Beijing Travel Guide - Shopping

Liulichang Street is known throughout China and the world for its antiques real and fake, old and new. The ambiance was like old China. Here you can find curios, ancient books, calligraphy, paintings, rubbings, ink stones and ink. If you are interested in Chinese antiques, Liulichang Street of Chinese culture is a must when you travel in Beijing.

The street, which is only 750 meters long, is located south of Hepingmen (Peace) Gate within walking distance of the Hepingmen Quanjude Peking Duck Restaurant.

During the time of Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), a colored glaze factory (Liuli Chang in Chinese) was in production there, which made glazed tiles for the palaces, temples and residences of the officials, hence the name. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), many businessmen and venders began to sell curios and old books there. Over years the factory was gradually replaced by the bazaar of calligraphy, painting, copybook, artifacts and the four treasures of the study. i.e. writing brush, ink stick, ink slab and paper. Later the street fell into absence of lively atmosphere for a time until the rebuild in the year 1982 that revived it. Now shops and houses of gray tiles and bricks together with sculptures and colored image are lined orderly by the street, making it taste more classical.

Getting to Liulichang Street is easy. You can take subway Line 1 and get off at Hepingmen Station, or alternatively take a taxi by showing the following to the driver.