Panjiayuan Antique Market

　　    Panjiayuan is also referred to as the "Ghost Market." The name goes back to the late Qing and early Republican era. During that time, as the country weakened, many once-prosperous aristocratic families fell on hard times. In secret, they would take antiques from their homes and sell them on the streets. Since such dealings were considered disreputable, transactions only took place around three or four in the morning, by the light of lanterns. “Back in those days,” reminisced Huo Lao, a seasoned vendor with years of experience, “the ‘Ghost Market’ also saw all sorts of shady items being offloaded. Because these objects carried untold secrets, they usually ended up being sold at very low prices. That’s how the rumor of ‘good stuff at the Ghost Market’ got started.” These days, although vendors no longer have to hide or operate under the cover of darkness, the tradition of opening at 4 a.m. has endured. From imitation antique furniture and traditional scholar’s items to ancient books and calligraphy, jade and agate carvings, coins from China and abroad, shadow puppets and theatrical masks, religious artifacts, ethnic costumes, relics from the Cultural Revolution, and even daily necessities—pretty much anything of value you can think of is displayed and sold here, with the exception of weapons, narcotics, and people.

　　　　    Beijing’s Panjiayuan Antique Market is located at the southeastern corner of the city’s Third Ring Road, and is the largest antique market in the country. Shops and stalls in Zones One and Two are open Monday to Friday, while all shops and outdoor stalls are open on weekends, operating year-round without a break. The market is situated southwest of Panjiayuan Bridge on South East Third Ring Road in Beijing, covering an area of 48,500 square meters. It is divided into six trading sections: outdoor stalls, antique architecture, classical furniture, modern collectibles, stone carving, and food & services. The market primarily deals in antique goods, handicrafts, collectibles, and decorative items, with annual transaction volumes reaching hundreds of millions of yuan. There are over 4,000 business vendors and nearly 10,000 traders, sixty percent of whom come from 28 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions outside Beijing, representing more than ten ethnic groups including Han, Hui, Manchu, Miao, Dong, Uyghur, Mongolian, and Korean. Established in 1992, the market gradually grew alongside the rise of folk antique and art trading, and has now become a large-scale, classic-style marketplace that promotes traditional folk culture. You can take bus lines 300, 300 Express, 957 Express 2, or 957 Branch and get off at Panjiayuan Bridge North; take lines 28, 368, 627, 638, 938 Special, 974, 976, or Yuntong 107 and get off at Panjiayuan Bridge; or take lines 674, 34, or 802 and get off at Panjiayuan Bridge West. Subway Line 10’s Panjiayuan Station is currently under construction—please get off at Jinsongqiao Station and walk about one kilometer south along the Third Ring Road.

　　　　    Panjiayuan Antique Market is the most popular antique market in China. Its permanent shops are open 365 days a year, while the outdoor stalls operate every weekend. On weekend market days, visitor traffic can reach 60,000–70,000 people, including nearly 10,000 foreign guests. Tourists of all skin colors, languages, social backgrounds, and beliefs gather here. Former U.S. First Lady Hillary Clinton, U.S. House Speaker Hastert, Greek Prime Minister Simitis, Romanian Prime Minister Năstase, Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Thai Princess Sirindhorn, and dozens of other international dignitaries have visited and shopped here. “Climb the Great Wall, eat Peking duck, visit the Forbidden City, and explore Panjiayuan” has become a must-do list for foreign tourists visiting China. The market offers the widest variety of collectibles nationwide. Major merchandise includes imitation antique furniture, scholar’s stationery, ancient books and paintings, old books and magazines, agate and jade carvings, ceramics, coins from China and overseas, bamboo, wood, and bone carvings, shadow puppets and theatrical masks, Buddhist relics, ethnic costumes, and relics from the Cultural Revolution. The market serves as a showcase for collections, a platform for collectors to connect, and a treasure trove for enthusiasts. It is also the country’s largest hub for folk handicrafts. Local specialties include nasal inhalers from Hengshui, New Year paintings from Yangliuqing, embroidery from Jiangsu, wood carvings from Dongyang, stone carvings from Quyang, shadow puppets from Shandong, porcelain and crystal jewelry from Jiangxi, purple clay teapots from Yixing, bronze ware from Shaanxi, ethnic costumes from Yunnan, Buddhist items from Tibet, white jade from Xinjiang, and Jiaozhi pottery from Taiwan. These distinctive handicrafts converge in Panjiayuan from across the country, and from here are distributed throughout China and the world.

　　　　    In 2004, Panjiayuan Antique Market was named one of the “Top Ten Antique Markets in China” through a public vote at the first annual China Collectors’ Rankings Awards ceremony. “Panjiayuan” has become a vessel of regional culture, a symbolic emblem of unique cultural identity, a term evoking nostalgia, and an intangible asset within the treasure house of Chinese national culture.

　　　　    The craft greenhouse of Panjiayuan Antique Market was completed and put into use at the end of October 2001. Many professional and amateur painters sell their works directly here every weekend, making the prices more affordable compared to elsewhere. Many Beijing art galleries also source their inventory from this market.

　　　　    Panjiayuan Market features numerous stalls selling antique paintings and calligraphy, especially propaganda posters from various eras. These posters serve as key props in films and TV shows to depict the characteristics of different periods, and are also collected by enthusiasts.