Shopping in Beijing

• Regional Stores with Distinctive Features
If you want to buy electrical appliances, please go to Da Zhong Acoustics City or Guo Mei Household Appliances City where household appliances possess low price and high quality and after-sale service is good.
If you want to buy electrical appliances, please go to Xin Jie Kou. In addition there are also personal stereo, audiovisual products, musical instruments and Hardware Street.
If you want to buy books, please go to book market held irregularly every month.
If you want to buy gold, please go to Cai Shi Kou Department Store.
If you want to buy curtain material, please go to Mu Xi Yuan Curtain & Cloth Art Wholesale Market.
If you want to buy curio, please go to Liu Li Chang or Curio City.

• About discount
Discount is not a fresh thing on Spring Festival and holidays and multifarious promotion means play a dazzling efficacy. You don't shop blindly during your travel, spend sanely or you will sigh toward mountain luggage.

• About supermarket
Supermarket is one of the most convenient and prompt shopping channels in Beijing common people's life. Par supermarkets all over Beijing get consistent approbation with rapid service and low price and fine commodities. Coalition of plentiful foreign supermarkets make Beijing's supermarket develop rapidly. Going supermarket means that you can buy any goods you want. The thing you are thinking can successfully be completed and it is very convenient. Supermarket appendix can be seen on appendix 3 in the latter part of this book.

• Do you know?
Newly reconstructed Wang Fu Jing Street is an organic whole with commerce and culture. New mansions and green shade, walking streets and rest space along the road alternate with each other. Overground streets and eight hundred meters long underground streets exist together. A three-dimensional, multi-function, environment, bright color, abundant change, worldwide first-class and modern commerce street will take on before you becomes one of international commerce centers compared with Dong Jing Ginza and New York Manhattan. Do you know that Wang Fu Jing Street and Xiang Xie Li She Street in Paris have been united as sister street.

Wangfujing Business Zone
• Starting Point: Oriental Plaza • End Point: National Art Museum of China
- Directions: Take bus 103, 104, 108, 111, 812 and get oil al Meishuguan; or lake bus 103, 104, 120; or take subway Line 1 and got oil at Wangfujing

The so-called Wang Fu Jing means Wang Fu Jing Street, starts with East Chang'An Avenue on the south, ends with China Art Gallery on the north and the total distance is about three Li. It is the first famous business zone in Beijing. At Liao and Jin dynasty, Wang Fu Jing was only a little known village. Since Yuan dynasty, signs of human habitation gradually became thick and was called as Ding Zi Street at that time. In Ming dynasty, here established ten princes' residences. Wang Fu Jing took shape and changed into Ten Princes' Residences Street. Tem Princes was abolished in Qing dynasty and it changed into Wang Fu Street or Wang Fu Grand Street. In 1903, Dong An Market was established and Wang Fu Jing became more prosperous. Many travelers especially assembled in Ba Mian Cao, the original lamp market in Ming and Qing Dynasties. This promoted the development of Wang Fu Jing business zone and formed pageant of material communication.

During the Republic of China, because of imperialism invasion, Wang Fu Jing began to learn from foreigner, foreign businessmen established foreign firms one after another here and dumped to China. At that time, survivals of bygone ages old and young remains, high officials, rich businessmen, bureaucrats and politicians of the former Qing Dynasty all assembled here. In order to satisfy their need of luxurious lives, Wang Fu Jing not only added lots of commodities, but also developed to advanced commodity. As time pass by, this forms Wang Fu Jing's feature. Among them, relative famous units include Zhong Yuan Company, Wangfujing Department Company, Heng De Li Clock and Watch Company, Da Ming Glasses Store, Tong Sheng He Shoes & Hattery, Guang Ming Photo-studio, Dong Xing Lou Restaurant and Cui Hua Lou Restaurant. Alter reading the previous introduction, do you wanna go there? Now you can start your travel to Wang Fu Jing Street.

1. Oriental Plaza
If you go through Chang An Street, you can find a splendid architecture and that is East Piazza from Dong Dan to Wang Fu Jing that is divided into overground and underground part. Its whole area is one hundred thousand square meters and it is one of the biggest comprehensive stores in Beijing. To facilitate shopping convenience and promptness, huge East Piazza is divided into five regions. That is Bin Fen New World with vivid style and adjacent to Wang Fu Jing Street. The second part is City New World that mainly operates fallow trademark accouterments and jewelry & decorative article toward common people. Ting Yuan New World located in the middle and is a food garden and people can taste about twenty kinds of Asian flavors here.

Next Hai Yi New World is established especially for fashion persons and there collects almost one hundred European most popular advanced garniture shops and furniture & elaborate works shops here. Huo Li New World possesses Beijing biggest sporting goods of the most sorts. From store arrangement. So you should prepare sufficient money and time to enjoy here.

2. Wang Fu Jing Xin Hua Bookstore
Do you have regret that you once missed a good book at close range? Now visit aircraft carrier of Beijing Book Culture Area-Wang Fu Jing Xin Hua Book Store and can find that traveling in book's ocean is so carefree. Wang Fu Jing Xin Hua Book Store was established on February 10, 1949 and is the first Xin Hua Bookstore in Beijing. Due to huge area of shop and various kinds, it possesses laurel all over the country. So if you are bookworm, indulging in pleasure and forgetting home and duty is the best portraiture of your heart. Ending time of operation is 9:00 in the evening here. There still is Foreign Language Bookstore near this.

3. Artistic Masion
Beijing Industrial Art Service Department is a Beijing prior industrial art shop, specially operates various industrial arts and artworks, possesses laurel all over Beijing and is an old shop of Wang Fu Jing Street. In special sale site of famous brand finery of peak floor, low price has people excited. If you don't go there every time, it is regretful. Suggest you not to miss it. Kentucky is established on the first floor, Food Residence is established on underground first floor and you can have dinner or rest here.

4. Sheng Xi Fu Hattery
It means at the height of power and splendor. Fu naturally means happiness; Xi is the same as ci in ancient Chinese language and means largess. So the meaning of shop name is that who wears our cap will be awarded and it can bring happiness and luck for him. Come and try our cap, with the coming of happiness, the cap commensurate with your temperament must bring you verve.

5. Sun Dong An Plaza
In point of the most flourishing place, you should go to Dong An Market. If you want to ramble carefully, it will take half a day. Sun Dong An Plaza is one of the key components of Wang Fu Jing Walking Street. Its predecessor-Dong An Market is a shopping site with the longest history of Wang Fu Jing Street. The place where Dong An Market locates was Wu Sangui's residence before. After downfall, it became a profitable treasure place unexpectedly.

Although present Sun Dong An Plaza loses tousy hawk of vendor, it brings enjoy of high quality with modern equipment of new century to, people. In internal underground first floor, there is a street of old Beijing in which you can see history shadow. One and one old brands of old Beijing are full of ancient atmosphere. It is believed that you must like shopping enjoy there. Food Street of peak floor has people's appetite open, amusedly eat and comfortably stroll. Outside of market, there are many visual coppery portraits. The sculpture of Xiang Zi Pulling Car becomes new sight of Beijing new established Wang Fu Jing Walking Street. This imitates the sculpture of Xiang Zi Pulling Car in the Camel Xiang Zi written by Lao She. The size is just like a real person and casted with black iron. You can take foreign car and enjoy the pleasure of taking it during the Republic of China and become new role of Lao She's works.

Go on, and go to famous old shop to play. Tong Sheng He Shoes Shop, Dong Lai Shun Instant-boiled Mutton Restaurant, China Photostudio famous for children picture and Quan Su Room operating bean produces are all absolutely necessary place. There still are rows upon rows of modern shops, Jeanswest, Pai Pai Si, Starbuck and busy travel souvenir shop, and small workmanship picked up at random have you fondle admiringly.

6. Beijing Department Building
As the first large-size general merchandise retail shop in new China, Beijing Department Building was opened in September 1995. Until now, there are forty-year's history, its reputation is very good, it is called first shop of new China, and is one of current China large-size, good-profit and high-popularity commerce enterprises. Construction area of Beijing Department Building is 20,000 square meters and its operation area is 17, 400 square meters. Since forty years, Wang Fu Jing Department Building has received 175,000,000 Chinese and foreign travelers, accumulative sale is 1,500,000,000 Yuan and accumulative profit tax is 149,800,000 Yuan. To adapt to the need of capital economic development strategy, Department Building and Dong An Group decide to establish new group and have asset regroup. So from the flux of General Merchandise Building operation history, we can find development process of China commerce reformation.

7. Tianyuan Lisheng Sports Articles Shop
Tianyuan Lisheng Sports Articles Shop is a second to none sports articles shop in Beijing, even all over the country, situated at No. 201 Wang Fu Jing Street, Beijing, and is a comprehensive commercial building specially operating sports articles. The first store and second store mainly are special sites of famous brand. The third store sells sports equipments, musical instruments and brand shoes. Underground store mainly sells sports facilities and gymnastic equipments. International and domestic sports brands include all of things and various brands Inside the shop compete to discount, Try your luck here and you will return with full.

8. One World Department Store
In One World Dept Store, shopping environment is first class and goods inside the shop are all advanced brands of world, Facing these brands with incredible high price, even you can't afford them and you can go pleasantly in it. Beautiful window, elaborate shop and various valuable goods have your eyes enjoy beauty and I encourage you accumulate spirit and decision. If you are tired, you can sit in coffee shop of the second store and enjoy afternoon tea with Paris sentiment through big French window.

9. Yong Zheng Tailor's Shop
Yong Zheng Sewing Shop is famous for sewing man formal dress. You can go to enjoy as an advanced slopwork consultant, specially assigned person takes size for you and act according to actual circumstances. Many old masters here provide special service for state leaders. How about? Your mind is perturbed? Order one set!

Da Zha Lan Business Street
Da zha Lan is the oldest, most famous and most unique old street and flourishing commerce busy street in Beijing. In 1.26 square km, people keep abundant original old architectures. Qian Men district south to Tian An Men Square became flourishing street in Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty and there is five lifetime' history. This two hundred seventy-five meters street possesses nine industries thirty-six shops. Today, all except uproar changes and there appears a commercial street sight. Except the original site of Beijing Silk Store, Rui Fu Xiang Clothing Store, Nei Lian Sheng Shoes Store, Liu Bi Ju Pickles Store and the Chinese stationery of Rong Bao Zhai still reveal lifetime of verve, Tong Ren Tang, Zhang Yi Yuan Tea Store, Chang Chun Tang and Yue Sheng Zhai Cooked Meat Shop has updated. Here you can buy some traditional and simple handicrafts. Ramble in the unique lifetime of old shop and enjoy Beijing old street characteristic. Of course, don't forget to have a bargin when shopping. (There are many thieves in this district and it is warned especially that keep an eye on your wallet.) Antiquity and modern times interlace together and there is a flavor of old Beijing.

Business Zone in Liulichang (Colored Glaze Plant)

Liu Li Chang Street locates at Beijing He Ping Men Wai and is a Beijing famous culture street. In Liao Dynasty and Jin Dynasty, this place is a village of Beijing Dong Jiao Yan Xia xiang. During Yong Le period of the beginning of Ming Dynasty, established its capital in Beijing. In order to build the Forbidden City (the present Imperial Palace), government of Ming Dynasty established Colored Glaze Plant between Gate Zheng Yang of South City and Gate Xuan Wu, fired colored glaze tiles to satisfy the need of royalty and Colored Glaze Plant acquired a name according to this. Since the middle of Qing Dynasty, Colored Glaze Stove no longer engages in abundant production. At the end of Qing Dynasty, people changed stove address into "Excellent Teaching School" and "Five City School", so Colored Glaze Plant kept this name. Then successful candidates who came to Beijing to participate in imperial examination most centralize at this district, so there are many shops selling books, pens, ink and paper and form thick culture atmosphere. There are many shops selling curio and calligraphy and painting here. Most foreigners who travel in Beijing come here and look for treasures. The following introduces several old shops with their own characteristic. When you meet them in travel, go to visit and add your insight.

1. Rong Bao Zhai
The history of this century-old shop is full of ups and downs. According to related history record, the forerunner of Rong Bao Zhai is "Pine & Bamboo Room (Songzhuzhai)", first established in the eleventh year of Kang Xi in Qing Dynasty (AD 1672), later changed into Rong Bao Zhai in the 20th year of Guang Xu (AD 1894) and there is three hundred years' history until now. Rong Bao Zhai is famous for its stunt of "wood board water marking". The source of wood board water marking of our country can be traced back to the ninth Tang Xian Tong year (AD 868), and there is one thousand years of history. Originally, it only developed simple calligraphy and black-line joss picture. Wood board water marking is a special old manual printing technology for China with which people can print China painting just like original works, mix the false with the genuine and is unapproachable for any printing technology. At that year, Mr. Qi Baishi can't distinguish the genuine from false lacing his own works produced by Rong Bao Zhai.

2. Yi Ya Tang
Established at the end of Qing Dynasty. Except collecting and selling old books, it is famous for mounting pictures, books and mounting painting and calligraphy. In old Beijing mounting shops, shops with high technology and good credit most centralize in the Colored Glaze Plant (Liulichang). At the end of Qing Dynasty and the beginning of Ming Dynasty, the best mounting of Beijing mounting a picture is Yi Ya Shop and Yi Wen Shop and later mounting adepts come from the two shops. An ancient book mounted carefully has a narrow thin cotton paper at the crease, but the book is orderly, and it seems that all has the same thickness. Now, Beijing mounting industry still centralizes on Liu Li Chang Street. Yi Ya Tang locates at No. 104, on the south of East Liulichang and mainly sells calligraphies and paintings, Chinese stationery, ancient and modern ceramic products and travel industrial arts produces.

3. Cathay Bookshop
The Famous Cathay Bookshop is located at No. 57 Liu Li Chang West Street, the renowned Culture Street.

The street, the courtyard and Beijing famous bookstore inside the courtyard and on the street, such as Lai Xun Ge, Sui Ya Zhai, Wen Kui Tang and Song Yun Ge (Now all these shops are managed by China Books Store unitedly) possess centuries-old history. Since the compile of Si Ku Quan Shu (Complete Library in the Four Branches of Literature) in Emperor Qianlong Period, book-men all over the country assemble in Beijing and Colored Glaze Plant became flourishing.

Main business of China Bookstore includes: collection and sorting of ancient books of various dynasties of block-printed edition, hand-copied edition, letter printing, lithographic printing and photographic printing; sales of newly-printed ancient books; sales of new edition and old edition books on literature, history and philosophy, rubbings from stone inscription and album of paintings, calligraphy materials four treasures of the study, art and craft works. In addition, it has made great efforts in sorting, selection, recovery, patching, assembling of incomplete ancient books collected from all over China. It generations of staffs have made remarkable contributions to the inheritance of Chinese traditional culture.

4. Commercial Press
As one of the printing and publishing agencies with longest history in China, The Commercial Press is established in Shanghai in 1897. During the initial stage, its business mainly focused on printing of account books and report forms, its main business gradually extended to publishing of textbooks, ancient books, books on science, literature and arts, reference books and periodicals.

The Commercial Press moved to Beijing in 1954. Translation and publishing of ancient and modern foreign academic works has been its traditional business. Early at the outset of 20th Century, it took the lead in introduction of western science and thoughts by publishing 8 books including "Evolution and Ethics" by modern enlightenment thinker Yan Fu; In 1930's, it printed and distributed over 200 kinds of "Translated Works Series"; since 1958, it has worked out a systematic plan for translation of foreign science books by focusing on three sources of Marxist? German Classical Philosophy, British Classical Political Economy and French Utopian Socialism, on which, great achievements have been made after years' efforts. After "Cultural Revolution", addition to filling up the gap in classical works, it laid more emphasis on publishing of works on psychology, sociology, aesthetics, linguistics, science, methodology, modern political science, economics, emerging discipline, marginal discipline and interdisciplinary.