Beijing Baigong Fang Jade Shop near Temple of Heaven

Although not well known in the west, Jade is a very popular jewelry among Chinese people, especially women.

Jade is known for its graceful color and elaborately carved patterns, as well as mythical powers in chasing away bad luck.

At Beijing Baigong Handicraft Museum near the Jiang Xi Grand Hotel and Temple Of Heaven, I found a shop specializing in jadeite ware.

The shop assistant guaranteed that all of their jewelry is made of top grade jadeite.

Raw jade is imported from Burma, and they are then carved by master craftsmen in Guangzhou.

For ladies, the shop offers bracelets and necklace pendants with Buddha and Ping An Kou (literally means button of protection).

A bracelet usually costs several thousand yuan.

For men, they have pendants such as Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy) and Pi Xiu (legendary animal which eats and retains wealth).

A yellow-colored Pi Xiu cost about 600 yuan.

Also on display was a big, crude, black-colored jadeite stone.

The shop assistant turned on a small flashlight against the stone, so I could see beautiful, charming green light shining into it. It was amazing to see graceful jadeite ware made from this kind of stone.

Old Beijing Paper Cutting Shop Near Forbidden City

One of China’s most time-honored traditions is the fine art of paper cutting, which has been around since ancient times.

Zi Yi Xuan, a Paper-cutting shop right near a lot of Beijing Hotels, offers a large selection of paper-cutting works in the center of Beijing. They make paper cuttings of all sorts of themes, including shadow puppets, peacocks, playing children, opera figures, and court ladies.

Mr. Li, the owner, said one of the most popular items is the set of 12 Chinese Zodiac animals, believed to bring happiness and success to their owner. The works look lively, and the animals seem to pop out from the paper. The set sells around RMB 900.

I also picked up a colorful fish paper-cutting commonly seen during the Chinese spring festivals. People use them to adorn their doors and windows during Spring Festival. The fish express their wishes for more wealth. It sells only for RMB 25.

Other popular themes include historical tales, auspicious animals, and daily life scenes. I even found some Fuwa mascots for the Olympics.

Mr. Li speaks a little English. Communication should not be a problem.

Beijing Tea Pillow Shop Near The Temple Of Heaven

Combining Chinese traditional Tea culture with Eastern medicine, Hanyilou shop on Beijing’s famous tea street Maliandao near the Beijing Hong Kun International Hotel carries a series of healthy tea pillows.

Tea pillow has a long history in China. Many Chinese in ancient times made simple tea pillows to treat headache and insomnia.

The shop owner, Mr. Zhang, told me they use natural green tea, Oolong tea, or flower tea.

All teas are gathered from in natural tea gardens located above Mount Taimu in Fujian Province, and then used to fill the pillow’s heart.

A fragrant pillow could improve sleep quality, rejuvenate one’s mind, and  reduce stress. Prices vary from a small cushion for RMB 118 to an adult pillow at RMB 236.

The shop also displays some cute tea-pet figurines, like the “dragon fish” and “two lions fighting for a ball”. All these are symbols of blessing in China.

Tea lovers like to raise their tea pets on the tea set, by splashing them with extra water used in teas.

Due to the special of the materials used, the pets become shinier the more hot tea they absorb.

Prices vary from RMB 15 to RMB 50.

Beijing Hotan Jade Shop Near The Temple Of Heaven

Jade is believed to bring happiness and luck for the people, keeps away evil, and good for one’s health.

With its clear jadeite qualities, Hotan Jade has enjoyed a good reputation since ancient times. Its history can be traced back to 1200 years ago.

Jade Family is a Hotan jade shop near the Jiang Xi Grand Hotel,   which sells finished jade accessories as well as incomplete jade materials that you can design yourself.

From jade necklace and bracelet, to large jade home  adornments, Jade Family carries a large selection of jade merchandises.

The shop owner, Ms. Cao, told me their story of jade collection in Xinjiang.

She said that the mountains south of Hotan City are called Jade Mountains, and the river beside the Hotan city is called the Jade River.

Even today, you can find people picking jade from the river. Only in the Jade river one can find the best quality Jade, but the mountains are still mined for cheap jade product.

She showed me a top-quality jade horse. Even though I know little about jade, I still appreciated its whiteness and brightness. The item is sold at RMB 30,000.

Another piece I liked was the “Jade Mountain.” It had a shape of a mountain, with three old men standing by pine trees. All these represent longevity in China. It costs RMB 2500.

Jade Family also sells some daily items, like ceramic ware, tobacco bottles, and fingerstalls popular back in the early 20th century.

A Sea Of Jade Near The Temple Of Heaven

Just as its name implies, Yu Hai Cui Yuan, is indeed a “sea of jade”. Located on Fatou Xili Street near The Jiang Xi Grand Hotel, it is very close to the Temple of Heaven.

Upon entering the shop, I was first attracted by a huge jade carving of a cabbage displayed in a glass container.

It looked fantastic, both in terms of size and craftsmanship. According to the shop assistant, it took totally three years to carve this giant piece of work.

Needless to say, the price tag was also quite amazing, at RMB 1,000,000.

Another characteristic jade carving is a basket containing peonies, peaches, and guavas with butterflies flying, and a cat standing aside.

This is a good birthday present to the elderly. Peonies and butterflies symbolize wealth, while peaches and cats mean longevity.

Besides these exquisite jade carvings, this shop also holds a range of jade jewelry. The jade is imported from Burma, which are the best in the world.

The raw jade are then carved into their present form by Yu Hai Cui Yuan’s own group of artists. Prices vary from RMB 300 to RMB 58,000.

Beijing Rare Mineral Crystals And Jewelry Shop Near Houhai Area

Element is the only jewelry shop in Beijing which sells rare mineral crystals and meteorites, as well as jewelry made of these precious ores.

The shop is located on Tobacco Pipe Lane near the Beijing Phoenix Palace Hotel, in the Shi Cha Hai area.

Lots of mineral species, such as fluorite, cinnabar and pyrite, can be found here. You can find regarding each piece.

Some are even said to have the mysterious power to be able to bring people good luck.

The owner showed me one particularly special mineral crystal. It came from a mine in the Sichuan Province, where the earthquake hit last year.

He said the mine was destroyed during the quake, so this crystal has become incredibly rare.

Prices of mineral crystals are from RMB 1000 to RMB 3000. One fluorite I particularly liked, which resembles rock candy, costs RMB 2000.

Among the collection of meteorites, most are imported from other countries, and came to Earth this year.

How would you like to wear a ring made of meteorite? You may choose any meteorite in the shop, and have them create a ring for you.

The shop also sells jewelry made of diamond, jade, emerald, and other precious stones.

Prices are negotiable.

The shop owner speaks excellent English. Feel free to ask him anything you need.

Dehua Porcelain Outlet Near Forbidden City

Outside the shop there’s a red sign that reads “China White”, “China” here means porcelain.

Dehua, Jingdezhen of Jiangxi Province and Liling of Hunan Province ranks the three biggest capitals of Porcelain in China.

Dehua is famous for its time-honored white porcelain and modern unique red porcelain.

Dehua white porcelain originated in the Song Dynasty (A.D. 960~1279). It has made tremendous strides ever since the Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368~1644).

It features white color, semi-transparency and shining glaze. So the white porcelain has earned the names of China White, Ivory White or Cream White.

In the shop, a lot of white porcelain works are on display, for instance, the statue of Guanyin (the Goddess of Mercy). The most impressive one is entitled “the Soul of Chrysanthemum”.

Its pendant filaments are so slight that it has to be kept from touching in a showcase.

Dehua red porcelain is a modern outcome through generations’ effort. In traditional Chinese culture, red color represents happiness, auspiciousness and prosperity.

Many red porcelain wares have been sent to foreign dignitaries as national treasures. These exhibits will bring you strong visual impact.

Both Dehua white and red porcelain are of great value. Their prices start from several thousand yuan.

In addition, the shop also carries porcelain wares made in Dehua for daily use, including tea sets, coffee cups & saucers, salt & pepper shakers, bowls & plates.

Price for a set of exquisite tea sets including one tea pot and six tea cups is RMB 300.

Beijing Embroidery Shop Near The Drum Tower

Suzhou Embroidery is one of the four most renowned embroidery techniques in China, dating back over 2000 years.

Chi Lin Embroidery, located on Tobacco Pipe Lane near Beijing Ning Xia Hotel, holds an abundance of Suzhou Embroidery featuring delicate needlework and intricate images.

I was most enamored with their double-sided embroideries. Take a particular piece called “Cats on Both Sides”. When you look at one side, the cat is in green and white.

But turn to the other side, and the color became yellow and white. Another piece managed to stitch the image of two leopards on one side, and an image of two tigers on the other.

The owner of the shop is a Suzhou local, with her very own factory there. Everything in the shop comes from her factory.

She says the big difference among Suzhou Embroidery and embroidery in other areas is its unique stitching.

Sometimes 20 different silk threads are needed to make just the shadow on the face of a portrait.

And a piece of silk thread is divided into as many as 48 pieces until the thread is hardly visible.

The shop takes custom orders. Their artists will tackle any image you wish to see embroidered.

Handicrafts of old beijing near Forbidden City

Handicrafts, especially the Old Beijing handicrafts, are an essential culture of Beijing.

Located near the Forbidden City in inner of Beijing near the Beijing Redwall Hotel, Ya Xuan carries a large selection of traditional Chinese and old Beijing handicrafts.

They offer cloth soles, Peking opera masks, clay figurines, Chinese knot, and more.

Browsing through the shop, I can’t resist picking up a grinning ‘Huan Xi Wa Wa’ – Happiness Doll.

People believe it brings good luck to families and gives newlyweds a life-long bond. Each sells for around RMB 20.

The pottery works of old Beijing residential gates (RMB 150) really brought back old memories.

The weeds on roofs, the mottled bricks of the walls, and the worn-away footsteps, are all beautifully reproduced here.

Another interesting item is the zodiac pendant. They have one for each animal, each with a different meaning.

For example, fish means ‘abundance’, “Fu” symbols ‘blessing’, and the boar is for ‘Happiness’. Each of pendants sells for RMB 50.

The owner is very nice and speaks a little English.

Beijing Nei Lian Sheng Shoe Shop Near Drum Tower

Cloth shoes are a very exquisite Chinese tradition.

Sturdy materials and no heels make them both comfortable and durable.

Cloth shoes made in Beijing are famous for their high quality and delicate design.

And Neiliansheng is one of the time-honored cloth shoe maker in the capital.

Even my mother from the country told me to buy a pair for its relaxed feel.

Many celebrities and Chinese leaders love the brand.

Its registered trademark was handwritten by the famous writer Guo Moruo. And even Chairman Mao enjoyed wearing them.

I visited its branch located in  the Drum Tower near the Beijing Ning Xia Hotel.

The shop assistant recommended the multilayer sole cloth shoes with flower embroidery, priced at RMB 200.

She told me proudly, “the handmade multi-layer shoes have 81 inter-stitches, which cover every inch of the shoe. It took four to five days to finish that one pair.”

This kind of shoes cost from RMB 180 to RMB 300. Non- multilayered shoes would set you back RMB 80 to RMB 100.

Besides cloth shoes, Neiliansheng also sells leather shoes and monk’s shoes. They cost around RMB 300.

You may not haggle, and shop assistants, unfortunately, cannot speak English.

Beijing Jian Hua Fur Shop near Forbidden City

On the east side of Wangfujing Street lies a shop named Jianhua Fur and Leather near the Beijing Redwall Hotel.

With a history of more than 80 years, the shop mainly carries high quality fur coats and leather jackets.

Entering the shop, I found out it has a spacious shopping area. The key section features the “Snowflake” leather jackets.

A middle-aged female shop assistant told me that “Snowflake” is China’s Time-honored Brand, and has won the Good Quality Product Award many times.

A black leather jacket caught my eye. It was in a simple design, but the workmanship looked superb, and the leather very delicate. I touched it, and it felt very soft.

The price tag for it was RMB 2,580.

Other items on display include leather handbags, purses and wallets, and Tang suits (traditional Chinese attire).

Customers buying the goods could enjoy up to 20 percent discount. The shop also offers made-to-order service and fur coat processing service.

Beijing Pipe Shop Near Houhai

Entering Beijing Brother Tobacco Pipe near the Phoenix Palace Hotel, I couldn’t help but notice the special fragrance floating in the air.

“That is the smell of tobacco, not the pipe. We give complimentary tobacco to those who purchase high-grade pipes in our shop,” Mr Liu, the owner, said.

Liu divided the pipes in his shop into home-made and imported pipes.

He told me about the popular Turkish Sepiolite pipe (RMB 3000) and the famous Italian Lepipe Di Viprati (RMB 7500).

Most of the high-grade pipes here are imported from Mediterranean countries, where production of tobacco pipe is world famous.

Handmade pipes from Beijing, though, are both much cheaper and feel more artistic.

I liked the pipe in the shape of a Chinese dragon shape, which only cost RMB 150. If you just want a simple pipe, some can be had for as low as RMB 30.

The shop owner speaks little English and bargaining is possible.

Beijing Muji Household goods shop near Xidan

Muji is a Japanese retail company near the Beijing HWA Hotel which sells a wide variety of household goods.

Its earth-friendliness and no-logo policy make it popular among the youth. I

n fact, a friend of mine in Xiamen even flied to Shanghai to buy some Muji skin care products.

The company opened its first shop in Beijing this year, located inside Joy City Plaza of the famous Xidan area.

Inside I found goods ranging from pens, notebooks, apparel, and even appliances.

A trademark of the company is inventive uses for materials that might otherwise have been discarded or ignored. This result in products made from recycled materials and sold at low prices.

For example, a 10-pack envelope made with recycled paper cost only RMB 10 to 20.

Shop assistant could not speak English. However, the price tags are clear, and you can’t bargain.

Wangfujing Artworks Mansion

Beijng Wangfujing Walk Street near the Beijing Redwall Hotel and Beijing International Hotel is one of the most famous venues for shopping in Beijing.

Strolling up and down this crowded street, passers-by have scores of choices to indulge in their favorite sin.

In this multitude of shops, I spotted one in particular which offers various kinds of exquisite ornaments.

This shop is located on the 2nd floor of the Artworks Mansion.

They have an abundance of jade, golden and silver jewelries, Tibetan ornaments, and figures of Buddha carved of rare timbers.

The shop not only offers various kinds of ornaments, but it is also a study center for Buddhists.

As I visited this huge place, a smiling assistant served me all the time. On each wall, numerous figures of Buddha carved of rare timbers.

In the glass display tables at the center, ornaments are categorized showed based on their materials: crystal, colored glaze, wood, and jade.

Each Buddha figurine is accompanied by a tag showing the type of timber, the name of the Buddha, the country of production.

I was interested in a deep brown color figurine (RMB 26,000) made of a Vietnamese wood called Nanmu (楠木). Its expression and the decorations around had been carved carefully by the craftsman.

Then the shop assistant showed me a set of crystal bracelets.

She explained that each Chinese zodiac animal matched a kind of crystal. For example, the goat matched a deep purple crystal, supposedly capable of absorbing body toxins. A box contained 12 crystal bracelets of 12 different colors, priced each at RMB 268.

Prices for Buddha figurines ranged from RMB 500 to RMB 50,000, and for other ornaments from RMB 200 to RMB 20,000. Bargaining is not customary in this shop.

The Artworks Mansion hosts other shops on the 2nd floor.

In general, their prices ranged from RMB 10 to much more. Again, no bargaining is really possible with the shop assistants.

Fortunately, prices are clearly marked and the shop assistants can speak a little English.

Gorgeous Lacquer Thread Sculptures Shop Near Forbidden City

Beijing Lacquer Thread Sculpture is an ancient art. In ancient times, the lacquer threads created patterns on deity figures.

Today, it is more popular for decorating bowls, vases, and various table settings.

The FuSan Lacquer Thread Sculpture shop, located right near the Redwall and Fuhao, offers a large selection of products from the best place for Lacquer Thread Sculptures, city of Xiamen.

The dominant theme here is the imperial dragon, though you will also find other designs like flowers and birds.

I saw a red porcelain vase decorated with two gold-plated dragons. The vase featured a silhouette of a plump lady, and the dragons were made with lacquer threads.

In ancient times, vases like this one would only be seen in the palace in old days. But today, you can get it for RMB 3000.

There’s also a celadon jar modeled finely decorated with a dragon and a phoenix, symbols of the emperor and the empress. A slight crack by the handle gives the jar an antique feel. The jar cost RMB 4500.

I also found other interesting wares. There’s a celadon dish decorated with Peking opera masks, white porcelain jar with auspicious animal sculptures, and a replica of the famous Nine-Dragon Wall in the Forbidden City.

You can watch videos of this shop here!