Domain of Hecate

1. Wangfujing Street is Beijing's most important shopping area, a commercial district that dates back to the 1300's. It includes Oriental Plaza (Dongfang Guangchang) and other Western-type malls and stores. It is also home to the city's biggest McDonalds. Also home to the Beijing Department Store, the One World Department Store, La Fayette (mostly French products), and Sun Dong'an Market (Neijing's largest supermarket). Check out the stores in the Longfu Building at the north end of the street.
2. The Friendship Store (Youyi Shangdian) was for years the only place in Beijing where foreign tourists could really shop. It has tradition Chinese souvenirs: silk, jade, porcelains, ceramics, etc. Money changing is available. Purchases can be made by credit cards. No haggling; prices are fixed.
3. The Silk Market is not far from the Friendship Store. The market sells a large variety of export products that didn't make it to the docks for some reason. Carpet. Products are less expensive and of variable quality...
4. Dazhalan, in the Qianmen District, is known for its traditional shops like the Tongrentang Pharmacy, which sells Qing Court-era secret medicines. Dazhalan is the city's oldest commercial street. It sits just south of Tiananmen Square.
5. Liulichang Street is a restored shoping district in Qianmen that specializes in arts and crafts, antiques, calligraphy supplies, and the like. The street is south of Hepingmen Subway Station. Be aware that you need an export license to take home antiques that date to 1949 or earlier. You can identify those products by their red seal. Export of antiques that date to 1795 or earlier is illegal.
6. Sanlitun Street Market also carries silk (and more). When the sun goes, the shops turn into bars.
7. The Russian Market on the west side of Ritan Park is pretty cheap, and you get what you pay for. The market has a history; Russian traders came in droves to buy goods to resell in Russian during the era when the two communist countries were friends instead of rivals.
8. Ghost Market, east of Longtan Park, carries souvenirs from the Cultural Revolution. The market closes at noon.
9. Silver Street runs a block east of Wangfujing. Shops there specialize in American/European clothes.
10. Ganjiakou Market near the Beijing Zoo carries mostly Asia products.
11. Liangmahe Market is across the street from the Kempenski Hotel. A few dozen smaller shops.
12. Beijing Curio City in the country's largest trade center for antiques.

And the list goes on......but for a first visit this sure will set u
off.......:)

# posted by Domain of Hecate @ 2:59 PM