Shopping Around

Shopping is special in Beijing.  Many visitors are surprized by how familiar things seem at first, as most of the world's famous brand names have already set up shop in the city's state-of-the-art malls. But as with much else, what really makes the Beijing experience memorable is the combination of tradition and modernity. The very newest products and brands rub shoulders with local names whose history stretches far back before  the birth of New China. In trendy areas of the old city, small boutiques sell arts and crafts from every corner of this massive and diverse nation, while on vibrant markets you can plunge into the haggling that must accompany every successful purchase.

 

QIANMEN Yesterday Once More
On August 7, just one day before the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Olympic torch relay will pass through the brand new Qianmen Street. The 600-year-old street will thus be officially unveiled after its year-long renovation.

The street has been laid with green and white marble, and ancient archways and an opera theatre have been restored. Trams have also reappeared on the street, which is to become the second pedestrian thoroughfare in the Chinese capital, after the trailblazing Wangfujing pedestrian shopping mall.

Preserving its historic appearance and improving the living conditions of residents was the main purpose of the renovation project, according to Niu Qingshan, head of Chongwen District.

The street is about 840 metres long. Traces of Chinese history are embedded in the grey facades, elaborate wooden archway, and the street ornaments of rattle drums and bird cages. The renovation was undertaken in the style of Beijing around 1910. It wasn’t an easy job: the restoration plan was revised 32 times.

Yi Xiangliu, member of the Qianmen Street Reconstruction Committee, said, “The new street will be a combination of old and new. We are keeping the street’s original style and adding some modern style.”

Beijing’s Qianmen Street, in the centre of the capital near Tian’anmen Square, has been a bustling commercial area since as early as the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). By the time of Emperor Jiajing, the 12th Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) emperor, the street was dotted with guild halls built by different localities to provide housing to citizens taking the imperial exams.

Qianmen Street is also called Heaven Street, because 23 emperors during China’s Ming and Qing dynasties walked through this street on their way to pray and make sacrifices at the Temple of Heaven.

 

A Glimpse of the New Look

On the northern end of the street, nine buildings from the 1920s and 30s have been preserved, along with another 41 old name-brand shops with cultural and historical significance. In addition, an old-fashioned trolley car will be employed, with tickets costing no less than 4 yuan for each ride. 

 

Zhengyang Qiao

Qianmen’s Wupailou, Beijing’s largest decorative archway, is located at the street’s northern end. The renovation of Wupailou was planned according to historic pictures and documents in order to rebuild the archway as close to its original design as possible. Even the words “Zhengyang Qiao” (Zhengyang Bridge) written in gold across the archway, were arranged according to the original look.

According to the historical blueprints, a real Zhengyang Bridge should have been built here; however, this was impossible because of traffic conditions. Instead, a regular, straight bridge has been constructed in its place, allowing visitors to imagine the grandeur of the previous bridge.

 

“Diang-Diang” Vehicle

A trolley car was firstly installed on Qianmen Street in late 1924. It had no horn but a bell that rang to warn pedestrians to clear the way. Therefore, Beijingers called the vehicle the “diang-diang” vehicle. However, it was removed in 1966 after running 42 years.

With a maximum capacity of 84 passengers, the trolley car takes 10 minutes to complete its passage along Qianmen.

 

Commercial Avenue

Many businesses were born on this street, including Quanjude Restaurant, which is famous for roast duck, Da Bei Photo Studio and Qing Lin Chun Tea Shop. They are now moving back home to Qianmen.

International companies such as Starbucks, Rolex, Apple and Nike will be integrated with customized “local faces”. Chinese theaters such as Guang He Lou and the Zhong He Theater will also return to the street.

The government has earmarked 10 million yuan (US$1.46 million) annually to support these old businesses in Qianmen for at least three years so that both traditional Chinese businesses and modern global ones can develop together.

According to historical data, Qianmen Street was the path ancient Chinese emperors took to visit the Temple of Heaven. As such, during the renovation, a 2.9-meter-wide, 834-metre-long cobblestone path was recreated in the middle of Qianmen Street. Two thousand square metres of white stones and 18,000 square metres of green stones were used.

The current project to makeover Qianmen Street has brought new life to 52 old buildings and created at least seven new modern buildings.

Old name-brand edifices, including the Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant and the China Post, have also been given a new lease of life.

The middle section of the street, from Zhengyang Gate in the north to Zhushikou Street in the south will be a mix of traditional and modern buildings while its southern section will be dominated by modern ones.

 

Parking Lot

An underground parking lot is also planned for the redesign of Qianmen Street to accommodate transportation needs. About 1,000 cars will be able to park in the lot upon its completion. Engineering plans for the lot, to be located on the southern portion of the street, have been completed, and groundbreaking will begin shortly.

In addition, as there are no public toilets on Qianmen Street, the stores, buildings, and other facilities located on the street will all be equipped with restrooms for visitors, free of charge.

 

LIULICHANG
This renovated Qing Dynasty-style commercial street is famous for antiques, books and calligraphy. Its name means “glazed tile factory”: during both the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties, kilns in this area produced ceramics for the imperial palace. 

This was once a favourite haunt of scholars, painters and calligraphers. After Emperor Qianlong decided to revise the Complete Library of the Four Branches of Literature, Liulichang became a centre for research. For visiting scholars, a book-buying trip to Liulichang was one of the essential features of a stay in Beijing. Those who failed the imperial examinations are said to have headed for Liulichang to sell their books before returning home.

In his Postscript to the Bookshops of Liulichang, the bibliographer Miao Quansun (1844–1919) listed bookshops whose names had remained unchanged from the Qianlong period until the early 20th century. One of these, Hanwenzhai, was still in business during the 1950s.
Here is a description of 18th-century Liulichang by a Qing-Dynasty official named Li Wenzao: “To the south of the kilns is a bridge which separates the tile works into two sections. To the east of the bridge, the street is narrow and for the most part, the shops there sell spectacles, metal flues for household use, and daily necessities. To the west of the bridge, the road is wider, and besides the regular bookshops, there are shops selling antiques and other curios, shops specializing in books of calligraphy, scroll mounters, professional scribes, engravers of name seals and wooden blocks for painting, as well as shops where stone tablets are inscribed. Here also are shops offering the articles needed by a scholar participating in the imperial examinations: brushes, paper, ink bottles and paperweights.”
In 1949, Liulichang still had more 170 shops. In 1956, following the socialist transformation of privately owned enterprises, many of the small shops were amalgamated into the larger enterprises that can be visited today. Liulichang languished for many years until a renovation in 1982 turned it into a popular tourist attraction.

 

Jiguge

Jiguge is one of the largest stores on Liulichang. It specializes in the production, repair and sale of antique replicas and handicrafts. The store sells a range of handiworks including chinaware, calligraphy, souvenirs and the “four essentials for calligraphy” (writing brush, ink stick, ink slab and paper). The store also offers an evaluation service for antiques and runs a traditional Chinese teahouse.

 

Guyizhai

The store is operated by the Beijing Arts and Crafts Co. and the Beijing Arts and Crafts Import & Export Corporation. It sells more than 60 kinds of handicrafts and souvenirs manufactured by the Beijing Arts and Crafts Company as well as famous-brand, top-quality products from other parts of China.

 

Cathay Bookshop

Founded in 1952, the Cathay Bookshop is Beijing’s largest State-owned second-hand bookshop. It sells Chinese and foreign books as well as periodicals, rubbings from stone inscriptions, paintings and calligraphic works.

 

Rongbaozhai

Located in the west end of Liulichang, this grand, quaint and richly ornamented building sells a wide array of paintings, calligraphic works, woodblock printings and other arts and crafts. Rongbaozhai’s history can be traced back more than 300 years to the founding of its predecessor, the Songzhu South Paper Shop, in 1672. This shop also deals in antiques and fine art books. It’s an especially good place to go for examples of the “four treasures of the study:" the brushes, ink, ink stones and paper required for traditional Chinese calligraphy.

 

NANLUOGUXIANG

This hutong about a kilometre east of Houhai has become the latest destination for fashionable backpackers and bright young Beijingers. Hardly a week now goes by without a new bar or restaurant opening. You can visit the one that started it all about 10 years ago, the legendary Pass By Bar, which stands on the right-hand side as you walk up from the South Gate.

Besides eateries (and drinkeries), however, Nanluoguxiang is also home to a number of idiosyncratic little shops that make a stroll here a thoroughly worthwhile shopping expedition. Standard Chinese trinkets rub shoulders with Tibetan arts and avant-garde puppets. And if you’ve already seen Beijing, then this is definitely the place to get the T-shirt.

Yu Zhufeng

Yu Zhufeng specializes in Chinese folk handicrafts, including shoes, kites and paper cuts.

Address: 153 Nanluoguxiang

北京市东城区南锣鼓巷153号

Tel: +86 13811715106

Open: 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

 

Ju Heng Carving

Official seals, name seals… It’s all good, but best of all are Ju Heng’s papier mache masks.

Address: 147 Nanluoguxiang

北京市东城区南锣鼓巷147号

Tel: +86 13521755542

Open: 8 a.m.–10 p.m.

 

Chengjia

A popular choice with expats shopping for trinkets for their Beijing home.

Address: 147 Nanluoguxiang

北京市东城区南锣鼓巷147号

Tel: +86 10 6402 9711

Open: 10 a.m.–12 p.m.

 

Jianping Clothes

Using organic fabrics and “ethnic” styles, this is popular with a younger crowd who would doubtless have been hippies 40 years ago. Jianping also deals in bags which match their clothes nicely.

Address: 110-2 Nanluoguxiang

北京市东城区南锣鼓巷110-2号

Tel:  +86 10 6402 4779

Open: 10 a.m.–11 p.m.

 

Jiaxiang Tea Shop

This is not only a tea shop but also a fine teapot and porcelain store. The workmanship is exquisite.

Address: 99 Nanluoguxiang

北京市东城区南锣鼓巷99号

Tel: +86 10 6407 6893

Open: 9:30 a.m.–11 p.m.

 

Ximu Handicrafts

Ximu is the offspring of a store that opened originally on Yandai Xiejie near Houhai. So popular were the handicrafts there that the young men who made them moved to these larger premises in 2005.

Address: 99 Nanluoguxiang

北京市东城区南锣鼓巷99号

Tel: +86 10 8404 3217

Open: 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

 

Plastered 8

Already famous, this is the place for kitschy, ironic (some might say, iconic) T-shirts based on everyday Beijing images such as subway maps and tickets. Plastered 8 also sells mugs, ashtrays, stickers, calendars, posters and framed badges with the store’s most popular designs. Ideal for souvenirs and gifts for the folks back home.

Address: 61 Nanluoguxiang

北京市东城区南锣鼓巷61号

Tel: +86 13910205721

Open: Monday–Friday 1–10 p.m.;

Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

 

Cloth Art

This kooky little boutique sells a range of reasonably priced cloth products including table cloths, T-shirts, eco-friendly bags, toys and cushions. Particularly popular for souvenirs are the cloth puppets of revolutionary icons from Marx to Castro.

Address: 10 Nanluoguxiang

北京市东城区南锣鼓巷10号

Tel: +86 13901358059

Open: 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

 

Faraway So Close

Mainly known for it self-designed Chinese-style clothes, this pleasant shop also sells avant-garde accessories and knick-knacks (eco-friendly, too, say the designers, as everything is made from recycled waste).

Address: 5 Nanluoguxiang

北京市东城区南锣鼓巷黑芝麻胡同5号

Tel: +86 10 84028778

Open: 10 a.m.–10 p.m

 

WANGFUJING
For more than 100 years this has been the commercial heart of Beijing. Now a pedestrian-friendly strip, Wangfujing is where state-of-the-art shopping rubs shoulders with some of Beijing’s oldest names.

 

Oriental Plaza

Starting at the south end of the street, you can’t miss the grandiose shopping mall that is the Oriental Plaza. The mall itself is your typical shopping centre, hosting myriad stores that range from high-end western designers to cute boutiques. So if you are having a moment of nostalgia, find comfort in the haute couture Givenchy, the urban, prêt-á-porter Armani Exchange, or the modern Miss Sixty. Otherwise, there are always Asian brands such as the chic Azona and traditional Shanghaixu.

 

Sheng Xifu Hat Store

Walk north and look right for hats galore! Extravagant sun hats, floral hats, and fedoras, the Sheng Xifu hat store sells all these and more. This shop may seem a little crowded and small from the outside, but go in and you will discover a whole other room on the far left. If you are the bold, daring type, then put on a rose petal shaped sun hat. If you are more on the conservative side, then a simple newsboy cap should do the trick. Either way, this store has all different styles to fit your personality.

 

Yunhong Chopsticks Shop

Further along and to your left is a remarkable collection displaying the full art of chopsticks. Made from sterling silver, ceramic, metal and even seashells, these utensils are all handcrafted by artisans from Beijing. The natural but elegant wood designs are probably the most esteemed. The welcoming staff is very willing to answer any questions you may have and help you in any way possible.

 

Ruifuxiang Silk and Cotton Shop

Back on the right hand side of the street as you walk north is one of Beijing’s oldest establishments. This company has sold all different kinds of silk and cotton fabrics since 1893. Imported from Hangzhou, these intricately threaded textiles attract curious eyes with their uniquely designed patterns and arrestingly bright colors. And if you do not know how to sew, don’t fret because there are expert tailors in the back who can do it for you.

 

Wuyutai Tea Shop

Staying on the east side of Wangfujing, Wuyutai not only offers some of the finest tea around, but the aroma of the tea leaves will also persuade you to stay longer. There is a teahouse upstairs where you can relax while sipping some of their fine teas from all over China and eating savory snacks. Now doesn’t that sound wonderful after a long day of walking down Wangfujing?

 

Jewelry & Jade Garden

From the earliest Chinese dynasties, jade has been China’s most revered gemstone. Because of this, a lot of faux jade has been created in the hopes of tricking unsuspecting customers. So if you are curious about what real jade actually looks like, visit the Jewelry & Jade Garden on the west side of Wangfujing. This three-story shop overflows with traditional jade bracelets along with many other jade items such as elaborately designed dragons, Buddhas, and even pigs. Yet jade is not the only product sold here; items made of gold, ceramics and mahogany are also on display.

 

Beijing apm

Like the Oriental Plaza, this shopping centre at the top of the pedestrian area is host to innumerable retail and commercial stores. The mall caters to the late-night shoppers and trendy youngsters who have time to frequent stores such as the ever-popular Lids, the contemporary Nine West, and the hip Teenmix. However, you don’t just go here for the stores. There are restaurants situated on all different floors along with a food court at the top and scrumptious Italian ice cream down in the basement. As if that wasn’t enough, this mall is also host to a movie theatre.