When it comes to the markets in Qingdao, the most famous, largest, longest-standing and most comprehensive market is the Licun Market. The Licun Market is different from the current farmers' markets, which are open every day and mainly supply fresh vegetables, meat, aquatic products and other daily consumer foods, and are trading places for residents living in the surrounding areas as a fixed consumer group. The Licun Market has been formed for more than 100 years. Except for the artificial change of trading dates during the "-" period, which interrupted a period of time, the custom of going to the market on the second and seventh days of the lunar calendar has almost been continued. The trading varieties are varied and all-encompassing. From small items such as needles and thread, dough figurines and syrup, rattles for dolls, red hair strings for little girls, and shoes for old ladies; from large items such as tables, chairs, benches, wardrobes, color TVs, refrigerators, air conditioners, motorcycles, cars and tractors, whatever you want to buy, you can definitely find it here. If the market day happens to be a weekend, you can see that residents from dozens of miles around come here in cars, motorcycles, bicycles, taxis or donkeys. In recent years, even flower farmers from Hunan, Sichuan and Yunnan drive to the market. The market is several miles long, with stalls next to each other and points close to each other. The hawkers are hawking, bargaining, calling their children, and the horns of the rat poison sellers are blaring, making a mixed and noisy scene. People are shoulder to shoulder, rushing like crucian carp crossing the river. The maximum number of people going to the market is more than 300,000. The origin of Licun Market can be traced back to the late 19th century. According to the "Jiaoao Chronicle", on the eve of the German occupation of Qingdao, Qingdaokou, Nugukou, Banqiao Town, Jinjiakou and other places "merchants gathered and traded goods", "crowds of people came every day, and there were all kinds of acrobatics, small performances, big books, yangko, and Jianghu tricks". Due to the seaport, the folk commodity trade in Qingdao and its surrounding areas had already formed a scale at that time, which not only met the needs of urban residents in Qingdao, but also radiated to the entire Jiaodong Peninsula and the central, northern and southern regions of Shandong, and quickly promoted the commodity trade market around Qingdao. At that time, Licun was just an ordinary small village, no different from the surrounding villages such as Henanzhuang, Wangbuzhuang and Yanggezhuang. However, Licun is located close to Qingdao and in the center of several villages, with convenient transportation. The most important point is that Licun has a unique and spacious Licun River beach, which is very suitable for buying and selling livestock, purlins for building houses, sorghum straw and other bulk items in the dry season. The Licun River rarely floods for a few days a year, and basically all transactions can be made on the river beach, making the market gradually fixed. The unique geographical location of Licun determines that it has become the political, cultural and economic center of the suburbs of Qingdao. It is also the fundamental reason why the Licun Market has been prosperous for a hundred years. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, the things sold in the market were basically some things used by farmers, such as old clothes, wood, grain, and livestock. There were also people who often sold their children and women to make a living. In the twelfth lunar month, the rich were busy celebrating the New Year, while the poor were "getting through the customs". After working hard for a year, there was little left after paying off the debts. Girls at home were waiting to wear new clothes, boys were waiting to eat something good, and the hungry children and elderly parents were all waiting to get back their hard-earned money for the New Year. Although there was no market on the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month every year, it was still lively. Those who came to buy things were all poor farmers. There were many poor people who came to the market on the 30th day, which was also called the "poor market". The custom of going to the market on the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month has continued to this day, but it is no longer a "poor market". People who have been busy for a year will see what they lack for the New Year at home, and they will quickly buy it on this day. The livestock market at Licun Market is now gone, replaced by the car and tractor market. But it is also quite interesting to recall the brokers who "poked dogs' teeth" at the livestock market at that time. When selling mules, horses, oxen and other large animals at the market, people usually have to find a "poker" to negotiate the price, now called an "economic man". The seller sets a price based on his own animals and the market conditions at the market and tells the "poker". The buyer also needs to ask a "poker" to tell him the animals he wants and the price. Two "pokers" will bargain together in a unique way. They hold hands and cover their hands with a piece of black cloth or clothes, just like "guessing and guessing" to start the transaction. As for how many fingers represent how much money, only the two of them know. Finally, the black cloth is removed, and the two fists are clenched together, and the deal is done. The transaction price is generally satisfactory to both the buyer and the seller. In this way, the "poker" not only earns the "commission", but also keeps the price difference. These people did not have to work in the fields at that time and belonged to the relatively wealthy class. During the "-" period, in order to combat "speculation" and "long-distance trafficking" and completely "cut off the tail of capital chasing", the country implemented a "5th and 10th" market, so that "second-hand dealers" could not resell this and that. However, on the "second seventh" of the lunar calendar, the Licun Market still couldn't stop people from trading secretly. In the suburbs of Qingdao, there is still a custom of posting couplets during the New Year. In the New Year's market in the twelfth lunar month, standing at the bridge head and looking, a row of red "couplet walls" stretch for hundreds of meters, coupled with the red cotton-padded jackets of young girls and young wives, and the smiles on their faces. The market is full of spring, no matter whether you buy or sell, you don't care, there is no bargaining and worthless quarrels in the past. Times have changed, and the appearance of Licun Market, the goods traded, and the trading methods have changed a lot. The newly emerging flower and bird, cultural relics, and pet markets in Licun Market in recent years are very lively. Flower farmers and artists showed off their unique skills and brought flowers and rare plants of various colors and shapes, including iron trees, palm trees, and evergreens in Guangdong; rhododendrons, camellias, and mimosas in Yunnan; osmanthus, gardenias, and night lilacs in Jiangsu and Zhejiang; and clivias, wintersweets, and begonias in the northeast. They are all vying for beauty, with strange shapes, bee flying saucer dances, and blooming in competition, attracting market goers who love to "get involved in flowers and plants" to take a few pots home to taste carefully. At the ornamental fish market, the naive "Wangtian", the sparkling "Pearl" with golden wings, the fear-inducing "Bubble", and the mighty and brave "Crane's Head Red" are set off by white pots, forming a picture of a colorful harvest of "abundance every year". In fact, the most popular one is the Laoshan specialty seabed jade that makes stone collectors jealous. Seabed jade, also known as Laoshan green stone, is produced at the foot of Fengshan Mountain on the shore of Yangkou Bay in Laoshan. There are two green stone veins winding into the sea. One is eastward, the stone is black and hard, called "Laoshan Daiyu"; the other is southeastward, the stone is green and soft, called "Laoshan Cuiyu". Laoshan green stone is colorful and moist, and is a precious ornamental stone in China. There are many collectors in successive dynasties. In the 36th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign in the Qing Dynasty, Bai Bi, the deputy general of Jimo, presented two green stones to Emperor Kangxi, who was very pleased and couldn't let them go. Since then, the value of green stone has doubled, and the trend of seeking stones by literati and scholars has gradually become popular. The Laoshan green stone market at the big market naturally attracted the attention of many stone lovers. Now the limited Laoshan green stone resources have almost disappeared due to unlimited development, and only a star and a half piece can be dug during high tide. Therefore, some scheming people mixed the Rizhao black stone with similar stone quality and color with pearls, and disguised it to enter the elegant hall. However, the luster and pattern of Rizhao stone are much inferior, and it can only deceive some stone buyers who do not know the real thing. Insiders can see the clues at a glance. If the market goers who do not know Laoshan green stone want to buy authentic genuine products, it is best to ask insiders who know stones to accompany them to choose, so as to prevent buying fakes. The pet market where cats and dogs are barking can buy rare pets from all over the world. Rare dog breeds include Qujia, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, hunting dogs include dachshund, beagle, working dogs include Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Wolfhound, and toy dogs include poodle, Yorkshire, and Pomeranian. These famous dogs seem to know that their owners are going to sell them, and they all lie quietly on the ground waiting for new owners. The car market in Licun Market is one of the largest in the country. The river beach for parking has been hardened with granite, so there is no need to worry about muddy and slippery roads on rainy days. The huge parking lot is divided into stalls for large trucks, small trucks, mini cars, family cars, taxis, etc. People loudly introduce the performance of cars, bargain, and test drive in Qingdao dialect with the roar of engines. Let's take a look at the taxi market first. There are more than 100 taxis neatly arranged in a row, polished to a bright shine. "2000 car, all-inclusive 120,000", "80% new car, transfer included 180,000". All-inclusive means that the seller bears all the expenses of the vehicle transaction, such as transaction fees, transaction taxes, transfer fees and other expenses. Each car is hung with a small homemade sign, stating the age and price of the car and who will bear the transaction costs. The average transaction volume of the car market reaches more than 100 vehicles per episode, and now it is mainly rental and private cars. From time to time, a few large trucks with heavy loads can also be sold. The transaction amount of each episode can reach tens of millions. Qingdao people silently watch the development and changes of Licun Market, and feel the evolution of the times from it. (No pictures available, please provide them.) (No pictures available, please provide them.)