Silk Market

　　    China’s only world-renowned market, proudly featured on the global tourism map; in the eyes of foreign visitors, it is a must-visit destination as famous as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and Peking duck — this is the Silk Market. Over 20 years ago, a group of hopeful young people set up simple stalls along East Xiushui Street in Beijing, taking advantage of its prime location near the embassy district to sell silk and export clothing. At that time, though modest and unpolished, her innate charm was undeniable, and her every move exuded an air of elegance.

　　    Word of her fame spread quickly, attracting more and more visitors and admirers. Gradually, she became overwhelmed and a bit tired — the Silk Market had become too well-known, drawing crowds too large for her capacity to handle. She needed rest, a chance to be reborn. And so, the new Silk Market was born.

　　    About the Silk Market

　　    Take Beijing Subway Line 1 and get off at Yong’anli Station to reach the Silk Market. This Chinese goods market, found on many world tourism maps, was once jokingly called “China’s only world-renowned market.” “Climb the Great Wall, visit the Forbidden City, eat Peking duck, and shop at the Silk Market” — the Beijing Silk Market, alongside these iconic “symbols of Beijing,” has become a landmark for travelers from around the world. Established in 1980, the Silk Market started as just a scattering of a few shops, nestled among embassies and diplomatic residences. At the time, there were few residents nearby, and the consumer market was not considered promising. Who could have imagined that ten years later, it would become a “folk trade center” eagerly sought out by overseas tourists for sightseeing and shopping, even earning economists’ praise as a “21st-century Along the River During the Qingming Festival, tailored by the scissors of reform and opening-up.” With trendy merchandise, a unique location, a “bargaining” business model, and interactions in multiple “dialects,” the Silk Market, in one way or another, carved out an irreplaceable place for itself — a convergence of brands, fashion, and diverse cultures. On January 6, 2005, the old “Silk Market” closed for renovation; on March 19, the new “Silk Street” officially opened, bidding farewell to the old market’s exposed, weather-beaten environment and continuing the “Silk” legacy within a building. The new “Silk Street” is essentially a department store, covering a construction area of 28,000 square meters with 1,500 stalls, providing shelter for merchants. In the past, the Silk Market attracted overseas tourists with highly realistic “brand-name” imitations. Today’s Silk Market is changing. “Cultural Silk Market, Fashionable Silk Market, Branded Silk Market, Innovative Silk Market” is the image the new “Silk Street” is striving to build.

　　    At the new “Silk Street,” you can find authentic clothing in the “Premium Corridor,” or hunt for creatively designed export-order goods. Additionally, the new “Silk Street” now hosts the highest density of time-honored Chinese brands: Quanjude, Ruifuxiang, Tongrentang, Qianxiangyi, Neiliansheng, and Shengxifu all have a presence here. From branded apparel, handicrafts, pearl and silk products, antiques, and other items with Chinese characteristics, to Peking duck restaurants, Western-style cafes, fast food outlets, and convenient supermarkets — it’s all here. This is Beijing’s “Silk Market.”