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Pyongyang Art Studios
Unsurpassed communist kitsch delivered straight to your hands from the axis of evil. Ponder maps of Pyongyang and browse edifying literature ( Towards the Eminence of Socialism ), North Korean ciggies, liquor, T-shirts, posters vilifying America, DPRK flags, postcards and badges. Grab a copy of The US Imperialists started the Korean War while you're there.
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Róngbǎozhāi
Spread over two floors and sprawling down quite a length of the road, this store has a selection of scroll paintings, woodblock prints, paper, ink and brushes. As it's state-run, the effect is rather uninspiring and the collection somewhat flat. Prices are generally fixed, although you can usually get 10% off. The shop accepts JCB credit cards.
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Ruifuxiang
Housed in a historic building on Dashilar, this is one of the best places in town to browse for silk. There's an incredible selection of Shāndōng silk, brocade and satin-silk. Ruifuxiang also has an outlet at Wangfujing Dajie (6525 0764; 190 Wangfujing Dajie).
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Sanlitun Yashou Clothing Market
Five floors of anything you might need and a favourite with both expats and visitors. Basement: shoes, handbags and suitcases. Big Shoes is useful for anyone struggling to house big feet. First floor: coats and jackets. Second floor: hiking gear, suits, ladies wear. Third floor: silk, clothes, carpets, fabrics and tailors to fashion your material into something wearable. Fourth floor: jewellery, souvenirs, toys and a beauty salon. Bargain hard.
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Silk Street
Relocated into a four-storey building on the corner of Jianguomenwai and Dongdaqiao Lu, the Silk Street continues to thrive despite some vendors being hit by lawsuits from top name brands tired of being counterfeited so blatently. All the legal action hasn't stopped the tourists arriving en masse daily. Their presence makes effective bargaining difficult. But this is a good place for cashmere, T-shirts, jeans, sneakers and the odd, chic dress.
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Sogo
Sogo is probably Běijīng's most pleasant mall experience. The mix of hip Japanese (Sogo is a Japanese company) and European boutiques, the convenient layout and an excellent and cheap food court on the 6th floor make a trip around here far more fun than you expect from a shopping centre. Add in the espresso bars on each floor, supermarket with pharmacy in the basement, and the games arcade on the 6th floor, and you're in mall heaven.
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Ten Fu's Tea
This Taiwanese chain sells countless sorts of loose tea and all manner of tea accessories. Wangfujing is its biggest Beijing branch so there's always plenty of free tastings and samples.
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Torana Gallery
The owner of this popular store, Chris Buckley, wrote the first editions of the Lonely Planet China guide back in the '80s. But nepotism isn't why his shop features here. Instead, it's the range of rugs exclusively made of wool from Tibetan highland sheep and decorated with traditional emblems. Prices start at around Y2200 and you can also custom design your own carpet.
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Vintage Store
Can't leave Běijīng without that retro Bruce Lee T-shirt? Desperate to replace your vintage Levi's? Then this is the place for you. With posters of Steve McQueen on the wall, a solid selection of old-school T-shirts (around Y100 ), jackets and jeans (around Y800 ), entering this funky little store is like stepping back in time to the '70s.
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Xidan Bookshop
The titles at this absolutely vast bookshop (Běijīng's largest) are largely Chinese, but the basement is home to what might be the city's best selection of English-language titles. There are all the classics, Austen, Dickens, Hemingway, Twain et al, but there are also books on China that have slipped past the beady eye of the censor, as well as an expanding range of new fiction. You can pick up Lonely Planet guides and maps of Běijīng here too.
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Xin Zhongguo Kid's Stuff
If you need to find somewhere to occupy kids, bring them to this maze of toys, model cars and trains, gadgets, puzzles, flashing lights and electronic noises, overseen by helpful staff. On the 2nd floor, you can find nappies (diapers) and other essentials.
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Zhaojia Chaowai Market
This huge four-storey warehouse is packed to the gills with traditional Chinese furniture - from opium beds to barrel stools to ornately carved side tables and carpets. Prices are reasonable, but remember to factor in shipping costs (which vendors can arrange). Many stallholders say their wares are genuine Ming or Qing items, but take it all with a pinch of yán (salt). The 4th floor contains ceramics and other antiques.
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Zhaoyuange
If you're into Chinese kites, you will love this minute shop on the west side of Nanheyan Dajie. There's a range of traditional Chinese paper kites here, starting at around Y5 for a simple kite, up to around Y300 for a dragon. You can also pick up Běijīng opera masks. The owner does not speak much English, but you can browse and make a selection.
