Beijing Shopping

Beijing represents the finest arts and crafts China has to offer, so when shopping in Beijing, keep an eye on art objects with an oriental or local flavour and cultural artifacts from different dynasties.

Objects of both aesthetic and practical value include epigraphic seals, traditional stationery, antiques, calligraphy and painting, traditional musical instruments, silks and embroidery, jewelry, classical furniture, cashmere and hand knitted sweaters. The quality varies however, and depending on the price and place of purchase, travellers should beware about buying a knock off piece of history.

Folk art hunters are invariably faced with a dazzling array of products including, figurines made from dough, clay and brocade, to kites, paper cuts and masks with different facial makeup modeled after a variety of Peking Opera characters.

Shoppers can also find a cornucopia of merchandises, including famous brands from around the world and articles of daily use in the Beijing's malls, specialty shops and supermarkets.

Chaowai Street

Situated outside Chaoyang Gate, Chaowai Street was recognized as an up-and-coming shopping zone only a few years ago. Growing quickly, it has attracted such giant shopping centers as Fenglian, Huapu and Landao.

Jianguomenwai Street

Jianguomenwai Street, also known for its reputation as a diplomatic zone, has developed a series of shopping and service facilities known for their stylish and elegant environments. The famous Friendship Store, Guiyou Tower, Sci-tech Shopping Centre, Henderson Shopping Centre, and COFCO Plaza are all found here. The Silk Market and the Yabaolu (Russian) Market are shopping havens for overseas visitors.

Liulichang Cultural Street

A cornucopia of souvenirs is for sale in stores that line both sides of Liulichang Street, which is found just beyond Xuanwu Gate. Known as a cultural street, all the buildings in this area have retained the old architectural flair. Specialty items to be found there include traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting, folk arts and crafts, and second-hand books and periodicals.

Qianmen Street

Qianmen Street, with a 500 year history for being a major business center, is clustered with old stores. Many stores on the "pedestrians only" Dashalan Street, for instance, are at least 100 years old.

Wangfujing Street

Located in Dongcheng and situated north of Chang'an Boulevard East, Wangfujing is Beijing's most famous shopping street, which showcases Beijing's economic progress to modernity. It is crowded all the time with shoppers and tourists alike. Partially closed to cars, pedestrians have free rein over the wide sprawling street where they can browse stores on either side of the street. Some popular stores include Beijing Department Store, Shidu Emporium, New Dong'an Plaza, and Beijing Foreign Language Bookstore.

Xidan Area

Xidan area is another prosperous shopping zone in Beijing, especially with the newly built Xidan Cultural Plaza on the south end. Apart from giants malls, such as Huawei Shopping Mall, Xidan Shopping Centre, Zhongyou Department Store and Xidan Emporium, there are also many specialty stores selling brand-name commodities, such as clothing, shoes, and the likes. With an array of restaurants and fast food outlets in all manner of cuisine, Xidan is also a connoisseur's paradise.

Yinjie Street

Yinjie or Silver Street, referring to a stretch of Dongdan North Street, is home to quite a number specialty shops carrying famous brands from around the world.

NOTE: Although this information is correct at the time of our web publication, it is still advised that you call the phone number and confirm the address before going to the venue because some venues may have changed their telephone numbers or address locations.