Both Beijingers and tourists find Panjiayuan to be an ideal place for a 'treasure hunt'. For the past few decades, this community has established itself as the largest Antique center in Beijing, with over 5000 shops and vender stands sheltered inside 4 huge antique malls and markets. I am going to guide you to two of them today, Panjiayuan Antique Market and Tianya Antique City.
We start at Tianya Antique City, #6 of DONGSANHUAN NANLU (South Est 3rd Ring Rd). To get there, either take city metro and get off at Panjiayuan, or simply take a cab and let the driver take you there.
Tianya Antique City
Start the 'treasure hunt' now!
Tianya Antique City just opened on September, 2007, gathering around 700 antique shops within its 9 story building. Though newly established, the mall has been recognized as one the premier locations for quality antiques in Beijing.
Its 9 floors are arranged into 9 pedestrian streets, with each one being decorated to resemble the streets back in Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. From Floor 1 to Floor 7, they sell a myriad of jewelry, jade, ¡®semi-precious¡¯ stones, Buddha figures, ivory ornaments, paintings and calligraphies, antiques and reproductions, and many other miscellaneous. You can stroll from one floor to another by taking the elevator in the middle, and both ends of each floor.
Aiming to establish itself as the top-of-the-line antique market in the nation in the coming years, Tianya sell most of its products at high to jaw-dropping prices. A jade bracelet imported from Myanmar, for instance, could possibly cost you up to RMB 100,000. Clay pots dating back to several thousand years ago prices at RMB 500, 000, and likely even more.
Despite this fact, Tianya is still a particularly interesting and captivating place to visit. It is true that those expensive products are targeted at antique collectors and connoisseurs, but you can still appreciate the antiques at the stores for free. As a mall that receives many foreign customers, many of shop assistances there can speak good English. They are hospitable, and will explain their products in detail.
Although most of the products are expensive, they do have some shops offering quality products at affordable prices. Mona Antique Gallery (Shop No.415) on the fourth floor sells ethnic costumes and accessories of Miao, Dong, and Yi ethnic minorities in Southern China. Those ethnic groups are regarded as the leaders in terms of embroidery, silverware makings, and paintings. By paying less than a thousand Yuan, you can have a fabulous ethnic costume, together with its dazzling accessories. A Bu Ni Gong (Shop No. 666) on the sixth floor offers beautiful handicrafts and accessories from the Tibetan region: rosaries, thangkas, and prayer wheels, etc. If you want some antique reproductions, Lu Bo Zhai is the place to go. Located on the 6th floor, they offer clay pot reproductions starting from RMB 300.
The qualities of the antique merchandise here in Tianya are all guaranteed by the management. So feel ensured if you are interested in shopping for a piece.
After finished, exit the mall and continue onward on the PANJIAYUAN NANLU (South Panjiayuan St.). Soon you shall reach the intersection with HUAWEI LU (Huawei St.). Here take a look around for a gymnasium, which is currently under construction for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The gymnasium will be used as the official stadium for badminton and artistic gymnastics in August of 2008.
Turn right on the PANJIAYUAN DONGLU (East Panjiayuan St.). As you stroll onward, look around to get an better idea of typical Beijing neighborhood. You should see numerous older people walking or sitting outside chatting, as many retired Beijingers enjoy this. Turn right onto the PANJIAYUAN LU.
200 meters down the PANJIAYUAN LU street, you shall see on your right hand the first leg of this trove walk¡ªPanjiayuan Antique Market, which you can easily spot with the numerous street peddlers selling a variety of fakes outside the market gate. From here on out, make sure you remember to bargain. Sellers especially target foreign tourists, for they don¡¯t have a good idea of prices in China.
Panjiayuan Antique Market
For Fans of Peking Opera! Panjiayuan Antique Market, with 3,000 indoor shops and outdoor stalls, distinguishes itself as the largest Flea Market in Beijing, and one of the best in China. Even Hillary Clinton has shopped here once during her stay in Beijing. The market carries a marvelous assortment of, well, every kind of bauble you¡¯ll ever see in life.
Enter the market and turn right. We begin our visit from the westernmost part. At the northwest corner is a caf¨¦ serving coffee and fast food, as well as the public toilets.
The westernmost part of the mall is ¡®sculpture and furniture area¡¯, where the antique reproductions of traditional Chinese furniture expats really love. Stroll along to the end of the street and turn left. You shall see two rows of indoor shops offering metal figures, ethnic ornaments, Chinese brushes, etc. The main part of the mall, located in the middle, is reserved for outdoor stalls. There are thousands of products to choose from here. Among the items sold here are ceramics, ethnic costumes, agate necklaces, opera masks, to name a few.
If you skirt the inside area of the mall, the northern in-door shops offer jade and jewelry, while you can find calligraphy and paintings walking along the eastern and southern walls. Antiques all reside at the easternmost part. The market is easy to navigate, but feel free to use the map below if you need help.
Sales people here are all friendly, and easy to engage. Though many of them speak a little English, it helps a lot if you write your expected price down and show them as you bargain. The products sold here are beautiful and fabulous. They are not as expensive as they look, so bargain hard!
How to Return
If it is getting dark, taking a cab to return might be the prudent way to avoid losing the way. Otherwise, take the city metro at PANJIAYUAN stop just under the PANJIAYUAN Bridge, 100 meters further down the PANJIAYUAN LU(Panjiayuan St.). |
