Norbulingka

January 12, 2012 admin No comments

Norbulingka, meaning ‘Treasure Park’ in Tibetan, is situated in the western suburb of Lhasa City, at the bank of the Kyichu River, about one km (about 0.6 mile) southwest of Potala Palace. The garden covers an area of 360,000 square meters (about 430,000 square yards), with 374 rooms inside. It is the biggest man-made garden in Tibet Autonomous Region.
Construction began in the 1740s. The area used to be wasteland with wild animals, weeds and scrub which the Seventh Dalai Lama liked and often visited, and, as a result, the Qing magistrate had a palace built. Years later, Kelsang Potrang was built by order of the Seventh Dalai Lama. Later it was used as the Summer Palace for successive Lamas, where they solved the political problems and held festive celebrations. After a series of expansions and renovations, the appearance was improved with potrangs, pavilions, gardens and woods. It has now been turned into a park open to the public.

Norbulingka consists of several palace complexes, such as the Kelsang Potrang, Tsokyil Potrang, Golden Linka and Takten Migyur Potrang. Each palace complex is divided into three sections – the palace section, the section in front of the palaces and the woods.

Kelsang Potrang, named after the Seventh Dalai Lama, is a three-storey palace with halls for worshipping Buddha, bedrooms, reading rooms and sanctuaries. Tsokyil Potrang, when the Eighth Dalai Lama was in power, is considered to be the most attractive in Norbulingka. Khamsum Zilnon built during that time is really a striking pavilion of the Han architecture style, where Dalai Lamas enjoyed Tibetan opera. In 1922, a wealthy benefactor had Golden Linka and Chensel Potrang constructed for the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. Meanwhile, a lot of flowers, grass and trees were planted. In 1954, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama built Takten Migyur Potrang, which is also called the New Summer Palace, means ‘Eternal Palace’ in Tibetan. The architecture has combined the characteristics of temple and villa and is more magnificent than other palaces. The exquisite murals in the palace are well worth a mention and visit. The murals in the northern hall show the kind, calm Sakyamuni and his eight contemplative disciples. However, the murals in the southern hall vividly tell the development of Tibet in comic strips.

Norbulingka both reflects the ethnical, religious features of the Tibetan people and embodies the architecture style of inland China. It is of great cultural value and was listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 2001 as an extension of Potala Palace.

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Sera Monastery

January 12, 2012 admin No comments

The Sera Monastery at the foot of Tatipu Hill is located in the northern suburb of Lhasa City. It is one of three famous monasteries in Lhasa along with the Drepung Monastery and the Ganden Monastery. The Sera Monastery is dedicated to the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism, founded by Tsong Khapa. Jamchen Chojey, one of Tsong Khapa’s disciples built the monastery in 1419 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The monastery was named Sera which means wild rose in the Tibetan language, because the hill behind it was covered with wild roses in bloom when the monastery was built.
The monastery is magnificent and covers an area of 114,946 square meters (28 acres). Its main buildings are the Coqen Hall, Zhacang (college) and Kamcun (dormitory). Scriptures written in gold powder, fine statues, scent cloth and unparalleled murals can be found in these halls. Colorful debates on Buddhist doctrines are held here and these employ a style distinctive from those at Lhasa’s other famous monasteries.

Coqen Hall
The Coqen Hall, which was built in 1710, is a four-storey building in the northeast area of the monastery. This main assembly hall where various rituals are held is supported by 125 pillars of varying heights and covers about 2,000 square meters (0.5 acre). It consists of five chapels which give honor to the Maitreya, Sakyamuni, Arhats, Tsong Khapa, and Kwan-yin with one thousand hands and eleven faces. The delicate Gangyur of Tripitaka in Tibetan is the proudest possession of the monastery which now holds 105 out of the original 108 volumes. These priceless volumes, the earliest sutras printed by engraving in China, were presented as a gift to Jamchen Chojey by Chengzhu, a Ming Dynasty Emperor.

Zhacang
Zhacang, which means Buddhist College in Tibetan, acts as the arena for the monks to study the Buddhist Classics. There are three Zhacangs in the monastery: Me Zhacang, Je Zhacang and Ngaba Zhacang. The oldest of these, the Me Zhacang, was built in 1419 during the Ming Dynasty and features a well-preserved fresco. In the Je Zhacang the Hayagriva displayed is extremely famous throughout Tibet. The Ngaba Zhacang is the smallest and newest arena where one of the monastery’s founders, Jamchen Chojey, is worshipped.

Kamcun
Kamcuns are the dormitories where the monks usually dine and sleep. The Sera Monastery has around thirty-three Kamcuns which have a central court-yard. They are comprised of halls to read the doctrine, houses and tea houses. The Kamcuns range in size, as do the number of monks housed in each one. Lamas from the same or neighboring areas of Tibet are placed together in a Kamcun.

Sera Bengqin Festival
The Sera Bengqin Festival is a grand festival held in the Sera Monastery on December 27 of the Tibetan calendar (about February in the Gregorian calendar). On that day, a Dorje Pestle is carried to the Potala Palace. The Dalai Lama prays to the Buddha to confer strength and then he blesses the pestle. Following this, the Khenpo (president) of the Ngaba Zhacang will place the pestle on the monks and followers who believe that the power and support of the Buddha are transferred. Tens of thousands of believers come to witness this event as it only occurs at the Sera Monastery.

Debating of Buddhist Doctrines
The Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect of Tibetan Buddhism studies Buddhist doctrines using a step-by-step process. As a part of their study, lamas must participate in debates to further their comprehension and proceed to more advanced levels of study. The debating traditions in the Sera Monastery are unique among the three famous monasteries in Lhasa. Lamas usually have debates in the special debating field from 3 p.m., Monday to Friday. The debate usually lasts about one hour and a half. It may be conducted on Saturday occasionally because of the ritual ceremony at the same day. For the bad weather or religious holidays, the debate will be unavailable sometime in winter. In a battle of words, they supplement their efforts by using a variety of gestures including clapping their hands, pushing their partners for an answer, or plucking their prayer beads to win the virtue of the Buddha. For a clear view of this unique event, an early arrival is recommended.

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Potala Palace

January 12, 2012 admin No comments

Brief Intro
Situated on the Red Hill of central Lhasa, Potala Palace is the highest ancient palace in the world, reaching 3,767.19m (12,359.55ft) at the topmost point.
Potala named after a holy hill in South India is a Sanskrit word meaning “Abode of the Avalokitesvara (Buddha of Mercy).” Legend has it that in the 7th century, to greet his bride Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty (618B.C. – 907B.C.) of China, the then Tibet King Songtsen Gampo built a 9-storey palace with a thousand rooms up on the Red Hill and named it Potala. Later, with the collapse of the Songtsen Gampo Dynasty, the ancient palace was almost destroyed in wars. What we see at present is the architecture of the Qing Dynasty (1644B.C. – 1911B.C.) and the continuous expanding work outcome since the 17th century.

Major Structures
Potala Palace is composed of 2 parts, the Red Palace as the center and the White Palace as two wings.
The Red Palace or Potrang Marpo is the highest part in central Potala Palace that is completely devoted to religious study and Buddhist prayer. It was painted to red to represent stateliness and power. It consists of a complicated layout of different halls, chapels and libraries on many levels with an array of smaller galleries and winding passages: The Great West Hall, Dharma Cave, The Saint’s Chapel, The Tomb of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama and etc. The 725 sq meters (about 7,804 sq ft) Great West Hall is the largest hall of Potala Palace, with beautiful murals painted on its inner walls. Around the Great West Hall are three chapels, the east chapel, the north chapel as well as the south chapel. The Dharma Cave and the Saint’s Chapel are the only two remained constructions of the 7th century with the statues of Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wen Cheng, and Princess Bhrikuti inside.
The White Palace or Potrang Karpo once served as the office building of Tibet local government makes up the living quarters of Dalai Lama. The wall of the palace was painted to white to convey peace and quiet. The Great East Hall on the fourth floor, occupying a space of 717 sq meters (about 7,718 sq ft), was the site for momentous religious and political events. The fifth and sixth floors are used as the living quarters and offices of regents while the seventh floor, the top one, is the living quarters of Dalai Lama consisting of two palaces named the East Chamber of Sunshine and the West Chamber of Sunshine due to the plentiful sunshine.
Potala Palace has other annexes including the School of Buddhist Logic, the seminary, the printing House, gardens, courtyards and even the jail. For more than 300 years, Potala Palace has treasured many culture relics such as murals, stupas, statues, thangkas, and rare sutras.
Feel the urge of a visit? Do read the Travel Tips of Potala Palace first before setting off, as you will find it a great help for sure.

If you are planning to a beijing trip,please visit http://www.shanghaifocus.com/beijing-tour

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Jokhang Temple

January 12, 2012 admin No comments

Layout
The Jokhang Temple is a four-storey timber complex with a golden top. It adopted the architectural styles of the Tang Dynasty, as well as those of Tibet and Nepal.
Standing in the square of the Jokhang Temple, one can view the entire complex. On the square there are two steles, one recording an alliance between the king of Tibet and the emperor of the Tang, the other portraying the teaching of the Tibetan people to prevent and treat smallpox, a once incurable disease in Tibet.
In the eastern section of the yard there are rows of votive lights. These flicking lights provide a path leading all the way to the main hall. The main hall, over 1,300 years old, is the oldest shrine of the complex. Above the major entrance, there is a Dharma Wheel (chakra) flanked by two deer. This represents the unity of all things and symbolizes Sakyamuni himself. On both sides of the passageway, paintings showing the building of the temple, and renderings of the temple from the seventh century are adorned on the wall. The statue of Sakyamuni at age 12 sits in the middle of the hall. It has been gilded many times and decorated elaborately with jewels typical of Tibet. Statues of King Songtsem Gampo, Princess Wen Cheng and Princess Bhrikuti are on the second floor. On the top floor, there are four gilded bronze tile tops crafted in the emblematical Tang style.

History
The Tang Dynasty (618 – 907), was characterized by economic prosperity and great progress in politics. During this time, China was considered the cultural and political center of the world. King Songtsem Gampo (617 – 650, the 33rd king of Tibet) was the leader of the Tubo (or Tibetan) Kingdom. He actively promoted Buddhism in Tibet and under his reign, Tibet achieved great progress in social innovation and realized the integration of Tibet for the first time. In order to promote friendly relationships with the neighboring countries, he successively married Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal and Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty. When the two wives arrived in Tibet, each brought a statue of Jowo Sakyamuni. During this time, most people lived in tents and there were few palaces. To house the Buddha brought by Princess Wen Cheng, King Songtsem Gampo constructed the Little Jokhang. Jealous of her, Princess Burikuti asked Gampo to build a Jokhang for her as well. Therefore, in 647 the giant complex was built.
The original complex included only eight shrines. After multiple renovations, most notably during the Yuan Dynasty (1206 – 1368), the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the complex grew to the scale that exists today.

Legend
The Jokhang Temple was built on the former site of a lake. According to the legend, the lake site was chosen after many failed attempts to build a temple in the region. Prior to this, every time a temple was built, it would collapse. Confused by this phenomenon, Princess Bhrikuti turned to Wen Cheng for help. Being a learned woman, Wen Cheng told the Princess that the geography of Tibet was very much like a hag, with the lake at the heart. In order to build the temple, Wen Cheng advised they must demolish the hag by filling and leveling the lake using 1,000 goats to carry soil from a mountain far away. When the temple was done, it was called Ra-Sa-Vphrul-Snang (‘ra’ meaning goat and ‘sa’ meaning earth in Tibetan) to commemorate those goats.
Whether the legend is true or not, this temple brought Buddhism into Tibet and became an inseparable part of Tibetan history and culture. The city of Ra-Sa grew around the temple and over time, become known as Lhasa, a holy land.

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Potala Palace

January 12, 2012 admin No comments

Brief Intro
Situated on the Red Hill of central Lhasa, Potala Palace is the highest ancient palace in the world, reaching 3,767.19m (12,359.55ft) at the topmost point.
Potala named after a holy hill in South India is a Sanskrit word meaning “Abode of the Avalokitesvara (Buddha of Mercy).” Legend has it that in the 7th century, to greet his bride Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty (618B.C. – 907B.C.) of China, the then Tibet King Songtsen Gampo built a 9-storey palace with a thousand rooms up on the Red Hill and named it Potala. Later, with the collapse of the Songtsen Gampo Dynasty, the ancient palace was almost destroyed in wars. What we see at present is the architecture of the Qing Dynasty (1644B.C. – 1911B.C.) and the continuous expanding work outcome since the 17th century.

Major Structures
Potala Palace is composed of 2 parts, the Red Palace as the center and the White Palace as two wings.
The Red Palace or Potrang Marpo is the highest part in central Potala Palace that is completely devoted to religious study and Buddhist prayer. It was painted to red to represent stateliness and power. It consists of a complicated layout of different halls, chapels and libraries on many levels with an array of smaller galleries and winding passages: The Great West Hall, Dharma Cave, The Saint’s Chapel, The Tomb of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama and etc. The 725 sq meters (about 7,804 sq ft) Great West Hall is the largest hall of Potala Palace, with beautiful murals painted on its inner walls. Around the Great West Hall are three chapels, the east chapel, the north chapel as well as the south chapel. The Dharma Cave and the Saint’s Chapel are the only two remained constructions of the 7th century with the statues of Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wen Cheng, and Princess Bhrikuti inside.
The White Palace or Potrang Karpo once served as the office building of Tibet local government makes up the living quarters of Dalai Lama. The wall of the palace was painted to white to convey peace and quiet. The Great East Hall on the fourth floor, occupying a space of 717 sq meters (about 7,718 sq ft), was the site for momentous religious and political events. The fifth and sixth floors are used as the living quarters and offices of regents while the seventh floor, the top one, is the living quarters of Dalai Lama consisting of two palaces named the East Chamber of Sunshine and the West Chamber of Sunshine due to the plentiful sunshine.
Potala Palace has other annexes including the School of Buddhist Logic, the seminary, the printing House, gardens, courtyards and even the jail. For more than 300 years, Potala Palace has treasured many culture relics such as murals, stupas, statues, thangkas, and rare sutras.
Feel the urge of a visit? Do read the Travel Tips of Potala Palace first before setting off, as you will find it a great help for sure.

Ticketing Tips:
1. The original ID card is must for purchasing ticket of the Potala Palace.
2. Only 2300 tickets are issued each day, 1600 for the travel agents and 700 for individual tourists.
3. Ticket Purchase Procedure: On the 1st day, individual tourists should get the free certificate for ticket purchasing with their original ID cards. One can have as many as 4 certificates including himself for his companion, yet with the ID cards of theirs. Their birthdays are registered on the certificates. On the 2nd day, at the set visit time on the certificate, tourists go to the main gate to have their certificates and ID cards checked, thereafter purchase the tickets at the ticket office in front of the gate of the White Palace to start their tour after another security check.

Travel Tips:
1. The travel route of Potala Palace is set strictly. Tourists all have to enter from the east main entrance.
2. The travel time is limited in 1 to 1.5 hours.
3. Note that expect the toilet at the right side of the White Palace Square, there is no rest room during the route of the rest time. The water closet at the back gate of the White Palace is said to be distinctive and worth a try.
4. Watch your steps due to the high altitude. Bring along an overcoat as it is a bit cold and damp in the hall.

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Beijing Antique Markets

January 12, 2012 admin No comments

Haiwangcun Curio Market
Chinese name: 海王村古玩市场
Rebuilt from Chinese Bookstore, the market is 1,100 square meters (nearly 0.3 acres) with over 70 stores.
Location: No.115, Liulichang Dong Jie, Xuanwu District

Baoguo Temple Culture Market
Chinese name: 报国寺文化市场
Location: Baoguo Temple, Guanganmennei, Xuanwu District

Rongxing Art Gallery Folk Culture Market
Chinese name: 荣兴艺廊旧货市场
Location: No.19, Liulichang Xijie, Xuanwu District

Beijing Curio City
Chinese name: 北京古玩城
It is the largest curio distribution center in Asia. The curio city covers an area about 23,400 square meters (5.8 acres). There are about 500 stores dealing with ancient porcelain, paintings, calligraphy, jade, carving, bronze ware, antique furniture, carpet, clocks and jewelry. The curio city is like a big museum, and you can just wander around to get more knowledge about Chinese culture. Your eyes will be dazzled by these ancient art treasures.

Every year, the curio city holds several regular exhibitions to show the curios and art treasures. There are also many exhibition fairs, auctions, as well as lectures on curio knowledge. The Folk Culture Festival in January, Auction Week in May and Exhibition Fair in October are the most popular activities amongst them. They attract thousands of visitors coming here to choose their favorite curios.

The Beijing Curio City is well organized with a series of supporting facilities. There are some experts in the market, offering professional services and giving special instructions to the curio lovers.

Location: No.21, South 3rd East Ring Road, Chaoyang District
Bus Route: 300, 28, 368, 607, 907 (get off at Panjiayuan Stop or Shilihe Stop)

Panjiayuan Folk Culture Market
Located at the southeast corner of the 3rd Ring Road, Panjiayuan Folk Culture Market is the largest market selling second hand goods and curios in the area. It is like a big museum, attracting visitors at home and aboard with its unique charm. You can find many types of goods, including calligraphy, Chinese painting, writing brush, ivory carving, traditional Chinese musical instruments, porcelain and ancient furniture. There are some peddlers from ethnic minorities, hawking their national handicrafts, like Hui, Mongol, Miao, Korean and Manchu. Here are some of the goods that are of interest to visitors:

Porcelains
Porcelain is the most typical of Chinese craftworks, and show eastern cultural features. They are highly prized by foreign visitors for their exquisite design and special styles. There is some ancient porcelain from hundreds of years ago, as well as less expensive imitations sold in the market.

Ancient Propaganda Pictures
There are many booths selling ancient books and propaganda pictures. The pictures describe the cultural life after the foundation of the PRC and reflect the simple spirit of the times. Mr. Liu Zhanquan is a famous collector of hundreds of ancient propaganda pictures. The pictures enjoyed by visitors and show the features of the times.
Location of Liu Zhanquan’s shop: No.212, 2/F, Modern Collection Area, Panjiayuan Folk Culture Market

Carved Furniture
Carved furniture is a traditional Chinese wood-working technique, and is well liked by locals for thousands of years. The furniture is skillfully carved in into vivid flowers, spirits or animal designs. There are many kinds of carvings, including doors, windows, cupboards and wardrobes. They are an ideal furniture decoration for the house with classical features.

Tips: To remind you, the stores in the market open everyday while the street stalls just open on weekends.
Finding a real curio here requires sharp eyes and plenty of related background knowledge.

Location: No.200, west of Panjiayuan Qiao, Chaoyang District
Bus Route: 63, 802, 300 (get off at Panjiayuan Stop)

Liangma Collection Market
Chinese name: 亮马收藏品市场
Opened in 1992, the market occupies an area of 5,000 square meters (1.2 acres). There are about 200 stores engaged in selling porcelain, jade, ancient clocks, cameras, paintings, carpets and antique furniture.
Location: No.59, Liangma Lu, Chaoyang District

Hongqiao Curio Market
Chinese name: 红桥古玩市场
The curio market is located on the third floor of Hongqiao Emporium. Most of the curios sold here are cheap imitations.
Location: 3rd floor of Hongqiao Emporium, Tiantan Gongyuan Donglu, Chongwen District
Bus Route: 6, 35, 108 (get off at Chongwenmen Stop, about 2,000 meters (1.1 miles) south of the bus station)

Lvjiaying Antique Furniture Market
Chinese name: 吕家营古旧家具市场
It is a distribution center for antique furniture in Beijing. There are 150 workshops making furniture in the market.
Location: Lvjiaying Cun, Shibalidian Xiang, Chaoyang District

Gaobeidian Antique Furniture Street
Chinese name: 高碑店古旧家具街
The street has decades of years history as a special street offering classical furniture.
Location: Gaobeidian, Wangsiying Xiang, Chaoyang District (east of Gaobeidian Lu)

Curio City Fenzhong Temple Antique Furniture Market
Chinese name: 古玩城分钟寺古典家具市场
It is the largest indoor market selling antique furniture.
Location: No.519, Fenzhong Temple, East 3rd South Ring Road, Fengtai District
Bus Route: 857, 812, 830, 826, 757, 803, 807, 750, 723, 627 (get off at Chengshou Temple Stop, south of the bus station)

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Beijing Bookstores

January 12, 2012 admin No comments

For people traveling in a foreign country, one of the drawbacks is the difficulty in finding a good bookstore from which to choose a book in their native language so they can learn more about the country or its customs. As the cultural center of China, Beijing has plenty of bookstores with a large variety of books in all fields. Commonly, each big bookstore in Beijing is divided into sections according to different books for sale: Literature, Arts, Academic Books, Business, Administration, Practical Books, Education, References, Engineering, Computer, Industry and Miscellaneous. VCDs, DVDs and other kinds of digital reading materialscan also be found in bookstores. In addition to those, some bookstores have computerized Book Search to help the buyers conveniently locate the books they want. Furthermore, the bookstores will introduce New Arrivals, New Journals and Best Sellers tothe buyers. Some bookstores even have Book Sales Rankings. These will help the buyers make their choices more easily.
Here are some famous bookstores in Beijing:
Sanlian Bookstore
Chinese name: 三联读者服务部（sān lián dú zhě fú wù bù）
The bookstore is a large one with helpful staff members. What makes it special is its Internet Café on the second floor.
Location: No.22, Meishuguan Donglu, Chaoyang District

Import Books Bookstore
Chinese name: 外文进口书店（wài wén jìn kǒu shū diàn）
Located on the third floor of Foreign Languages Bookstore in Wangfujing Dajie, the bookstore sells mainly imported books. There are special shelves for publishing houses such as Oxford and Cambridge.

Foreign Languages Bookstore
Chinese name: 外文书店（wài wén shú diàn）
The bookstore has a history of nearly 50 years, and it is the preference of many foreigners in Beijing. The bookstore has a great number of books written in English covering literature, history, politics, art and even cooking. Most of them are published by Chinese publishing houses, while there are also some original imported books from foreign countries. There are several branches of Foreign Languages Bookstore in Beijing.
Foreign Languages Bookstore (Wangfujing Branch)
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 22:00
Location: No.235, Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District
Foreign Languages Bookstore (Haidian Branch)
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 18:30
Location: No.25, Haidian Xi Dajie, Haidian District

Beijing Book Building
Chinese name: 北京图书大厦（běi jīng tú shū dà shà）
There is a great variety of books from which you may choose. You will find books written in English in the basement, and there are many Chinese language learning materials on the third floor. The personnel in the bookstore are very helpful, and they speak English.
Location: No.17, Xi Changan Avenue, Haidian District

Yansha Tushu Tiandi
Chinese name: 燕沙图书天地（yàn shā tú shū tiān dì）
The bookstore is located on the sixth floor of Lufthansa Friendship Shopping Center. Plenty of artistic picture albums from home and abroad are found here. There are over 8,000 kinds of imported books, of which the books from Hong Kong and Taiwan comprise the greatest part. Apart from that, the classical CDs, VCDs are all worth buying as a collection.
Location: 6/F, Lufthansa Friendship Shopping Center, No.1, Yuanda Lu, Haidian District

China Bookstore
Chinese name: 中国书店（zhōng guó shū diàn）
The bookstore is not very big one, but it offers many traditional Chinese literature works. The new books here are at an 80% discount normally, while there are some second hand books as well at much cheaper prices. Additionally, you will find an impressive selection of books on Chinese painting, calligraphy and photography.
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 17:00 (Weekdays)
Location: No.115, Liulichang Dongjie, Xuanwu District

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Beijing Wholesale Markets

January 12, 2012 admin No comments

The wholesale market is one of the most popular shopping places in Beijing among the locals. The goods sold there are much cheaper than in big shopping centers. There are plenty of wholesale markets in Beijing with commodities of all kinds. You can bargain there for the goods you desire at a surprisingly cheap price. A reminder that credit cards are not accepted, so you should come prepared with enough cash. As the markets are very crowded all day long, you should beware of pickpockets.
Here are some main wholesale markets in Beijing:
Jingmin Tea City
Chinese name: 京闽茶城（jīng mǐn chá chéng）
As its name implies, it is a special market selling tea of all kinds, including black tea, oolong, green tea, health tea and all kinds of flower tea. Apart from tea, there are also stores with traditional Chinese tea services and root carvings.
Location: No.15, Guangwai Maliandao, Xuanwu District

Xinfadi Farm Produce Wholesale Market
Chinese name: 新发地农产品批发市场（xīn fā dì nóng chǎn pǐn pī fā shì chǎng）
You can find stores selling local products of Beijing here.
Location: west of Xinfadi Qiao, Hua Xiang, Fengtai District
Bus Route: 732

Beijing Flower Market
Chinese name: 北京花卉交易市场（běi jīng huā huì jiāo yì shì chǎng）
It was the first indoor flower market in Beijing. Opened in 1994, the market covers an area over 2,400 square meters (0.6 acres). There are also some artificial flowers sold here.
Location: B8, North 3rd East Ring Road, Chaoyang District

Costumes & Shoes
There are two big commercial zones for costume wholesale markets in Beijing: one is around Beijing Zoo and the other is in Musiyuan. The Beijing zoo commercial zone is the largest distribution center in northern China. There are plenty of wholesale markets selling up-to-date fashions, shoes, men’s suites and little ornaments, such as Tianle, Dongding, Zhonghe, Tianhao City and Jinkai Deli.

Tianle Costumes Wholesale Market
Chinese name: 天乐服饰批发市场（tiān lè fú shì pī fā shì chǎng）
Location: No.12, Xiwai Nan Lu, Xicheng District
Bus Route: 102, 103, 15, 65, 27, 332

Great Red Gate Costumes Wholesales Market
Chinese name: 大红门服饰批发市场（dà hóng mén fǔ shì pī fā shì chǎng）
Location: No.15, Nanyuan Lu, Fengtai District
Bus Route: 366, 377, 724, 729, 927

Commodities
Commodity wholesale markets are the most common style of market in Beijing. They serve the locals daily necessities, stationery, cosmetics, clocks, glasses, dolls and even curios of all kinds.

Machang Qianjia Commodity Wholesale Market
Chinese name: 马场千佳综合批发市场（mǎ chǎng qiān jiā zōng hé pī fā shì chǎng）
The market was opened in 1999, covering an area about 40 mu (6.6 acres). It is in good condition with fine supporting facilities.
Location: No.1, Xihuan Xilu, Fengtai District

Eastern Fairyland Wholesale Market
Chinese name: 东方福地批发市场（dōng fāng fú dì pī fā shì chǎng）
Location: No.99, Dongzhimennei Dajie, Dongcheng District

Tian Wai Tian Wholesale Markets
Chinese name: 天外天市场（tiān wài tiān shì chǎng）
Location: B6, Nanlishi Lu, Xicheng District (south of the east entrance of Yutan Park)
Bus Route: 13, 15, 19, 21, 25, 42, 44, 45, 65, 68, 101, 121, 326, 335, 336, 618, 716, 800, 816, 823

Guanyuan Wholesale Market
Chinese name: 官园商品批发市场（guān yuán shāng pǐn pī fā shì chǎng）
Location: A4, Chegongzhuang Dajie, Xicheng District
Bus Route: 19, 392, 701, 812, 107, 118

Tianyi Wholesale Market
Chinese name: 天意批发市场（tiān yì pī fā shì chǎng）
Location: No.259, Fuchengmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District (north of Jinrun Building)
Bus Route: 846, 855, 101, 112, 103, 603 (get off at Fuwai Xikou Stop)

Electronic & Digital Products
As this is the scientific center of China, there are lots of special markets selling electronic and digital products. Zhongguancun in Haidian District is the most famous one.

Zhongguancun E Plaza
Chinese name: 中关村e世界（zhōng guān cūn yì shì jiè）
Zhongguancun is known as the Chinese Silicon Valley and it is the science and technology center of China. Zhongguancun E Plaza is well organized with excellent supporting facilities. You can find electronic and digital products of all kinds here. There are also many other electronic markets in the Zhongguancun area.
Location: No.10, Zhongguancun Dajie, Haidian District

Hailong Digital Market
Chinese name: 海龙大厦电子市场（hǎi long dà shà diàn zǐ shì chǎng）
Location: No.1, Zhongguancun Dajie, Haidian District

Apollo Plaza
Chinese name: 阿波罗电子数码广场（ā bō luó diàn zǐ shù mǎ guǎng chǎng）
Location: No.5, Guangyuan Zha, Zizhuyuan Lu, Haidian District

Saibo Digital Plaza
Chinese name: 赛博数码生活广场（sài bó shù mǎ shēng huó guǎng chǎng）
Location: No.4, Huixin Dong Jie, Yayuncun, Chaoyang District

If you are planning to a beijing trip,please visit http://www.shanghaifocus.com/beijing-tour

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Beijing Supermarkets

January 12, 2012 admin No comments

Now, supermarkets are very popular around the country. There are many big supermarkets in Beijing and some of them are chain stores. Your eyes will be dazzled by the great variety of goods in different brands and you can have more choice. Furthermore, the supermarkets sell good-quality products which are much cheaper than other shopping centers in most cases. Commonly, food, commodities, clothes, books and electrical household appliances are all available in supermarkets and credit cards are welcome. These are some well received supermarkets in Beijing:

Auchan
Chinese name: 欧尚（ōu shàng）
Auchan is a world famous supermarket brand from France.
Opening Hours: 8:00 – 22:00
Auchan (Siji Branch)
Location: No.117, North 4th West Ring Road, Haidian District
Auchan (Kexing Branch)
Location: No.1, Linfeng Lu, Fengtai District

Carrefour
Chinese name: 家乐福（jiā lè fú）
It is one of the largest chain supermarket brands in China. The branches are scattered around Beijing. Some of the branches offer Free Carrefour Shuttle Bus to convenient the customers.

Carrefour (Tongzhou Branch)
Opening Hours: 8:30 – 22:00
Location: No.48, Jiu Keshu East Road, Tongzhou District
Bus Route: 938, 312, 848 (get off at Jiukeshu Stop)

Carrefour (Zhongguancun Plaza Branch)
Opening Hours: 8:30 – 22:00
Location: Zhongguancun Plaza, Haidian District
Bus Route: 209, 255, 302, 307, 320, 365, 716, 717, 731, 732, 718, 801, 811, 808, 814

Carrefour (Shuangjing Branch)
Opening Hours: 8:30 – 22:00
Location: No.31, Guangqu Lu, Chaoyang District
Bus Route: 23, 30, 35, 348, 710, 715, 721, 752, 754, 852, 988

Carrefour (Maliandao Branch)
Opening Hours: 8:30 – 22:30
Location: No.11, Mianliandao Street, Xuanwu District
Bus Route: 46, 609, 414

Carrefour (Fangzhuang Branch)
Opening Hours: 8:00 – 22:30
Location: No.15, Section 2, Fangchengyuan, Fangzhuang, Fengtai District
Bus Route: 37, 122, 741, 986, 754, 12, 25, 51, 800, 721, 434

Carrefour (Fuangyuan Branch)
Opening Hours: 8:00 – 22:30
Location: Fangyuan Building, A56, Zhongguancun South Road, Haidian District
Bus Route: 104, 106, 205, 111, 107, 105, 347

Carrefour (Chuangyijia Branch)
Opening Hours: 8:30 – 22:30
Location: B6, East 3rd North Ring Road, Chaoyang District
Bus Route: 18, 104, 300, 302, 367, 401, 404, 419, 718, 725, 730, 731, 830, 831, 801, 825, 847, 967 (get off at Jinganzhuang Stop, south of the entrance of International Exhibition Center)

Metro
Chinese name: 麦德龙（mài dé long）
It is a German supermarket known by great quantity and cheap prices. But it accepts VIP customers with membership card only.
Opening Hours: 6:00 – 22:00
Location: No.1, Xinjiangongmen Lu, Haidian District
No.35, Dayangfang Lu, Chaoyang Disitrct

Watsons
Chinese name: 屈臣氏（qū chén shì）
Watsons is a chain shop for cosmetics and personal products. There are many branches of Watsons scattered around Beijing.

Watsons (Xidan Branch)
Location: 1/F, Xidan Friendship Store, No.109, Xidan Bei Dajie, Xicheng District

Watsons (Oriental Plaza Branch)
Location: CC17, Oriental New World, No.1, Dong Changan Avenue, Dongcheng District

Watsons (Wudaokou Branch)
Location: 1/F, Dongsheng Mansion, No.8, Zhongguancun Donglu, Haidian District

Watsons (Fenglian Branch)
Location: 1/F, Fenglian Plaza, No.18, Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District

Watsons (Xinshijie Branch)
Location: 1/F, New World Emporium, No.3-5, Chongwenmenwai Dajie, Chongwen District

Wal-mart Supercenter
Chinese name: 沃尔玛购物广场（wò ér mǎ gòu wù guǎng chǎng）
Opening Hours: 07:00 – 22:00

Wal-mart Supercenter (Zhichunlu Branch)
Location: B1-2/F, A48, Zhichun Lu, Haidian District
Bus Route: 386, 626, 725, 735, 804, 851, 941, 944

Wal-mart Supercenter (Xuanwumen Branch)
Location: -1-1/F, Fuzhuo Garden Plaza, Xuanwai Dajie, Xuanwu District
Bus Route: 109, 102, 105, 603, 922, 724

Wal-mart Supercenter (Jianguolu Branch)
Location: -1/F, Wanda Plaza, No.93, Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District

Sam’s Club
Location: No.158, Fushi Lu, Shijingshan District

If you are planning to a beijing trip,please visit http://www.shanghaifocus.com/beijing-tour

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Feature Stores in Beijing

January 12, 2012 admin No comments

Beijing has a prosperous economy for hundreds of years. There are manystores, which are highly reputed, still in existence till today and are wellliked by the locals as well as foreign visitors. These stores can be found in Dazhalan, Wangfujing, Liulichang and some other traditional commercial areas in Beijing.

Gui Xiang Cun
Chinese name: 桂香村（guì xiāng cūn）
It is a food store opened on Mid-autumn festival of 1916. Now, it serves nearly170 kinds of snacks with special local flavor.
Location: No.177, Xidan Bei Dajie, Xicheng District

Rui Fu Xiang Silk & Cotton Shop
Chinese name: 瑞蚨祥（ruì fú xiáng）
Rui Fu Xiang is a silk store opened by a businessman from Shandong Province in1893. The store was established in Dazhalan for over one hundred year and isnow listed as Beijing Cultural Relic Protection Unit. It deals with high quality silk and leather of different sorts. The store also caters to tailor made clothes.
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 21:00
Location: No.5, Dazhalan Jie, Qianmenwai, Xuanwu District
Bus Route: 104, 803, 10, 1, 4 (get off at Wangfujing Stop)

Nei Lian Sheng
Chinese name: 内联升（nèi lián shēng）
It is also a time honored store engaging in shoes. Cloth shoes are the most popular ones of the store. The shoes here are well liked by some famous person like ChairmanMao.
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 20:00
Location: No.34, Dazhalan Jie, Xuanwu District

Qian Xiang Yi
Chinese name: 谦祥益（qiān xiáng yì）
Used name as Beijing Silk Store, the shop enjoys a history over 150 years. It is the largest one serving a great number of silks. There are also many kinds of special silks from minority groups.
Opening Hours: 08:00 – 18:00
Location: No.5, Qianmen Zhubaoshi, Xuanwu District
Bus Route: 17 (get off at Qianmen Stop) Bus Route: 44, 744, 48, 803, 729, 66,726, 22 (get off at Qianmen Stop)

Bu Ying Zhai
Chinese name: 步瀛斋（bù yíng zhāi）
Opened in 1858, it is a well known store dealing with all kinds of shoes, ranging from exquisite silk shoes with embroidered designs to imported leather shoes.
Opening Hours: 08:00 – 18:00
Location: No.8, Dazhalan Jie, Xuanwu District
Bus Route: 120, 59, 744 (get off at Dazhalan Stop)

Sheng Xi Fu
Chinese name: 盛锡福（shèng xī fú）
Opened in 1911, the store is welcomed by locals with exquisite handmade caps.The caps here have gain high reputation with high quality and elegant style.
Opening Hours: 08:15 – 21:00
Location: No.196, Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District
Bus Route: 106, 110 (get off at Dengshikou Stop)

Yuan Chang Hou Tea House
Chinese name: 元长厚茶庄（yuán cháng hòu chá zhuāng）
It is a time honored tea house with a history over 90 years. The tea house offersyou the genuine tea of China.
Location: No.98, Xidan Bei Dajie, Xicheng District

Zheng Ming Zhai
Chinese name: 正明斋（zhèng míng zhāi）
Opened in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the store serves the local desserts for hundredsof years.
Location: No.1, Lucao Yuan, Sanlihe Nan Lu, Haidian District

If you are planning to a beijing trip,please visit http://www.shanghaifocus.com/beijing-tour

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