Chengtian Antique City

I hope the following information is useful to those interested in antiques.

Forget Panjiayuan, Huguo Temple and so on. It is time to head for Chengtian Luguan the place where the guys with the stands hang out before they get to the markets.

Chengtian Luguan (Chengtian Hostel) is split into two sections. The first is located on the back edge of the Tianqiao Market just off the south east third ring road. (For Tianqiao market come off at the Shilihe exit, take the side road past the left turn into Shilihe itself, then switch back under the bridge a 100 yards further on, this comes out directly opposite the entrance to Tianqiao Market).

Alternatively go into Shilihe, and take the right turn next to Guomei Electrical Appliances just past the bus stop. Go on about 150 yards, just where the road twists to the left, there is a right hand turn between the paintings building and the back of Chengtian Antiques Market. There is a turning on the left about 100 yards on, and up there on the right is the two story Chengtian Luguan. It used to be possible to drive through from the Tianqiao Market but it has been cut in half now by the bridge which you can see has gone right through the area.

The other section of the hostel is now in the Chengtian Antiques Market on the 4th floor of building B.

To get to Chengtian Antiques Market again, come off the third ring at Shilihe, take the left at the junction under the bridge to go into the main Shilihe area, as if you were going to buy some wall paper or a cheap comode! Then take the first right immediately after the bus stops. Chengtian Antiques Market is the second building, the first on the right being Guomei with a furniture market over it. If you go on too far you will then see the pictures building where they sell copies of oils and do framing.

Buying information:

Chengtian Luguan: A lot of the street vendors from Panjiayuan and other markets stay here, and both the hostel complexes are open all week round to the public. You can walk straight in and wander about looking at what is on offer. There is quite a bit of memorabilia, and loads of other stuff.

The section of the hostel in the Chengtian Antiques Centre is part of a much larger antiques complex. Building B is mainly smaller scale shops selling a variety of antiques and jades. There are also shops specialising in repro so make sure you can tell the difference.

Building A is the more up-market section, with large shops specialising in both "returning art' coming in from the West, and with a large selection of specialist dealers covering furniture, lacquer, buddhist art, wooden and stone sculpture, snuff bottles and jade.

Information provide by Peter Offord, proprietor of Ocean Art, Shop 411 Building A, Chengtian Antiques Market, Shilihe, South East Third Ring Road, Beijing. (Currently the only westerner in the antiques trade in Beijing).