Plan at a glance
Walk all three connected street sections
The Liuxiang commercial district is in central Yingze District, Taiyuan, broadly stretching from Fudong Street in the north to Yingze Street in the south and Jiefang Road in the west. Liuxiang, Zhonglou Street (钟楼街; Bell Tower Street) and Shipin Street (食品街; Food Street) connect with one another. There is no single physical fence or overall entrance, and the streets are free to enter without a reservation. They are open urban streets rather than one attraction with a single closing time.
The district is open throughout the day. Shops generally begin closing around 22:00–22:30, and night lighting may also switch off around then. Temporary crowd controls can appear during holidays or New Year celebrations. Shop hours, lighting and traffic follow the day; one shop's schedule does not represent the whole district.
How much time to allow
Allow 1.5–2 hours for Bell Tower Street and Food Street with the main photography stops. Add Liuxiang, Wenying Park and Chunyang Palace for 3–4 hours. A dedicated evening walk can take 2–3 hours, focusing on the period from the lights coming on until shops begin to close.
Tickets and visit details
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Bell Tower Street's buildings and lanes
Bell Tower Street is the core section of this overview route. Along it are the reconstructed bell tower, Republican-era-style buildings, Jiangyuan Lane, Boot Lane and Nancang Lane. The reconstructed bell tower was completed during the district renovation in 2021, based on old photographs from 1909. It is a contemporary street landmark, not an ancient original.
Food Street and Liuxiang
Food Street connects to the west end of Bell Tower Street and is convenient for placing snacks in the middle of a walk. Queues and taste at Shangdi Fried Chicken, Yangji Guanchang and Hengyicheng Laoshuku Glutinous-Rice Balls vary by time of day. The east end of Bell Tower Street connects to Liuxiang, which retains the shopping and everyday urban-life atmosphere of a long-established commercial street. Choose restaurants based on what is open when you arrive.
Wenying Park and Chunyang Palace
To slow the route down after the busy streets, continue to Wenying Park or Chunyang Palace on Qifeng Street. Wenying Park is suitable for a walk and a rest. Chunyang Palace is known for its architectural layout of nine courtyards based on the Eight Trigrams. Neither belongs to the district's shared operation, so check its opening separately.
Build your day
The 1.5–2-hour short route
Exit Taiyuan Metro Line 2 at Fuxi Street Station, Exit C, and enter Bell Tower Street first. Follow the main street to photograph the “I Love Taiyuan” heart wall and retro poster wall, then walk west to Food Street. Choose Shangdi Fried Chicken or Yangji Guanchang according to the queue, finish your snack and leave from Food Street, or continue east back to Liuxiang. This route focuses on photographs and snacks rather than trying every shop.
The 3–4-hour daytime route
Start at Bell Tower Street and sample a small portion at places such as Hengyicheng Laoshuku Glutinous-Rice Balls. Cross Food Street, then continue into Liuxiang for the modern commercial section. If you want a rest, extend the route to Wenying Park and Chunyang Palace, then leave from the most convenient metro station or call a car on a main road. The park, palace and open streets each have their own closing arrangements.
The 2–3-hour evening route
Start at Food Street around dusk. Once the lights come on, walk east through Bell Tower Street, photograph the reconstructed bell tower and main street, then continue along the main road to Shanxi Hotel and Wuyi Square before finishing at Shouyi Gate (首义门). Shanxi Hotel usually has night lighting, but the lighting time may change. Lighting and shop closing are not fixed year-round arrangements, so organise the return before the crowds begin to thin.
Get there
Metro and bus
Take Metro Line 2 to Fuxi Street Station and walk about 380 metres from Exit C into the central area. You can also get off at Kaihua Temple Street Station and walk to Bell Tower Street or Food Street. Buses 10, 25 and 808 are possible options; get off at “Liuxiang”, “Bell Tower Street” or “Food Street”, and account for road closures when choosing the approach.
Ride-hailing and driving
For ride-hailing, set Bell Tower Street or Food Street as the destination. Weekend and evening peaks are prone to congestion. Roads in the central area are narrow, crowds are heavy, and parking is limited and may be expensive, so public transport is usually easier. If you must drive, park outside the busiest area and walk rather than entering the crowded main street.
Know before you go
Photography stops and walking
Photograph the bell tower from the square at a low angle, or use an allowed higher viewpoint for an overview of the street. The “Taiyuan” escalator in Jiangyuan Lane, the white “Taiyuan” wall in Boot Lane and Nancang Lane fit naturally into the return section. Some streets use old stone paving, and photographers should leave room for pedestrians during busy periods. The full walk can exceed 10,000 steps, so wear comfortable shoes.
Food and personal safety
Laoshuku Glutinous-Rice Balls, Shangdi Fried Chicken, Yangji Guanchang and Shanxi dishes around Bell Tower Street are options to sample in small portions, but flavour, queues and shop hours change. Carry water when eating salty or spicy snacks. Bell Tower Street and Food Street become crowded during holidays; keep phones and wallets where you can control them, and leave at night along illuminated main roads.