Beijing Antiques

Where to find that Ming vase to go on the windowsill

Beijing can be a great place for antique shopping, as long as you don’t mind the fact they’re fake. Everything from ‘ancient’ Qing dynasty opium pipes to the ‘Cultural Revolution’ propaganda posters. But that doesn’t mean they won’t make great additions to your home, and if you know your stuff then maybe you’ll find something genuinely old.

Beijing Antiques: What to Buy

Bronzes, porcelain tea-sets and teapots, stone or wooden carvings, Cultural Revolution posters. There are some beautiful fake-antique calligraphy scrolls and paintings too, but the ones which haven’t been caked in mud to make them look old are much more attractive.

Beijing Antique Shopping – Where to go

As for where to go antique shopping, *Pānjiāyuán Antiques Market *(Pānjiāyuán gǔwán shìchăng 潘家园古玩市场) is pretty popular. It’s usually noisy and crowded and you have to bargain hard, but the choice is unparalleled and the atmosphere is great. The market is open Saturday and Sunday from dusk until early afternoon.

Panjiayuan Antiques Market is just East of the Temple of Heaven, of Dongsanhuan Nanlu. Getting there by public transport is not that easy so for now the best way to get there is by taxi. It’s just off Dongsanhuan Nanlu (The South-Eastern Section of the Third Ring Road), on Panjiayuan Lu.

Alternatively try the Beijing Curio City, which is about 500m South of Panjiayuan on Dongsanhuan Nanlu. Four floors of antique shopping heaven, not usually as hectic as Panjiayuan.

Liulichang is one of the best places in Beijing for antique shopping. Prices are far from rock bottom but the choice is enormous and it’s a nice atmostpheric place for a wander. A good place to pick up scrolls and paintbrushes. Liulichang is just East of Qianmen.

If you happen to be shopping in Hongqiao Market, the top floor has antiques and is worth a look.