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Beijing Shopping

Shopping in Beijing is becoming more and more convenient. Every year new shopping centers, plazas and malls are sprouting up all over the capital. Just 20 years ago there were only a few department stores and small bazaars, but now there are many superstores, mega-malls and markets and boutiques where you can buy just about anything you need.

There are various places to go for shopping, depending on what you expect and the prices you are prepared to pay.

Beijing Shopping Areas
Wangfujing Street	Qianmen Street	The Silk Market
Pianjiayuan Market	Beijing Curio City	Hongqiao Market
Yaxiu Market	Liulichang Antique Street	Liangma Collection Market
Gaobeidian Antique Furniture Street	Baiguosi Culture Market	Jianguomenwai Street
Lai Tai Lady's St.	Xidan Shopping Area	Tongrentang Pharmacy
Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop

Top Things to Buy in Beijing
Porcelain	Cloisonne	Lancquerware	Handcraft
Silk	Painting & Calligraphy	Jade	Books

Beijing Shopping Areas:

Wangfujing Street
As the most famous commercial area of Beijing, Wangfujing is located at the northern side of Changan Avenue at the center of the city. With a long history of more than 700 years, it came into being in the Yuan Dynasty. In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, there was the earliest business activity. Wangfujing became a commercial center when the Dong An Market was founded here in 1903. The street is less than one kilometer long, but it is crowded with specialty and long-history shops, which are full of modern atmosphere and high taste. Now it is considered as the sister street of Champs Elysees in France. Besides of its modern feature, the street also preserves the Chinese traditional style, such as the Oriental Plaza, Gongmei Building, Wangfujing Department Store, Muslim Building, Sun Dong An Plaza and so on. The street absorb 500,000 people everyday to feel its attractive charm.

Qianmen Street
Qianmen is just in the south of the Tiananmen Square. The Qianmen Street was a commercial center of Beijing more than 500 years ago. If you are interested in the Chinese traditional products, then it will be a good place to go. Qianmen area has been remedied as per the architecture style of the Ming and Qing Dynasty. Now the old and famous shops just like the Quanjude, Pianyi Workshop, Douyichu, all of which are the representative of the Chinese traditional culture, are congested there. Indubitably, the atmosphere of the Chinese traditional culture will be felt.

The Silk Market
This is a seven story building which has everything included. Just as its name, the Silk Street is full of the beautiful silk products (pyjamas, robes, shirts, scarves and so on )as well as the textiles (cashmere scarves, clothes of all types, tableclothes, etc.), and handcrafts. Besides of these, the Silk Street has much more than just silk. The new Silk Street have introduced traditional Chinese handicrafts, antiques, calligraphy, carpets, table cloths, bed coverings, paintings, hand-knit dresses, toys, electronic gadgets, trinkets, and fine jewelry. Everything here can be had cheaper than at any of the stores in the city, but remember to make the bargain for it.
It is located about 1km east of Friendship Store, Exit A from the Yonganli subway station of Subway Line 1.

Panjiayuan Market
For many foreign tourists to Beijing, Panjiayuan Market is a must see activity. As the largest antiques market of its kind both in China and Asia, the Panjianyuan Market is made up of more than 3,000 individual stalls covering 48,500 square meters. There is really a market for everbody to come, even Hilary Clinton has shopped here.
All kind of souvenirs are available for sale. There are reproductions from the late Qing Dynasty as well as real stuff from the Cultural Revolution era. What is known to the Chinese as the “four treasure of the study”(writing brush, ink stick, paper and ink slab), old books and paintings, ancient Chinese and foreign coins, Buddhist relics, customes of ethnic minorities, apparels are also can be found here. You'd better go there on weekends. The Antique zone is open everyday, but the Arts and Crafts Warehouse Zone is on Saturday and Sunday only.
Add: West of Panjiayuan Bridge (between Panjiayuan Bridge and Huawei Bridge), in the Chaoyang district.
Opening hours
8:30 - 18:30 from Monday to Friday
4:30 - 18:30 Saturday and Sunday

Beijing Curio City
Perfect for old and antique artifacts, as one of the Asia's largest curio distribution center, the curio city covers an area of 23,400 square meters with about 500 stores. Its main business scope covers a wide ring of ancient porcelain, clocks, paintings, jade, carving, antique furniture, jewelry and carpet. To wander around the curio city will enlarge your knowledge about the Chinese Culture. At the same time, these ancient art treasures will make your eyes dazzled.
Add: No.21, 3rd East Ring South Road, Chaoyang District (South of Panjiayuan Market).
Tel: 010-6774 7711

Hongqiao Market
Hongqiao is a Beijing shopping favorite, not because it is relax but because it has anything you want to find, such as antiques, jewelry, clothes, food, souvenirs, gifts, toys, shoes etc. Although the quality of the goods is not always the best, but for the prices it is about what you can afford. Rather chaotic but you will have fun poking around.
It is located in the south central area of Beijing, just opposite the northeastern entrance to the Temple of Heaven.
Add: Tiantan East Road, Chongwen District (Almost opposite the East Gate to the Temple of Heaven)

Yaxiu Market
Located at the west side of Sanlitun Bar St. and near to the second embassy area, Yaxiu is another famous clothing bazaar. The items here are a little similar to the Silk Market, but the price is much cheaper. The little overlap between stalls are crowed by the foreign trade cloth, traditional handcrafts, and accessories. You also can also create your own body-skimming Qipao dress at the indoor market. The tailor and fabric vendors occupy the third floor. Choose from a rainbow of silks and flip through the stylebook to find your perfect Chinese-girl look. The time to tailor just need 24 hours and the cost is less than 200 yuan. At the end, do not forget to make the bargain.
Add: No.58, Worker's Stadium North Road, Chaoyang District

Liulichang Antique Street
Liulichang ( Liu Li Chang - colored Glazed Plant ) is an antique culture street in Beijing. It is located south of Hepingmen Subway Station, just next to Hepingmen Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant. Liulichang ( Colored Glazed Plant ) gets its name in Ming Dynasty when the government established Colored Glazed Plant to produce fired colored glaze tiles to meet the need of royalty. Liulichang is 750m long with a long history from Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The area is really a good place to these who love the Chinese culture.

Liangma Collection Market
With a history of over than 10 years, the market covers an area of 5,000 square metres. It mainly trades in worthful figuline, iade article, clock, camera, paints, carper, furniture of Ming and Qing Dynasty as well as house-hold decorate.
Add: No.59, Liangma Road, Chaoyang District
Tel: 010-64621625

Gaobeidian Antique Furniture Street
With a development of 10 years, Gaobeidian Antique Furniture Street has come into being a characteristic culture street offering classical furniture. The Gaobeidian classical furniture street is a good stage for representing and trading Chinese Traditional furniture; the main type of the furniture is of Ming and Qing Dynasty. Vendors and buyers from all China, even from many parts of the world.
Add: Gaobeidian, Chaoyang District

Baoguosi Temple Culture Market
It is the most centralize and professional market for the age-old money. So the big difference between Baoguosi Culture Market and other antique markets is that Baoguosi market is well focused on ancient coins, old ppaper money and old books.
Add: No.1, Baoguo Temple, Guanganmennei, Xuanwu District

Jianguomenwai Street
Jianguomenwai Street is a famous metropolitan area, which nowadays has developed into a slap-up shopping centre, such as Friendship Store, Guiyou Department Store, Scitech Plaza and the China World Shopping Mall.
Jianguomenwai St. is not very far away from Tiananmen square, so it is a convenient place to do the shopping.

Lai Tai Lady's St.
Best known for being on the name"lady street" and next to and alleyway called "Lady Dressing Plaza", the new Lai Tai Lady's St. is one of the biggest non-clothes, but for flowers market on the east side of Beijing. Especially in the old days, strolling in Lai Tai is a perfect idea, as the huge of flowers, plants and orchids is attractive, even if you do not buy it. And there are also about 20 shops selling aquariums and aquarium equipment. Note that, the south side of the Liangmehe, opposite the Lufthansa Centre, smaller Lai Tai still exists behind Duty Nellies.
Add: Near the Lufthansa business district

Xidan Shopping Area
Situated in Xidan North St., west of Tiananmen square, Xiandan, a up-market commercial area, is a famous centre for commerce, entertainment and dinning, just like the US department store.
The market is oriented to different costumer groups, providing mid-and high-quality commodities and highlighting the distinctive feature of professionalsm and completeness to meet the needs of people. There are a lot of old and new shops here such as: Xidan Shopping Center, Xidan Bazaar, Chung-Yo Department Store, Huanan Mansion, Paris Photo Studio, Weiwei Bride Wedding Dress Photo Studio and Capital Bookstore.
Add: go straight to north around 100 meters from Xidan subway stop of Line 1.

Tongrentang Pharmacy
As the oldest Chinese apothecary, Tongrongtang is located at the south of Tiananmen. It is founded in 1669 and worked as the royal patronage in 1861. With the development of the more the 300 years, today it has expanded to have a large show-room outside Beijng. The shop is set-up by the Chinese traditional style at the frontage and interior. There are a lot of pictures of the famous ancient Chinese physicians and pharmacists.
Now it has developed more than 3,000 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine, medical herbs and tables and liquid medicines. With the worldwide interest in the Chinese Traditional Medicine, it has established many branches in Beijing as well as in whole China, HongKong, London and Sydney and more.
Add: No.255, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District

Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop
Well-known, China is the hometown of the Tea. Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop, another old-brand store, was established in the 34th year of Emperor Guangxu's regign in the Qing Dynasty (1910). The name of the tea shop, "yiyuan" means a successful beginning and continuous development. Zhangyiyuan has always been famed for its various descriptions, fine quality as well as reasonable price. All kind of teas can be available at Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop, such as the famous Longjing, Biluochun as well as the Silver Needle. As a whole, there are more than 200 kinds of tea provided by Zhangyiyuan in order to meet the different needs of the customers both home and abroad. The tea is divided into black tea, scented tea and health tea according the northerners'taste.
Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop has established many branches, in this way its line of operation will be expanded and the time-honored brand will be further developed.
Add: No.173, Zhushikou West Street, Xuanwu District

Top Things to Buy in Beijing:

Antiques
A good place to find a wide selection of antiques is at Liulichang, Panjiayuan and Beijing Curio City. This area has everything from scrolls, to jade articles to decadesold cigarette ad posters. There are definitely treasures to be found here, but it is hard to tell genuine antiques from dirty fakes. Real antiques are supposed to bear a red official seal that proves their authenticity, but sometimes real ones don't have it and fake ones do. The best attitude to have is: if you like it and you can bargain down to a price you can accept, just go for it. Small jade articles and silver trinkets make great presents for people at home and they are easy to take on the plane.

Porcelain
Porcelain, the original China, is still a major industry, producing dinner services, figurines and reproductions of antique vases, teapots and the like. The finest porcelain in the world can be easily purchased in China.

Cloisonne
Cloisonne is a unique art form that originated in Beijing during the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368). Cloisonne(enamel formed in patterns of copper wire) is an art form developed in the 15th century, and now used to decorate vases, bowls, lamps, jewelry and omaments.

Lacquerware
Lacquerware consists of up to 500 coats of lacquer applied to a copper base and carved into designs. The colors are red, green, yellow and black, while favorite patterns show flowers, birds, landscapes and figures. Lacquer is used for vases, plates, bowls and figures. Lacquer is used for vases, plates, bowls and screens. Some lacquerware is inlaid with gold, mother-of -pearl or jade, to decorate folding screens and furniture which are genuine works of art.

Silk
Silk, which has brought fame to China, can be readily found in a dazzling array of colors, patterns and textures. While large State-owned stores like the Beijing Yuanlong Silk Corporation, Ltd. Can be trusted for quality and offer ready-made clothes as well as a complete array of fabric, private markets like Silk Market and Yaxiu Market sell all kinds of silk clothing from shirts, underwear and trousers, to pajamas and bedspreads at negotiable brices. Most vendors at the markets are self-employed and speak some English. All the products are marked in Western sizes. Chinese long gowns are considered the most elegant garment most suitable for women's figures. Silk gowns can be a truly longlasting and useful item to purchase in China for yourself or as gifts for those special people back home.

Jade
Jade is regarded by the Chinese as a stone descended from heaven. They value its hard, cool texture and translucent colors. It is extremely difficult to carve but China's craftsmen create incredibly intricate ornaments and jewelry from jade.

Painting and callgraphy
Painting and callgraphy works are found in hundreds of stores. They vary in age, quality and price with the finest being true works of art. The brushes, ink slabs, ink and paper that were the scholars traditional tools can be found in most antique shops. One of the best sources is the China Book Store, off the courtyard-parking in East Liulichang.

Handicraft
Clay figurines and animals can be traced back to 1840s, and are still one of the most unique crafts in North China.

Dough modeling is another traditional folk art handed down from ancient times. Kneaded in half-cooked glutinous rice flour, dough figures, flowers and birds are popular small toys and exhibits in Beijing.

Papercutting is one of the most popular handicrafts in Beijing. There is a wider variety of papercutting patterns available than you can imagine.

Kites can be used as ornaments and toys. One of China's favorite past times is flying kites, especially in Beijing where there is usually plenty of wind around to send them soaring into the sky. Available in many art and craft stores, kites are among the best Chinese presents to friends back home.

Snuff bottles, with paintings inside, represent a popular art from the Qing Dynasty and make excellent small gifts. You and your friends will marvel for years on how the artist paints such intricate drawings on the inside of these very small bottles.

Bone products, made from oxen and camel bones, include knives, forks, spoons, bracelets and necklaces.

Embroidery & drawn work appear on table cloths, napkins, sheets and handkerchiefs, all of which are excellent buys, the Beijing Yuanlong Silk Corporation, Ltd. has a wide selection.

Books
Every year 20,000 book titles and 1,300 periodicals are published in Beijing, home of the Commercial Press and other well-known publishing houses. They make up a small part of the stock of the city's major book shops, where you can find beautiful art books, translations of Chinese classics and textbooks on all known subjects. Prices are reasonable, particularly in the Foreign Languages Bookstores.

The Beijing Foreign Languages Bookstore and Beijing Xinhua Bookstore (with 137 branches around town) are major book sellers. The China Book Store in Liulichang binds and repairs all kinds of books and periodicals as well as selling them. Another good place for books is Haidian book street near Beijing University.

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