Shopping in Beijing
Beijing is a shopper's paradise, especially for bargain hunters. Chaoyang district in the city's east has huge markets, with Ya Show Market selling cheap clothes near Sanlitun street, and Panjiayuan Market selling a bizarre range of knick-knacks and real antiques. In the west of the city are Financial Street and the high-class Seasons Place Mall. Nanluoguxiang, near Houhai Lake in the centre, is full of funky boutiques like Plastered T-shirts.
Seasons Place Mall
Top-name shops
Seasons Place Mall in Xicheng houses 120 luxury shops, including Louis
Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, Versace, and Hong Kong's Lane Crawford store. It may
not be any cheaper than elsewhere, but it's interesting to see how luxury is
arriving in China.
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Opening Hours
Daily 10am-9pm
Address
2, Jinchengfang Jie (opposite the Westin Hotel), Xicheng district, Beijing
Telephone
+86 (0) 10 6622 0888
Shanghai Tang
Fashion trailblazer
Shanghai Tang is one of China's biggest fashion brands with its mix of
traditional and modern design. At this branch in Dongcheng, expect
traditional qipao dresses, jackets, scarves and other accessories in
bright colours like lime green and shocking pink.
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Opening Hours
Daily 10am-9.30pm
Address
1, East Chang An Avenue (Grand Hyatt Beijing), Dongcheng district, Beijing
Telephone
+86 (0) 10 8518 7228
Plastered T-shirts
Original kitsch
Owned by a British-Canadian couple, Plastered T-shirts in Dongcheng sells
originally designed tops with a kitschy twist. The designs have become
iconic among Beijing's young set, especially the simple 'I love BJ' T-shirt.
T-shirts generally cost around RMB100.
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Opening Hours
Daily 10am-10pm
Address
61, Nanluoguxiang, Dongcheng district, Beijing
Telephone
+86 (0) 134 8884 8855
3.3 Fashion Mall
Quirky fashion boutiques
The six-storey 3.3 Fashion Mall, close to Sanlitun Bar Street, is crammed
with quirky fashion boutiques, often from local designers. Look out for
funky second hand clothes on the 3rd floor and Jimmy Choo shoe shop on the
3rd floor.
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Opening Hours
Daily 11am-11pm
Address
33, Sanlitun Beijie, Chaoyang district, Beijing
Telephone
+86 (0) 10 6417 3333
Shard Box Store
Cultural Revolution relics
This charming shop in Chaoyang specialises in shard boxes made from fragments
of porcelain smashed during the Cultural Revolution. Shard Box Store also
sells jewellery gathered from Tibetan and Mongolian regions, as well as
locally crafted pieces.
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Opening Hours
Daily 9am-7pm
Address
1, Ritan Bei Lu (continue east from northeast corner of Ritan Park), Chaoyang district, Beijing
Telephone
+86 (0) 10 8561 3712
Transport
Taxi
Ya Show Market
Foreigner's meeting place
The vast Ya Show Market, close to Sanlitun Bar Street, sells a great range of
clothing and accessories. Pick up high quality fake jackets and dresses,
tailor-made suits and jewellery. There are also leather shoes in Western
sizes.
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Opening Hours
Daily 10am-8.30pm
Address
58, Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang district, Beijing
Telephone
+86 (0) 10 6415 1726
Transport
Taxi
Panjiayuan Market
Bric-a-brac market
A fascinating mix of real and rip-off, Panjiayuan Market in Chaoyang is
classic China. Stalls are crowded with bronze tripods, 1920s cigarette
posters and black-and-white photos discarded from Cultural Revolution-era
family albums. Be sure to bargain hard.
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Opening Hours
Daily 8.30am-5pm (4.30am-5pm Sat & Sun)
Address
200, Panjiayuan Lu, Chaoyang district, Beijing
Telephone
+86 (0) 10 6774 1869
Transport
Taxi
Nei Lian Sheng Xiedian
Rare shoes
It's hard to find qianceng buxie ('thousand layer happy shoes'), but Nei Lian
Sheng Xiedian workshop in Qianmen has been producing them since 1853. The
shoes are comfortable and well-stitched, and there are pretty women's shoes
based on Qing fashions.
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Opening Hours
Daily 9am-8.30pm
Address
34, Dazhalan Jie, Qianmen district, Beijing
Telephone
+86 (0) 10 6301 4863
Transport
Taxi; Metro Qianmen
Guang Han Tang
Real deal antique furniture
In a charming courtyard house in a derelict factory, Guang Han Tang in
Chaoyang sells genuine antique Chinese furniture. Rosewood pieces command
the highest prices but prices are still low enough that pieces are still a
bargain with shipping costs.
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Opening Hours
Daily 10am-6pm
Address
319, Caochangdi, Nan Gao, East Da Shanzi Road, Chaoyang district, Beijing 100015
Telephone
+86 (0) 10 8456 7945
Transport
Taxi
