The flower and bird market around Jingxing Street, in the old quarter of Kunming, is one of the city's oldest institutions. The name describes exactly what it sells, and the formula is common across China, but Yunnan's version is exceptional because Yunnan itself is one of the richest plant regions on earth - a province the size of Germany with more species of plant than the whole of Europe.
Flowers and plants
The flower stalls are the main event. Yunnan supplies cut flowers to much of China, and Kunming runs a wholesale flower auction that is one of the largest in Asia, but the street market is the retail, everyday version. You will find cut flowers by the bundle at prices that seem absurdly low, potted orchids, camellias, rhododendrons, bonsai, succulents and house plants, along with seeds, bulbs, tools and the elaborate pots and stands that Chinese gardeners like. Orchids are the local speciality and appear in every size and price bracket.
Birds, fish and the rest
Cages of songbirds hang along one side of the market, with birdseed and feeders to match. This is an old Chinese leisure tradition, and the birds are kept for their song rather than their colour, which surprises visitors expecting tropical species. Alongside them are goldfish, koi and aquarium tanks, small mammals, and stalls selling tea, herbs, jade and beadwork. The lanes fill with the noise of birds, water pumps and vendors, and the smell of damp earth and flowers.
Practical notes
The market is in the old town near Nanping Street, walkable from the city centre and close to Green Lake Park. It is open every day from early morning until early evening, and the best time to come is the morning, when the flower deliveries arrive and the selection is at its best. Prices are negotiable on plants and pottery, less so on tea and jade. If you are buying plants, remember that most countries prohibit importing live plant material without a phytosanitary certificate, so flowers are a pleasure rather than a souvenir.
Worth adding
The old streets around the market, including Zhengyi Fang and the surrounding lanes, have been restored and now hold teahouses, snack shops and small stores, which makes the market easy to fold into a morning of walking. Kunming's mild climate, sometimes called the city of eternal spring, means the market is full of flowers all year round rather than only in spring, and the surrounding streets are pleasant in any season.
