The Silk Market

[khiemtran]

Ten years ago, when I first passed through Beijing, the Silk Market was a street market in an alleyway, packed with little stalls. It was fairly well-known as a place to buy Chinese curios and counterfeit goods, painted snuff bottles and novelty laser pointers side by side. I have to say it was also a fairly unpleasant place to shop, with pushy vendors and mandatory haggling to get anything down from foreigner's prices. I did buy some trinkets there, but I never enjoyed it.

When I went by there last week, a shiny five storey shopping mall stood on the same site. "Silk Street Market and Pearl Market" announced the giant letters (in English) on its side. A wide carpark was filled with shiny cars, with special places reserved with orange cones for People's Deputies.

I pushed gently at the gleaming glass doors and stepped inside. There were five stories of neatly organized market stalls. Modern goods. Fake designer labels. Cheap toys and shoes and gifts, and, yes, that same typically Beijing approach to customer service, faithfully preserved.

Comments

[carl-allery.livejournal.com]

Heh, the more things change ... :) Sounds fascinating to be witnessing the changeover though, from traditional to modern. By the sound of it China is managing to keep its own flavour along with the new.

[julesjones]

[giggle]