潘家园: Pan Jia Yuan

潘家园 Pan Jia Yuan, 29ºC, hazy

This weekend, we were asked to go to one of two markets to observe bartering in the flesh and to perhaps partake in some bartering ourselves. I elected to go to 潘家园 Pan Jia Yuan, a weekend antique market. The biggest market in Beijing, 潘家园 boasts a wide range of goods from jade necklaces and Beijing opera masks to Chinese books and antique furniture. Not only does it have a vibrant and energetic atmosphere, but this market is also characterised by its mainly Chinese audience. 潘家园 contrasts with the Silk Market very well; there are very few 外国人 foreigners, so the market has a much more authentic feel about it.

As I wondered between rows of stalls, one lady caught my eye. She was perched on one of the tiny stools all the stalls seem to have (hardly a foot off the ground), and through the lens of a magnifying glass was examining some jade items. The 老板 shopkeeper looked nervous as she scrutinised every piece that caught her eye, checking for the slightest of impurities. They say jade is good for your 精神 energy and has health benefits, but impure jade does nothing for you. I did take a close look at a few jade necklaces and ornaments myself, but I cannot say I could separate the pure from the not so pure…

Beyond the clientele of this market being different to that of the Silk Market, the nature of the 老板 shopkeepers was too. In short, they were not incredibly pushy. In complete contrast to the Silk Market vendors who grab every 外国人’s arm as they pass by, the shopkeepers in Pan Jia Yuan simply sat in their seats, lazing around waiting for a customer to approach. It made for a refreshing change, and a relatively calm and stress-free visit to the market.