Shopaholics will fall in love when exploring Wangfujing Dajie. This is the heart of Beijing’s shopping district and there are enough sights to see to keep visitors busy. On the west side are numerous quality clothes stores in little boutiques. The largest bookstore in China, the Foreign Languages Bookstore, can be found near the crossroad with Dong’anmen Jie. This is the most valuable resource for travellers visiting China. The Sun Dong’an Plaza is an extravagant shopping mall where designer and expensive clothes are often on sale. Teas and souvinirs can be purchased in the basement here before heading off to the famous Dong’anmen Night Market to the north of the street. Tourists gather here in droves to sample many of the various, and eccentric, items on offer. Expect to see scorpions, silk worms, deep fried ice cream, starfish and different parts of pigs being consumed.
Head to the east of Wangfujing Dajie where a cluster of hutongs offers a different side of this vibrant area. Quieter, this is the area where ten brothers of a Ming dynasty emperor lived in order for him to watch over them. Their palace, which has now been transformed into a medical college, can be found at the far end of Shuaifuyuan Hutong. Carry on walking east and Dongdan Bei Dajie to discover a fabulous shopping centre which is quickly gaining a reputation to rival Wangfujing Dajie.
Address: Head north from Dongchang’an Jie
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