Tuesday 02 October - B

Xin Qao Jie shopping centre

The fire hose - do not use

As I wrote yesterday, I was going to the Confucius Temple, but was distracted on the way by Fushan (Blue Mountain) Park.

I had almost arrived at the temple by a circuitous route when I happened on what appeared to be a small run-down shopping centre on Xin Qao Jie (Xinqao St). Everything was decrepit, including the fire hose – I hope there isn’t a fire!

Furniture shop

Whilst taking a photo I was attracted by a shop that appeared to have wooden carved furniture. Although not my taste, there was no denying the quality of the work.

Rock shop

Looking further in, there was an assortment of shops selling antiques, jade jewelry, jade carvings  and river rocks. Not any river rocks, but interestingly weathered, and some were housed in glass cases with purpose-made stands. There is obviously a market for them and they didn’t look cheap.

In the centre was a small temple – and I mean small – approximately 3x5m with a tent-like annex. Next to it was what looked like an entrance to underground toilets, so I thought I’d investigate.

Amazingly, at the bottom of the stairs was an enormous fully air-conditioned shopping centre. It was filled with immaculate small specialist shops, including one where I bought some Chinese-English posters.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, especially given what it looked like at street level.

Entrance to the underground
shopping mall

The mall entrance and small temple
from above

Inside the underground
shopping mall

A Chinese-English
poster of animals

I found out later that, further along the street, was the main, more modern, entrance. I had gone in the back way. There must be an amazing history about how this whole complex grew and developed.

In the next post, I arrive at the Confucius Temple, really.