LISTINGS - The Rough Guide to Beijing - page 241

Three Stone 三石斋风筝坊 , sānshÌzhāi fēngzhēngfǎng 25 Di'anmen Xidajie 010
84044505; Nanluoguxiang subway (line 6); map . A specialist kite shop with a rich history
- the ancestors of the current owner once made kites for the Qing royals. Though there are
plenty of fancy designs here, they also sell a fair few cheapies. Daily 9am-8pm.
View Pottery 视界 , shìjiè 1 Mao'er Hutong 010 64023529; Nanluoguxiang subway (line
6); map . Despite its location on kitschy Nanluogu Xiang, this is a quality place, selling pretty
tea sets and other fired ware for decent prices. Daily 9.30am-6.30pm.
MARKETS
Beijing Curio City 北京古玩城 , běijīng gǔwánchéng Huawei Nanlu; Panjiayuan subway
(line 10); map . A giant arcade of more than 400 stalls, best visited on a Sunday, when other
antique traders come and set up in the surrounding streets. Daily 9.30am-6.30pm.
Liangma Antique Market 亮马收藏品市场 , liàngmǎ shōucángpǐn shìchǎng 27 Liang-
maqiao Lu; Liangmaqiao subway (line 10); map . This market is small but also less picked
over than others, with good carpet and furniture sections. One for the serious collector with
time to root around; you might even find the odd real antique. Daily 9am-7pm.
Panjiayuan Market 潘家园市场 , pānjiāyuán shìchǎng Panjiayuan Lu; Panjiayuan sub-
way (line 10); map . Also called the “Dirt Market”, this is Beijing's biggest antiques market,
with a huge range of souvenirs and secondhand goods on sale (sometimes in advanced states
of decay), including many from Tibetan traders. It's at its biggest and best at weekends
between 6am and 3pm, when the surrounding streets are packed with stalls - worth a visit
even if you're not buying. The initial asking prices for souvenirs are more reasonable than
anywhere else. Mon-Fri 8am-6.30pm, with earlier opening at weekends.
< Back to Shopping
BOOKS
There are plenty of English-language books on Chinese culture on sale in Beijing, including
many hard to find in the West, ranging from giant coffee-table tomes celebrating new free-
ways in China to comic-book versions of Chinese classics. Even if you're not buying,
Beijing's bookshops are pleasant environments in which to browse; some have cafés and art
galleries attached.
Bookworm 书虫 , shūchóng Sanlitun Nanjie 010 65689507, chinabookworm.com ;
Tuanjiehu subway (line 10); map . Popular café with a good English-language selection,
which also hosts regular literary events and lectures. Check the website for details. Daily
9am-2am.
Charterhouse B1 The Place, 9 Guanghua Lu 010 65871325; Dongdaqiao subway (line 6);
map . A good selection of imported books and magazines. Daily 10am-10pm.