As one of the historic capitals of China, Beijing has long been an attractive place for skilled craftsmen to come and seek patronage. For this reason, it is possible to find some of the best examples of Chinese craftsmanship in this city. The so-called "4 famous characters" of handicrafts: cloisonné, ivory carvings, jade objects, and carved lacquer ware are prime examples. Other enticing art pieces and cultural items include the "4 treasures" of Chinese scholarly tradition (the Chinese writing brush, ink sticks, ink wells, and paper), Chinese calligraphy and paintings, silk embroidery, jewelry and stone chops carved with one's name (another symbol of the Chinese scholarly tradition). For those travelers who prefer folk handicrafts, traditional figurines made from clay, dough or silk, colorful kites and paper-cuts are fascinating pieces to add to any collection. Similarly, many travelers buy Chinese musical instruments to play or just as ornaments. In recent years, traditional Chinese furniture and antique furniture have become more popular and fashionable.
Beyond the traditional, since China opened its doors to the outside world, many large modern department stores and shopping centers have appeared in Beijing. World famous international brands have also settled down here. Read about the major shopping areas in Beijing below or search our shopping index for shopping centers and other options.
Places to shop
Qianmen Street
Qianmen Street has been a commercial area for centuries, overflowing with many traditional shops including Chinese medicine shops, silk shops, tea shops, and also some Chinese snack shops, such as Duyichu. Duyichu is famous for its steamed "shaomai", which are wrappers filled with meat-flavored sticky rice. Beyond the traditional, the Qianmen Street area has some of the largest department stores in Beijing, including Xinxin Clothing Store, the largest clothing store in Beijing. Qianmen offers a good range of shopping options such as the Dazhalan No.1 and No.2 Department Stores, as well as the Ladies' Goods Store and the Children's Goods Stores. Before you leave the Qianmen area, be sure to enjoy the show at the Laoshe Teahouse, inspired by the novel Teahouse, by the author Laoshe.
Wangfujing Street
Wangfujing is one of the most bustling sections of Beijing and is a favorite shopping destination. Here you will find all manner of goods for sale, from watches to fine clothing, and modern electronics to Chinese antiques. For the foreign traveler, the Foreign Language Bookstore might be of special interest, as they carry many novels in various western languages and also various Chinese language study books.
On Wangfujing Street itself, one can also find many good places to get a bite to eat, including a Dunkin' Donuts and one of the largest McDonald's in China. Of course, there are also places for Chinese food, such as places for Beijing Roast Duck. All in all Wangfujing is a great place to get out there and shop!
Xidan Commercial Street
Xidan is a prosperous retail and commercial street that has developed mostly as a result of the fierce competition that followed economic reforms. The famous Xidan Department Store, the Xidan Shopping Center, the Xiangyun Chinese Fine Goods Store, a street market and a gorgeous flower market are all found here. Like other shopping districts in the city, Xidan is a mixture of both new and old stores, offering a wide range of goods for your shopping convenience. Xidan's street market comes alive at night and is a good place to pick up some bargains. The Beijing Subway has a station at Xidan.
Liulichang Culture Street
Originally, Liulichang was known as a street for antique dealers, where the great families of Beijing might go to sell their heirlooms to get through hard times. Now famous for the sale of Chinese cultural items, Liulichang Street attracts tourists and customers from all over China and the world. The area consists of about 100 shops dealing in traditional antiques, crafts, rugs, tapestries, art and other cultural objects. Even traditional Chinese lanterns can be found in this culturally-rich shopping district. For those who like beautiful things, look for cloisonné (jintailan), jewelry, and jade objects. For those who are interested in the more literary side of Chinese history, the "4 treasures" of Chinese scholarly tradition (the Chinese writing brush, ink sticks, ink wells, and paper) as well as all kinds of Chinese calligraphy and painting can be found here. The more musically oriented traveler may be interested in purchasing a traditional Chinese musical instrument. All in all, Liulichang is an excellent place to do some shopping for all things culturally Chinese. Nevertheless, watch out for the high prices. Local shop owners know their products are in high demand and some haggling might be required.
Silk Alley
In the neighborhood around the US Embassy in the Jianguomenwai area, Silk Alley is a fantastic place to practice your haggling skills. There you will find alley after alley of stalls selling a variety of goods. Besides the Chairman Mao cigarette lighters and great souvenir stuff, the best thing to buy here is clothing. Cotton, silk, thick coats, and leather goods are especially plentiful. In fact, for the able bargainer, Silk Alley is paradise. Go prepared and ready to bargain.
Haggling tip #1: Whatever price they say, ask for 50 to 60% of that price and stick to it!
Haggling tip #2: Always be ready to walk away from a stall if their price doesn't come down or you feel the price is too high. They may well break down and give you the price you demanded.
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