Tang West Market

The Tang West Market, three kilometers (1.9 miles) to the west of the Bell Tower in Xi'an, was built at the original site of the west market in Chang'an city of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is a modern international shopping zone representing the splendor of Tang Dynasty and the Silk Road culture. There were two main markets in the city in the Tang Dynasty, the East Market and the West Market. The East Market was for domestic trade among the upper classes, while the West was an international trade center gathering goods from the Western world as far as Rome to the east as far as Korean peninsula. Both markets demonstrated the prosperous economy of Tang Dynasty.
Also, as the starting point of the Silk Road, the West Market witnessed the glorious business trade between China and other countries during its heyday. Every year from the 1st to the 15th of the first lunar month, a Temple Fair is held in the Tang West Market, with general admission for free.