A warren of shikumen — Shanghai's distinctive lane-house tenements — in the southern French Concession, converted in the 2000s into a dense little arts-and-crafts quarter. Around 200 small shops sell ceramics, paintings, T-shirts, jewellery and souvenirs; the lanes are too narrow for cars, and on a weekend afternoon the whole place is shoulder to shoulder.
It is much smaller than Xintiandi and feels more lived-in: actual residents still occupy upper floors and hang washing across the alleys. Best in the early evening when the shops are still open and the bars and cafes are filling up. Entry from Taikang Road.