It is much easier for tourists to shop in Taiyuan than in any other city of Shanxi Province. Shopping malls in downtown Taiyuan are mainly on Yingze Dong Dajie, Wuyi Lu, Jiefang Lu, Jianshe Nan Lu and Jian Cao Ping.

If you are interested in Taiyuan folk customs then please go to the Liu Xiang Commercial Street, Zhonglou Jie (Bell Tower Street) and the Liunan Night Market Street. These streets are the most popular in Taiyuan, especially Liu Xiang and the Qiaotou Jie are the most bustling streets.

A tip: Department stores in Taiyuan close about 19:00 - earlier than those in other big cities.

Zhonglou Jie (Bell Tower Street) is a bustling street in Taiyuan with a long history. Shops and stores stand next to each other. Big shopping malls, like the Fenjiu Dasha, Dongfang Department Store and the Jinge Clothes Store, etc. are located here.

To the east of Zhonglou Jie is the Qiaotou Jie. Here you will find lots of products related to drama, such as the drama costumes, etc.

Liu Xiang, a very famous and bubbling pedestrian street in Taiyuan. With the participation of large department stores, it has become ever more popular in recent years. Huayu Supermarket, Guidu Department Store and Wanjia Dasha (Wanjia Department Store) are the largest of them. Gongmao Department Store is famous for its wide range of clothing materials. A lot of clothes stores at the junction of Yingze Street and Liu Xiang deal with fashionable clothes, which can be purchased at a negotiated price. Brand name clothing franchises and some fast food chains come together on this street.

Local Specialties

Fen Jiu and Zhu Ye Qing are two wines that originated in Taiyuan and are the city's most famous products.

Vinegar
Jinci Vinegar, another product that is unique to Taiyuan is famed throughout China. The vinegar was originally brewed in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC). The Taiyuan Mature Vinegar was considered to be the best vinegar during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The Yi Yuan Qing Vinegar Workshop is famous for making Taiyuan Mature Vinegar.

Duanmu Inkstone
Originating from the Duanmu Mountain 40 kilometers (25 miles) away from Wutai County, Duanmu Inkstone is another of Taiyuan's specialties. The ink stone comes in three different colors, purple, black and green. The Purple ink stone is the most sought after of these and if you are interested in Chinese arts and crafts, it is a good idea to buy one to take home!

Paper-Cutting
Paper-cutting is highly skilled and delicate practice that is popular in many places and Taiyuan is one of them. In the rural area of Shanxi Province, people like to make various cut-out designs from colored paper and paste them on their windows as decoration. A really exquisite work of art!

Taiyuan Polished Lacquer Ware is a renowned range of hand made artifacts. Made from wood and coated with natural lacquer these items are not only beautiful to behold but are hard wearing and waterproof. They can be exquisitely decorated with a combination of inlays and painted flowers, birds and the like over which several layers of highly burnished lacquer are applied to create a brilliant and delicate finish.

Taiyuan Polished Lacquer Wares have been renowned since the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The Taiyuan Golden Lacquer Factory produces typical products such as screens, sofa tables, jewelry cases, desks and smoking sets.

Large Shopping Centers

Guidu Department Store
Location: F1, No. 19, Liucang Nan Lu, Taiyuan, Shanxi
Guidu Department Store is located in the Liu Xiang Commercial District, the busiest street in Taiyuan. The department store sells brand-name clothes, decorative household goods and gymnastic equipment.

Huayu Shopping Center
Location: No. 181, Kaihua Si Jie, Taiyuan City
Situated at the junction of Jiefang Lu and Kaihua Si Jie, this shopping center is both up-market and comprehensive, focusing on shopping, dining and entertainment.

Wuyi Shangsha (Wuyi Shopping Building)
Location: at the Wuyi Square, 100 meters south of the Taiyuan Railway Station. You can get there by public bus No. 811.
Surrounds: Tiantian Snack Street
This is a venue for high and middle-range goods.

Wuyi Dalou (Wuyi Building)
A famous department store with a long history, Wuyi Dalou was once the pride of the local people. Although the environment is now a little jaded, it enjoys a great reputation in Taiyuan.
Here you will find a variety of goods ranging from stationery, clothes and food to household appliances and cosmetics.

Tianlong Dasha (Tianlong Building)
Situated at the junction of Yingze Dajie and Xinjian Lu, Tianlong Dasha is one of China's 100 top large retail stores.

Large Supermarkets

Meet All United Supermarket
Location: No. 40, Jinci Lu Yi Duan, Taiyuan City

Huayu Storage Supermarket
Location: in Liu Xiang, the most bustling commercial area in Taiyuan. It has a number of branches in the city.

Hualian Supermarket
Neighboring Jian Cao Ping, Jiefang Bei Lu of Taiyuan, is this very large supermarket. It attracts many customers by its discounted prices; however, it is necessary to have a membership card to enjoy the benefits.

Tangjiu Shopping Center
Located on the Jianshe Nan Lu, this shopping center was established by the Sugar & Wine Company and it is possible to buy drinks and wine at more competitive prices than elsewhere. In some of the residential areas the company has branches that open on a 24 hour basis for your convenience.

Tianlong Supermarket
The Tianlong Supermarket is situated on Taoyuan Bei Lu. There is a snack area on the second floor and the food here is very reasonably priced. It is also a place for a rest.