Chengdu shops on two speeds: the Qingshiqiao spice stalls where Sichuan pepper is sold by the jin, and Taikoo Li's glass boxes where local designers sit beside Gucci. Between them sit brocade workshops, teahouse pottery and 6-storey wholesale towers.
Chengdu's central wet-and-dry market, open roughly 06:00–18:00. The dry-goods floor sells Hanyuan Sichuan peppercorn (¥60–120/jin), Erjingtiao chilli, dried mushrooms and Pixian doubanjiang in vacuum packs that clear customs.
Lunch inside the market district: dan dan noodles ¥8–12, zhong shui jiao dumplings ¥12, sweet-water noodles ¥10. Vendors sell the same chilli oil they cook with in screw-top jars for ¥15–25, a better souvenir than airport gift boxes.
Working drawloom hall on Caotang East Road where weavers produce Shu brocade at a few centimetres a day. The attached shop sells framed Shu embroidery from ¥400, silk scarves ¥180–600 and double-sided panels running into five figures.
The temple's east gate lane sells Zhuyeqing and Mengding Ganlu green tea by weight, plus gaiwan lidded cups in celadon and enamel. Loose tea ¥80–300 per 100g; a plain three-piece gaiwan set runs ¥60–150.
Low-rise open-plan district of grey-brick lanes around Da Ci Temple, 10:00–22:00. Beyond the luxury flagships, look for Chinese labels — Icicle, Bosie, Ubras — plus the MUJI flagship and a three-floor Fangsuo Commune bookshop-lifestyle store.
A 4,000 sqm underground bookstore-and-design store designed as a subterranean library. Sells Chinese stationery, ceramics, incense and locally designed homeware alongside 80,000 titles, with a café in the middle for a mid-shop reset.
A 1950s state electronics factory turned creative park with independent studios: screen-printed tees, vinyl, ceramics, tattoo-flash prints and local streetwear labels. Most shops open 11:00–21:00; prints ¥50–200, tees ¥120–300.
The low-rise neighbourhood behind Yulin Road West, where small independent labels, vintage resellers and jewellery studios share ground floors with bars. Vintage denim ¥150–400; handmade silver from local studios ¥200–800.
Chengdu's antiques and curio market, busiest on weekend mornings. Stalls carry Qingshen bamboo-woven porcelain (竹编瓷器), Sichuan opera face masks, Mao-era enamelware, jade and old teapots. Bamboo-clad tea sets ¥150–600.
The pedestrian lanes outside the working Chan monastery sell sandalwood beads, calligraphy brushes, hand-bound notebooks and paper-cut art. The vegetarian canteen inside serves a full tray lunch for around ¥30 — quieter than the tourist streets.
Northern Chengdu's multi-tower wholesale complex — clothing, bags, fabric, toys and stationery sold by the dozen at roughly a third of retail. Most stalls run 07:00–17:00 and close early; single-piece buying is possible but priced up.
The main pedestrian shopping spine, anchored by IFS with its rooftop climbing panda. Ground-floor and side-lane shops sell the better panda goods — felted figures, enamel pins, embroidered patches — instead of the airport plush wall.