The Market

The outdoor market comes to life every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. What is usually a nondescript side-road begins to bristle with activity as local vendors set up shop in the early morning hours. By the time we arrive at nine the crowd has reached something approaching a swarm, mopeds laden with goods are weaving in and out of the crowd on the side walks. 

Just inside the gate we are greeted with freshly cut pork hanging from butcher's hooks suspended by chains. Ahead on the right several farmers are selling the fresh produce and spices they have harvested over the past week. On the left people try to turn a profit selling random wholesale goods roughly arranged into related categories and spread out across their blankets, the market itself is structured in a similar hodgepodge manner. 

Farther down the street the smell of fish fills the air; fish that were alive just moments ago are being scaled and filleted to order right next to me on the curb. Beyond the curb are rows of more permanent shops selling a variety of tea from different provinces in China. These more permanent storefronts are also home to a place we fondly refer to as Techno Cushion due to their penchant for blasting techno music outside of their fabric/cushion store**. 

Along the outskirts of the market people bring various plants and animals to sell resulting in a fun hybrid between pet shop and plant nursery. Cactus lady does the most business due to her low prices and quality cactus soil, equally worthy of attention are the puppies and many fine bonsai trees on display.

Lately, the highlight of the market has been the stone vendors who are in town for two weeks. They come from all over China, many of them making the trek all the way from Xinjiang province to display their works, jade carvings are the size of a refrigerator, intricate landscapes of soapstone. Often times only parts of the stone are carved away to create the effect of a wooded village nestled into the crag of a huge mountain. My favorite piece is carved out of turquoise jade, giving it the feel of an Atlantis-like village. Very cool.

*Most foods at the market are sold by weight, the local unit of measure is the jin which is equivalent to roughly half a kilogram. The question, “Duo shao qian yi jin?” comes in handy at the market and translates as “How much money per jin?”

**This is a popular trend in China. Other local favorites of ours include Techno Chicken and Techno Smoothie.