Must-see shopping in Beijing

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    Panjiayuan Market

    Beijing

    A curio hunter's heaven or an Everest of fakery? Panjiayuan is both, and marvellous fun to boot. Picking over the wares of some 4000 dealers, you won't…

  • Parkview Green

    Beijing

    In a city in thrall to the mall, this futuristic, ecofriendly pyramid stands out from the crowd. Hong Kong–owned Parkview Green is a fabulously ambitious,…

  • Caicifang Porcelain Workshop

    Beijing

    This charming boutique upcycles shards of porcelain vases smashed during the Cultural Revolution into unique and desirable jewellery, boxes, ornaments and…

  • Plastered 8

    Beijing

    A visual celebration of Beijing in all its chaotic glory, the T-shirts, hoodies, tote bags and gifts at this iconic streetwear shop make funky and…

  • Three Stone Kite Shop

    Beijing

    Home of the last remaining traditional kite crafters in Beijing, this cluttered little cave is piled high with hand-painted fēng zhēng (kites) in the…

  • Slow Lane

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Such lovingly curated shelves! If only Beijing had more alleyway boutiques like this. Slow Lane tempts with Tibetan yak-wool blankets, ceramic teaware…

  • Hongqiao Pearl Market

    Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South

    Occupying a swish, purpose-built mall beside the Temple of Heaven's east gate, the Pearl Market is palpably less hectic than the more famous Silk Street,…

  • Ruifuxiang Silk

    Beijing

    Squint at the historical facade of Ruifuxiang, East China's esteemed silk-clothing merchants, trading here since 1893, and you can almost imagine late…

  • Silk Street

    Beijing

    A mandatory tour-group stop, this six-storey temple of retail contains acres of clothing, shoes, handbags and electronics – much of it counterfeit and of…

  • Taikoo Li Sanlitun

    Beijing

    Beijing's premier destination for haute couture and urbane dining, Taikoo Li is where the fashionistas go to splash the cash. An open-air mall complex…

  • WF Central

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    After decades of charmless development, this 2018 luxury shopping mall is at least trying to restore a little lost glamour to Wangfujing, once lined with…

  • Xiaomi Home

    Beijing

    The downtown Beijing flagship of innovative Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi (sometimes called China's Apple). Browse low-price designer tech such as…

  • Neiliansheng Shoe Shop

    Beijing

    Treat your feet to a pair of hand-stitched cloth shoes from this time-honoured Beijing shop dating back to 1853. From the plain slip-ons favoured by…

  • Beijing Fun

    Beijing

    In a historical area marred by overzealous redevelopment, the shiny new Beijing Fun complex at least preserves several fine Qing-era buildings within an…

  • Beijing apm

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Dominated at street level by its Apple store, this six-floor shopping mecca has the expected glut of fast fashion (Zara, H&M etc), cosmetics and…

  • Plastered 8 Wudaoying

    Beijing

    Newer branch of Beijing's British-run, iconic streetwear brand selling T-shirts, hoodies, socks and tote bags emblazoned with conceptual pop art…

  • Lost and Found

    Beijing

    The custom-made, mid-century-style furniture at this gorgeous store won't fit in your suitcase, but the accessories, dinnerware and towels will.

  • China World Shopping Centre near the Jiangoumenwai Embassy area in Beijing.

    China World Mall

    Beijing

    This ever-expanding shopping mall stretches far and wide below Guomao and the China World Hotel, a gleaming maze of luxury brands, boutiques, jewellery…

  • Books for sale inside Cathay Bookshop.

    Antiquarian Bookshop

    Beijing

    Whether or not you're a scholar of Chinese, this enticing shop is worth a browse for its cabinets of dusty tomes on art and religion, collections of stone…

  • Entrance to Beijing's Oriental Plaza.

    Oriental Plaza

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    A couple of decades has dulled the sheen of this corridor-like mega-mall built in 2000 at the southern end of Wangfujing Dajie. It contains midrange and…

  • Liulichang Culture Street

    Beijing

    An avenue of art shops, antiques and booksellers since the Qing dynasty, leafy Liulichang is a tourist favourite that's worth delving into for its…

  • Beijing Glasses Mall

    Beijing

    Buying new spectacles probably isn't high up on your Beijing bucket list, but when you can get your eyes tested and lenses cut in about 40 minutes (for…

  • Sheng Xi Fu Hat Store

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    They used to say that a truly dignified person would only wear shoes made by Neiliansheng, silk made by Ruifuxiang and hats made by Sheng Xi Fu. First…

  • Maliandao Tea Market

    Beijing

    Set up for wholesalers, Maliandao is a nondescript commercial district home to if not all the tea in China, then an awful lot of it. For leaf-hunters…

  • Tóngréntáng

    Beijing

    Peddling pills and potions here since 1702, this traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) shop became a royal dispensary during the Qing dynasty. Today the…

  • Yandai Xiejie

    Beijing

    So named for its yesteryear trade in pipes and the demon weed (that's tobacco, not opium), 'Tobacco Pouch Lane' is a short, crooked alley of touristy…

  • Róngbǎozhāi

    Beijing

    This department store of traditional arts specialises in wénfáng sì bǎo (文房四宝), the 'four treasures of study', namely brushes, ink, paper and inkstones…

  • Jīngchéng Bǎixìng

    Beijing

    Arts-and-crafts fans will get a kick out of this shop selling traditional clay figurines. Shelves are lined with 'rabbit gods' (兔儿爷; tùéryé), a folk…

  • Ten Fu's Tea Culture House

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    English-speaking sales staff are adept at parting tourists from their cash in exchange for high-grade teas from around China, sold loose by the liǎng (50g…

  • Famous Tea of China

    Beijing

    A good place to stock your suitcase with China's finest if staying in the Gulou area, this tea shop is run by a couple from Fujian, China's tea heartland…

  • Beijing Books Building

    Beijing

    One of China's largest state-run shu cheng, or 'book cities', this hulk of a bookstore is spread over four vast floors in a purpose-built building, and is…

  • Place

    Beijing

    The Place is an open-air retail zone canopied by an enormous, upturned video screen, which shelters the usual array of fast fashion, coffee outlets and…

  • Sanfo

    Beijing

    With three shops grouped together in this location, Sanfo is the place to come for high-quality outdoor wear, climbing and camping gear, as well as…

  • Yongan Lu Department Store

    Beijing

    A throwback to a bygone era, this crusty old department store keeps elderly Xicheng residents in padded winter clothing, traditional Beijing-branded…

  • 3.3 Shopping Centre

    Beijing

    Browse rails of Asian street fashion at this mall of mini independent boutiques spread over several floors. As well as mostly womenswear and accessories,…

  • Zhōngyán Tàihé

    Beijing

    This Aladdin's cave of traditional Chinese medicine sells acupuncture needles, mugwort for moxibustion, professional Chinese massage gear (including the…

  • Indie Music

    Beijing

    From Cui Jian to Carsick Cars, this pocket-sized record store has a selection of seminal Chinese rock-and-roll, even though most of the stock is…

  • Ruifuxiang Silk – Drum Tower

    Beijing

    A touristy branch of the 150-year-old Ruifuxiang Silk store, where you can buy scarves, shawls, slippers, hats and Chinese-style clothing. Prices, which…

  • Delia

    Beijing

    One of a handful of hip stores along Wudaoying Hutong specialising in Chinese vintage homewares, together with secondhand apparel and handbags, sourced…

  • Giant

    Beijing

    Taiwanese bicycle brand Giant stocks a decent range of bikes starting at around ¥1000, as well as accessories like helmets, locks and baby seats.

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