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Panjiayuan Antique Market ( 潘家园旧货市场 )
Jun 10, 2013,22:45 PM
Beijing Pa nj iayuan Flea Market is located at the southwest of Panjiayuan bridge, South road of East third ring road, Chaoyang District, Beijing. Covering an area of 48,500㎡, it is divided into six sections: Roadside stands, Ancient Architecture, Classical Furniture, Modern collection, Sculpture and Stone Engraving, and the Catering section. Trading mostly in antiques, handicrafts, ornaments, and other collectibles, Panjiayuan has an annual revenue of several hundred million yuan. Having more than four thousand shop owners, this market has nearly ten thousand shop assistants in which sixty percent are from the other twenty-eight provinces and municipalities except Beijing. People here come from a variety of backgrounds, there are more than ten minorities of Hui, Man, Miao, Dong, Uigur, Mongolian, Korean, and other ethnic groups of China. Founded in 1992, this market has developed along with the success in business in folk antiques and handicrafts. Diffusing Chinese culture, it has become a large, quaintly classical market of antiques and handicrafts.
(Source: wikipedia)
The main entrance to the market proudly displays the name of the market in Chinese Calographic Characters. A most common sight that greets visitors and tourists alike at these attractions.
The mother of all "antique" markets is home to over 3,000 dealers who scour the countryside in search of antiques, family heirlooms and curios. This is the place to go for life-size terracotta warriors, vintage photographs, porcelain vases and figurines, Qing-style furniture and much, much more. The best bargains are offered early on weekend mornings, between 6 and 8.30am. Best on weekends, 4.30am-6pm (but open on weekdays as well).
The outer facade of the maket is lined with restored ancient buidlings, and now housing mostly commercial entities, mainly local Chinese eateries and cafes.
The market was converted from the manor of a wealthy Chinese that dates back to the Ming/Qing Dynasty. The architecture would suggest that as well.
Keeping in mind that this is an ancient manor, the compound within is huge to say the least. And a hustle and bustle !
One can get an inkling of the hive of activity within, as evidence by the preferred mode of transportation, all parked outside of the main compound.
Rows and rows, and seemingly endless. Mostly owned by the thousands of vendors, indicative of a highly competitive market within.
Thousands of bikes of all size, shapes and colour .... and as far as the eye can see !