Tian Ning Market is one of the best places in Yangzhou to score a rare, unusual gift. Chinese art and antique stores line the courtyard’s outer edge and are open seven days a week. On the weekends the market is often very crowded and busy, as the courtyard generally fills  up with vendors selling anything from old coins and jade bracelets to ear pickers and carved wooden dragons. Don’t forget to bargain hard!

The temple (天宁寺) is the big red structure just north of Yanfu Road (盐阜路) and just west of the Yangzhou Hotel(扬州宾馆). The actual temple itself behind the courtyard is now the Yangzhou museum, another worthwhile visit.

   Let the bargaining begin    

Yanfu Road is also a great street to shop for Chinese collectibles, including Yangzhou’s famous lacquer ware for which there are several shops. There is also an interesting old book store and numerous calligraphy shops as well.

Local bus routes: No. 1, 4, 8, 20.

Yangzhou saw an unprecedented amount of Arab traders during the Tang and Song Dynasties, and among them was the famous descendant of Muhammed named Puhaddin. While in Yangzhou he preached to fellow Islamic merchants, and he built the Xianhe (immortal crane) temple, which today is closed to non-Muslims. His tomb lies in a peaceful garden on a hill along the east bank of the old Grand Canal. The tomb features a unique blend of Muslim and Chinese influence. The graves of twenty other important Chinese Muslims, inscribed in both Chinese and Arabic, can also be found alongside Puhaddin's tomb. The tomb of Puhaddin is yet another reminder of Yangzhou's long standing international importance, and makes for a peaceful visit as well.  

Running parallel to the busy Wenchang Road is a quiet ancient back alley that contains a host of sites well worth visiting. The alley's main gate/entrance dates back to the Qing Dynasty. Small restaurants and craft shopss line the alley, yet it thankfully lacks any sense of commercialization. Other small alleys jet off to the sides, and wooden doors representing multiple eras of China's lengthy history serve as a backdrop to residents sitting on stools, smiling at passersby. Former Chinese president, and Yangzhou native, Jiang Zemin even has a residence in this alley.

Further down the alley lies one of the best preserved ancient residences in Yangzhou, that of the salt merchant Wang Shi (汪氏小苑). This residence and its nearby offshooting alleys allow for a unique opportunity to look into China's past and observe what has already been demolished in most other Chinese cities. The maze-like residence is a bit dusty and less renovated than other sights, which likely assist in making it feel as if you are walking on a piece of history.

Just east of this area is the Qiong Hua Temple (琼花观) and garden. The former temple, fronted by two 300 year old Gingko trees, is now an art gallery featuring rotating exhibitions of calligraphy and paintings by local artists. Behind the gallery is the quiet Qiong Hua garden which contains an abundance of Yangzhou’s city flower, the qiong hua. This flower was actually part of what drew emperors to Yangzhou for their spring tours.