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- Gold Street--Wangfujing
There are various places to go for shopping, depending on what buyers expect and the prices they are prepared to pay.
Wangfujing intersects with East Chang'an Avenue. It has a history of more than 100 years. The street, which is less than one kilometer long, is lined with shops. The best-known shop is the Beijing Department Store. To the north of the department Store is the One World Department Store, hosting a collection of Chinese and foreign name brands and fine quality products. La Fayette presents French features, namely fashions and name brands. The newly-opened Sun Deng An Market is the largest supermarket in Beijing. It covers a business floor space of 100,000 square meters and sells more than 200,000 kinds of goods. The Oriental Plaza, which is considered another miracle in Chinese architectural history, stands just by the south entrance of Wangfujing.
- Silver Street-Dongdan
Silver street is in the Dongdan Beidajie. It is where all the franchised foreign name-brand shops are concentrated. Jinguomenwai Dajie is famous for its colorful metropolitan scenes. The street is lined with star-rated hotels, office buildings, fancy restaurants, beauty salons and shopping centers. The well-known shopping centers are Friendship Store, SCITECH Plaza, Guiyou Department Store and the China World Shopping Mall.
- Qianmen Dajie
Qianmen street was a commercial center of Beijing more than 500 years ago. Its old shops and small stalls are preferred by Beijngers. Not far from Tian'anmen Square is Xidan, which is regarded as the second Wangfujing. The street is lined with shopping centers, food bazaars and garment markets.
- Xidan Shoping Area
Xidan Shopping Area, north of west Chang'an Avenue, gives a wide range of shopping options. At one end is the Xidan Market, the largest shop in this area. The old store has recently undergone major renovation, which gives it a completely new and modern look. Its open shelves, spacious shopping area, great variety of goods and the warm and understanding staff are a boon. Next to the market is Xidan shopping Center.
- Chaowai Dajie
Chaowai Dajie is rasher new compared to the shopping areas above. Yet the modern shopping centers along the street will soon make this street another hot spot of Beijing. The well-known shopping censers are Full Link Plaza, Jan International Center, Landao Building, Landao Xiau (west district).
- The Silk Market
Despite its name, the Silk Market has much more than just silk. The silk products here are cheap, and therefore popular, but there are also a lot of cashmere garments, down jackets, leather goods, shoes, hats, watches and some handicrafts and trinkets. The Silk Market basically consists of a long, narrow street (Xiushui Jie) lined with dozens of stalls. One of the main things about the Silk Market is the fact that none of the prices are set. This can work for or against you. It all depends on your bargaining skills. It is often helpful to bring along a Chinese friend who can help you bargain,
If you are a tall person (6' and up) the Silk Market is the best place for you to buy clothes and shoes. Usually the shopping plazas and super-stores do not have really large sizes. If you are size 12 shoe size or larger, then the only place to really go is to the Silk Market.
The silk and cashmere goods are also much cheaper than they would be in other stores or in other countries. These terns make great gifts for friends back home, especially the silk Mickey Mouse boxer shorts which you can't get away from. There is also a large selection of fake Rolex, Omega and other wristwatches, rivaled only by the street hawkers of New York City.
- Liulichang
South of Hepingmen, the one-kilometer street is lined with antiques stores, The most famous include Rongbaozhai, Jiguge and China Bookstore.
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