Liulichang Street was once a flourishing cultural center during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) where scholars, painters and calligraphers gathered to purchase materials, exchange ideas, compose poetry, write books and paint pictures.


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In the modern age, the street is located in downtown Beijing by the Peace Gate and large scale renovations completed in 1984, have transformed the street into an antique market that resembles a Chinese village. The shops that flank the street are filled with paintings, calligraphy, pottery, carpets, vases, books, scrolls and chops. If you are interested in books, don't miss The China Bookstore while you are shopping Liulichang Street. I bought a nice three-volume hardcover set of The Dream of Red Mansions there on each of two visits. Rongbaozhai and Jiguge are also great shops.