of a fashion shoot in an instant! 📷 🔥 Shushan Ancient South Street: Bluestone road, ancient charm 🏮, DIY Zisha teapot 🏺, experience the cultural heritage of the thousand-year-old pottery capital, endless fun! 🔥 Lunch and creek tracing in Shangba Village, a double enjoyment of nature and food 🍽️💦, kids' laughter echoes in the creek, full of happiness! 🔥 Tea Mountain Wild Food: By the lush tea garden 🌿, a cup of coffee ☕️, a moment of tranquility, giving your mind a break, perfect ending! Come to Yixing, unlock the coolest way to spend summer with your kids, let joy and coolness go hand in hand! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🌞

A new option for reverse baby walking! You're right to start walking in Yixing! 🌟 Mr. Dongpo's words "Buy Tianyang to envy my generals"👨‍🏫 made me yearn for this small purple sand city🏺. 🚗Self-driving from Hangzhou, you can easily arrive in 1 hour and 40 minutes🏁, and the expressway fee is less than 40 yuan💰, great value! Our itinerary is super exciting: The handicraft market at Tao No. 2 Factory 🎁, and the photo taking place at Tao Art Museum 📸; The birthplace of Zisha, Gunan Street, Shushan🏞️, is leisurely and artistic🎨; Although Dongpo Academy is under renovation🚧, its bookish atmosphere makes people look forward to it📚; Jingtao Company’s pots and pans 🍽️ are both beautiful and affordable; The Jiangnan Potala style of Dajue Temple🏰, the Buddha’s light shines everywhere🕊️; The sunset at Dongpo Pavilion is breathtakingly beautiful! 😍 Food is also a part not to be missed! Black rice 🍚, fish head pot 🐟, steamed chicken 🍗...each dish is a specialty of Yixing, and the farm-style set meal is even more satisfying. 🤤 Here are the travel tips! Self-driving is the most convenient🚗, the road conditions in Yixing are good🛣️, and parking is free🆓; The purple clay pot handcrafting experience on Gunan Street🫖, remember to reserve time⏰; When traveling in summer ☀️, be sure to wear sunscreen and repel mosquitoes! 🌞 Are you excited for this trip to Yixing? Come and have a round of reverse walking with your baby! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

🚆Hangzhou high-speed train 40min Direct to this hidden gem of a small city, which has always been 🔹seriously underrated! Not only is it less crowded here, but the scenery is also nice, and there are many cultural sites. 🔹If you're still worrying about the crowds during the May Day holiday, consider coming here for a visit, you might be pleasantly surprised. 📍Yixing 🚆Hangzhou 45min, Nanjing 34min 🚘Hangzhou 2.5h, Nanjing 2h 💠Day1: Longbei Mountain Forest Park, Shushan Ancient South Street, Yada Yangxian Town 💠Day2: Dajue Temple, Yunhu Longchi Mountain Bicycle Park 📍Longbei Mountain Forest Park The first stop I chose was Longbei Mountain, the closest to the high-speed train station. Here you can find the metasequoia lawn, blue windmills, and a dreamy Ferris wheel. It's not only less crowded and photogenic, but everywhere you look is a green wonderland, very relaxing. 📍Shushan Ancient South Street It has the feel of a small river straight street, but it's more quaint and quiet, with a stronger sense of old street culture. The block is not big, but besides being photogenic, it's also known as 'Purple Sand One Street', where the shops are full of unassuming purple sand artists, allowing you to feel a unique cultural heritage. 📍Yada Yangxian Town A secluded forest town with beautiful lake and mountain views. Don't miss the very bluesy Dongpo Pavilion, which has a great aerial photography spot! The town's restaurants are also deliciously surprising~ 📍Dajue Temple Yunhu Yixing's stunning temple, known as the 'Little Potala Palace', with its orange and white colors and layered architecture is very photogenic. Not only is it free, but you can also eat vegetarian meals, drink coffee, and there's Yunhu Park opposite, which is worth a visit if you have time. On May Day, I participated in the Dajue Temple Vegetarian Expo, which featured various 'World Famous Vegetarian Dishes'. Friends who like vegetarian food should not miss it. Treasure Yixing, in addition to enjoying the beautiful scenery, you can also visit Dajue Temple's fair~ 🍀I am Meili Jiang, who never stops walking 📷Passionate about capturing the beauty of travel with my lens ✨Follow me 📷To provide you with more travel photography and fun strategies

Shushan South Street, also known as the ancient Shushan South Street, is located in the south of Shushan in Yixing City, adjacent to the Li River, with a unique geographical location. It is not only an important center for the production, manufacture, and trade of Yixing purple sand pottery, but also the birthplace of purple sand culture. The origin of its place name has a lot of connections with the famous literati Su Dongpo of the Song Dynasty. It is said that when Su Dongpo traveled here, he was attracted by the Sichuan characteristics of this mountain and called it "Shushan". And the ancient South Street was named because it is located in the south of Shushan. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the ancient Shushan South Street has always been the center of purple sand pottery production, manufacture, and trade. The potters here use their superb skills and endless creativity to shape various exquisite purple sand pottery with their hands and mud. These works are well-known in China and are exported to all over the world, winning a high reputation for the ancient Shushan South Street. On this ancient street, there are still many former residences and old sites of celebrities. Many masters of purple sand art, such as Gu Jingzhou, Wu Yungen, and Gu Shaopei, once lived here. These masters have created many precious purple sand artworks here, leaving a rich cultural heritage for future generations. Their works and skills have been passed down from generation to generation, becoming the representative of Yixing purple sand pottery. In addition, the ancient Shushan South Street is closely connected with the Li River. It is said that Fan Li led everyone to make pottery in Ding Shu and dug a canal, so that pottery could be transported to the north and south of the Yangtze River and even all over the world through the canal. This canal was later called "Li River", which is also one of the main rivers in Yixing City. Today's ancient Shushan South Street has become a must-visit place for people to experience purple sand culture, appreciate unique charm and historical heritage.