Coolest Job Opening – 12 global finalists vie for chance to be Panda Ambassador

Global competition for panda keepers enters final round!!!

Twelve semi-finalists have begun training for one of the world’s most coveted jobs – “pambassador” (panda ambassador) – at a research base in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

Chriszelda Pieterse, a finalist hoping to become a "pambassador", looks for Zhenzhen, a star panda, during the training program in Chengdu, China

Hailing from Sweden, South Africa, Japan, the United States and other countries, the finalists are the lucky few remaining from a pool of more than 60,000 hopefuls who had applied for the rare chance to work as a panda keeper for one month.

They will be trained on how to feed the pandas, interact with cubs, and monitor their growth.

Candidate Annie-Danielle Grenier, who hails from Canada, said that she likes the new task and feels completely homely. “I love to cook for my family and friends, and it’s not much different cooking for pandas. The ingredients are different but it’s exactly the same, and I cook with love when I cook for my family and it’s the same for the pandas”.

“It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to actually come here to work with pandas. This is like the most amazing experience I ever had” said Ashley Robertson from Alabama of the United States.

The six winners of the competition, organized by the base and conservation group WWF, will be chosen on September 29 based on how well they look after the pandas, understand conservation, and how good their communication skills are.

'Pambassadors' to Work for Caring Pandas

They will then spend a month working as panda keepers in Chengdu, witnessing the births of several baby pandas, blogging about their experiences (www.pandahome.com) to help raise awareness of the endangered animal’s plight.

As part of their ambassadorial role, Pambassadors will keep an Internet blog about their experiences.

Apple iPhone 4 demand outpaces supply in China

The launch of Apple’s iPhone 4 in China was apparently very successful. More than 1,000 individuals reportedly lined up outside of the Xidan Joy City Apple Store in Beijing, China, some of which began lining up a couple of days ago.

The iPhone 4 apparently saw more demand than its iPad counterpart, which launched last weekend in China with little fanfare. While Apple itself has not provided any official figures, China’s official iPhone 4 carrier China Unicom has indicated that more than 50,000 orders were placed in the first day alone of the pre-sale. In comparison, only 5,000 iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS units were pre-ordered last year when the devices were launched in the country. Overall, China Unicom received over 200,000 iPhone 4 pre-orders. The Chinese carrier is already having a difficult time keeping up with demand. The new iPhone version 4 has 16 GB of capacity and costs about $ 739 in China, the cost of the 32 GB equipment is $ 887. Prices in China are far from the U.S., where one sells for $ 199 (16 GB) and the other for $ 299 (32 GB).

Thus far, iPhone 4 units have been made available in China through the gray market. However, these devices include many disadvantages. For instance, they’re more expensive, no warranty of any kind is offered, and more importantly, they’re not specifically customized for the Chinese market.

Apple Stores in Beijing

The Village at Sanlitun
Building 6, No. 19, Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
(8610) 6419-8900

Joy City Xidan
131 North Xidan Avenue,Xicheng District, Beijing

Apple stores in Shanghai

Apple Store, Pudong
No.8 Century Avenue IFC Mall, Shop LG2-27, Lujiazui, Pudong District, Shanghai
(8621) 6084 6800

Hong Kong Plaza
282 Huaihai Zhong Road, Shanghai

“网络议价师”走红网络砍价最在行

网络购物走热催生新职业――"网络议价师"

中国目前走红网络的新职业者———“网购议价师”。

“你买东西，我砍价！”这是最近中国各大购物网站上常见的广告语。提供这项服务的人声称能通过“砍价”帮客户拿到某一商品的最低价。他们，就是时下中国正走红的一类新职业――“网络议价师。

在中国目前最流行的网络购物平台“淘宝网”上搜索“砍价服务”，会出现2186项搜索结果。这些“网购议价师”涉足各个领域，包括服装、食品、化妆品甚至 厨房卫浴用品。他们中不少人有多年经营某类商品的经验，深知其中的“价钱空间”，而在差价中收取10%至20%的“口舌费”，正是“网购议价师”的主要收 入来源。

25岁的白领王欢谈起她的经历：“在网上商店看中了一双标价150元的鞋，我的心理价位是120元。不过，一位网络议价师只花了半个小时就将价格讲到了100元。”

成交之后，她从50元差价中的付出20%作为“砍价费”，并觉得“很值”。

据艾瑞咨询网（一家权威的电子商务研究平台）数据统计表明，在2009年，中国网上支付总额已经达到了5766亿元，连续第五年比上年增值一倍。

公司职员王宇认为，在网上比较商品的价格需要花相当多的时间和精力，这就是为什么买家情愿花钱请人砍价。

郭文龙曾经做过卫生用品销售，现在从事“网络议价”。由于能直接联系到生产厂家，他认为自己做这行绝对得心应手。

“我知道产品的出厂价，所以在和商家议价中有优势”，他解释道。

他从去年10月开始从事于这个行业，现在的平均月收入有一万多元。

然而，“网络议价师”这个新兴职业仍然受到一些质疑。

王军律师指出，如果买家购到假冒伪劣商品，议价者将对买家承担怎样的责任？如果议价者没能谈下价格那又怎么处理呢？

王军律师认为，为了保护消费者的权益，政府应当开始起草相关法规，规范这个新行当。

社会学家王开玉提醒到：“这是法律上的真空地带。议价者和购物者的权益还不清晰，也不受保护。”

‘Net bargaining’ service booms in China

What most people hate while shopping is the bargaining part, but now even that will be a thing of the past as more and more “net bargainers” are coming up in China.

The middlemen or “net bargainers” will only take a cut of the discount they get you as they bargain on your behalf for lower prices with e-retailers, Xinhua reported.

Their service is booming amid China’s fast-growing online-shopping industry, and a search for “net bargainer” on taobao.com, which is the country’s largest online shopping website, gives 2,186 search results.

‘I thought 120 yuan ($17.7) would be a fair price for a pair of shoes priced 150 yuan at an online store. But a net bargainer took half an hour to get me the shoes for 100 yuan,’ said Wang Huan, a 25-year-old worker in Hefei City in east China’s Anhui province.

After the deal, she paid the bargaining fee — 20 percent of the 50-yuan price gap — which she thought was ‘absolutely worth it’.

Wu Chen, a university student in east China’s Nanjing city, said she was a ‘net bargainer’ during her summer vacation, earning her 3,000 yuan ($443) per month.

Wu said most of her peers born after 1985 began having online shopping experiences while still in school.
Wang Yu, a white-collar in Beijing, said it takes time and energy to compare prices on internet. That is why people are willing to pay for the bargaining service.

Zhang Zhongjie, an owner of a net bargaining business, said he was self-employed with the business after he graduated from college in 2008.

‘There are many ways to collect price information and bargain with online shops. Net bargainers are a third-party. We help shoppers get the fairest price, and we also bring customers to good shops,’ said the bargainer, who has business contacts with more than 400 online shops that sell goods from garments, shoes and skin care products to fashion accessories.

However, concerns are raised about the legality of net bargainers.

Wang Jun, a lawyer from Anhui province asked what happens when the buyer ends up with a fake product and what responsibilities bargainers have to buyers? And what if bargainers fail to cut the price?

Wang said the government should start drafting regulations for the new occupation, in order to protect the rights of online customers.

中秋十大赏月地

中秋节即将到来，中秋节赏月是中华民族的传统节日习俗，“二十四桥明月夜，玉人何处教吹箫”；“烟笼秋水月笼纱”……中秋节赏月的最佳地点您选好了吗？下面向您推荐一些中秋赏月胜地，到各种湖光山色中去，看不一样的月光，生出一份不一样的心情。

• 崂山太清水月

中秋之夜，明月东升，登上青岛崂山太清宫东边的山顶，竹林荧光浮动，举目远望烟波浩渺的大海，尽情抒怀，回首眺望太清宫，心静如水。崂山是山东半岛的主要山脉，这里山海相连，山光海色，是崂山风景的一大特色。在中秋夜晚明月升起之际，登上崂山太清宫东边的山顶，面临烟波浩渺的大海，清丽宁静，回首眺望太清宫，参差的高楼耸入云端，天上的月与水中的月交相辉映，水生光，月更明，如入画中。

位于太清宫前的一处海湾，风景秀丽。由此可乘游船游览崂山近海，自晚清时，由海路自青岛市区游崂山就从这里登岸。每当月圆时分，海天之间，玉琼当悬，浮光潋滟，玉壶冰清，岸边竹影婆娑，宫廊依稀。“太清水月”为崂山胜景之一。中秋之夜，月上东山，竹林里荧光浮动，回首太清宫，参差的楼阁飘缈；纵目眺望，天上月与海中月交相辉映。水生光，月更明，恍若置身仙境。

• 苏州风亭临风赏月

江苏苏州市网师园的“月到风来亭”地势较高，三面环水，亭内正中悬一大镜，每到明月初上，可以看见水中、镜中、天上三个明亮的圆月，独成奇景。

“月到风来亭”位于网师园内彩霞池西，踞西岸水涯而建，三面环水，取意宋人邵雍诗句“月到天心处，风来水面时”。亭东二柱上，挂有清代何绍基竹对“园林到日酒初熟，庭户开时月正圆”。这是园林之亭的文人雅意所在。

月到风来亭最有情趣之处在于临风赏月。从水面吹来的风，有水的温柔；从云冈山坡上吹来的风，有山的宁静；从竹林吹来的风，有竹的清逸；从松间吹来的风，有松的宽厚。临风赏月的最佳时节自是金秋，中秋之日，天高气爽，金乌初坠，一轮皓月便已移上东南面的墙头。此时风爽于别日，月明于往昔；天上明月高挂，池中皓月相映，金桂盛放，甜香满园，兼夜鱼得水，碎银一池。或与数友共享良辰，或一人独赏美景，皆为雅事。此时，虽是身在繁华闹市之中，而魂魄已仿佛游于世外桃源。

• 大理洱海映照金月亮

大理赏月最好在洱海边，洱海月色波光粼粼，神秘在优美，与苍山雪景相映，人称“银苍玉洱”。

洱海月，是大理四大名景之一。每到农历八月十五的中秋节晚上，居住在大理洱海周围的白族人家都要将木船划到洱海去，欣赏映在水中的金月亮，一边赏月一边吃月饼。年轻的姑娘小伙子们还要对歌赏月，比赛歌喉，赢得恋人的欢心。

中秋节在洱海中赏月是极好的享受，茫茫的大海、天光、云彩、月亮和海水相映在一起，形成一幅优美的图画，令人陶醉。

• 黄山层林邀月

黄山之美是一种多彩而又清纯的美。在南国还是初秋时节的中秋佳节，黄山却已层林尽染。漫山的红叶，将名传天下的黄山迎客松映衬得愈发苍翠。入夜，盈盈明月轻轻爬上树梢，爬上了山，山雾如轻纱将其笼罩，更显得朦胧皎洁。

黄山的月如此纯净，黄山的夜如此静谧，这个时候，无论是在山路上漫步，或是在山上品酒赏月，都将不由自主沉醉于这片银色的世界之中。

• 杭州湖面秋水印月

杭州西湖之美，乃世人皆知。中秋月明之夜，泛舟湖上，尽可领略“烟笼秋水月笼纱”的诗般意境。

三潭印月是西湖三岛之一，也是自古以来的赏月胜地。三个石塔，亭亭玉立在波光潋滟的湖面上。每逢月夜，特别是中秋佳节，在塔里点上灯烛，洞口蒙上薄纸，灯光从中透出，宛如一个个小月亮，倒影湖中。待到皓月中天，月光、灯光、湖光交相辉映，月影、塔影、云影融成一片“一湖金水欲溶秋”的景象。

• 扬州二十四桥明月

到扬州二十四桥赏月别有一番意境。月明之夜漫步桥畔，脑海中会油然想起唐代诗人杜牧的“二十四桥明月夜，玉人何处教吹箫”来。让人感到十分的娴静和幽远。

扬州的“瘦西湖”历史悠久，受历代造园专家的青睐，在十里长的湖区两岸，营造了“两堤花柳全依水，一路楼台直到山”的湖区胜境；观音山上寺院遍布，有“江南第一灵山”之称；“二十四桥明月夜，玉人何处教吹箫”，自古是赏月的绝佳处；扬州还有历史悠久的古刹大明寺，有“城市山林”美誉的何园，四季假山著称的个园，有隋炀帝、康熙、乾隆等皇帝留下的行宫遗址等等，美景数不胜数。

• 庐山月照松林

月照松林是庐山年轻情侣喜欢的去处，中秋赏月的好地方。一条弯弯的土路，两旁松树成林。据说月亮升起来时，正挂在头顶，明月如镜，月色撒在地上……

奇秀天下的庐山屹立于长江南岸，鄱阳湖之滨。中秋之夜，在上匡庐赏月也许是人生中难忘的经历。庐山素有“清凉世界”、“避暑胜地”等美名，秋日里更是赏红叶的好去处。山上空气清新，森林、花鸟、温泉、飞瀑、峭壁、别墅一应俱全，形成完善的休闲度假旅游胜地。

庐山含鄱口是观日出的最佳胜景，但其实这里也是赏月的好去处。在望鄱亭中坐下，鄱阳湖上碧波万顷，渔火点点，轻风阵阵。渐渐地，一轮明月从湖那边缓缓升起，中秋的月色，在山上看起来显得更加清冽，更加明朗，仿佛伸手可及，让人欲乘风而去。又或走在牯岭镇上，抬头看明月如镜，月色洒在地上，四下如同镀上一层银色的光泽。

• 洞庭湖秋月照扁舟

洞庭青草近中秋，更无一点风色，一望无际的芦苇摇曳满湖金黄。八百里洞庭烟波澹荡摇空碧，叶叶扁舟弄斜阳。1000年的风吹雨打并没有使岳阳楼苍老，日登层楼，见楚天千里清秋，水随天去秋无际；夜上层楼，见素月分辉，明河共影，表里俱澄澈。

潇湘八意中的“洞庭秋月”、“远浦归帆”、“渔村夕照”都可见到。湖中的小岛君山有湘妃祠、柳毅井、传书亭等众多古迹，斑竹、连理竹等竹影婆娑。

如果时间充裕可前往有3小时车程的长沙，游岳麓山，访岳麓书院，看橘子洲的金橘开始熟了，而天心阁古城墙上的月色更有一种古朴苍凉的味道。

• 峨眉山云雾抱月

有“峨眉天下秀”之称的峨眉山为中国佛教四大名山之一，因有山峰相对如峨眉得名。全山纵横200多公里，顶峰万佛顶海拔3099米，雄浑秀丽，气象万千，山上寺庙众多，浓荫密布，云雾缭绕。24座古刹依山取势，各具特色。

在半山赏月，峰如峨眉，月如金盘，别有一番奇俏。观方池秋月，波影融融，来水漱玉，去波寻珠。白水秋风，圣积晚钟，双桥清香，灵岩叠翠一处又一处的胜景让人浮想联翩。特别是金顶的“峨眉四绝”——日出、云海、佛光、圣灯和沿途可见的峨眉猴群更别有情趣。下了峨眉山，可游乐山大佛，往距乐山城北23公里的平羌三峡，过奉节，游长江三峡，感受朗月映照下的三峡“无边落木萧萧下，不尽长江滚滚来”的壮阔。

• 桂林月夜漓江驾小船

每到中秋之夜，皓月当空，驾小船驶入水月洞，呈现出“水底有明月，水上明月浮；水流月不去，月去水还流”的景观。

在月夜里撑竿漓江中，不失为一种雅兴。龙竹摇曳，群山作陪，月影随涟漪荡漾，一生的追求不过如此。

月亮山是攀岩爱好者常来的地方。由于石峰上有宛如一轮明月的圆洞而得名。山下有一条“赏月路”，随着路线的变化，眼前的明月便由盈转亏，又由亏转盈。

桂林的象山，象鼻和象身中间有一水月洞，江水从洞中横贯而过。中秋之夜，乘小舟在江上游，驶入水月洞，便见“水底有明月，水上明月浮；水流月不去，月去水还流”的绝妙景观。

Shop Till You Drop – Beijing Shopping Guide

As China becomes the world’s second-largest economy and shifts from an export-driven to a consumer-driven growth model, the Chinese capital is flexing its muscles when it comes to offering both locals and visitors a world class shopping experience. Contending with other Asian shopping Meccas such as Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong, Beijing is rolling out the red carpet for all shopaholics with designated shopping districts and mega malls selling everything from Chinese antiques to designer brands.

• An Interactive Beijing Shopping Map

Use the above interactive map to locate Beijing’s top shopping areas, markets and shopping centers including some of locations that are not covered in this shopping guide.

• Top Shopping Areas in Beijing

There are several notable Chinese shopping districts offering abundant goods and reasonable prices, including Wangfujing Dajie, Dongdan Beidajie, Xidan Beidjie, and Qianmen (including Dashilar). More luxurious shopping areas can be found around the embassy areas of Jianguomenwai and Sanlitun; also check out five-star hotel shopping malls.

Wangfujing Dajie – Beijing’s best-known shopping street (王府井大街)

The pedestrian-only Wangfujing Street, Beijing's main commercial thoroughfare, overflows with spending opportunities from electronics and fashion to sports and jewelry to souvenirs.

Situated two blocks east of the Forbidden City, Beijing’s premier shopping street is a pedestrian-only haven that enjoys an unparalleled reputation for its 1km stretch of historic shop fronts. Often compared to France’s Champs Elysees this bustling shopper’s market attracts nearly 500,000 visitors daily. Home to Wangfujing’s grand dame, the Wangfujing Department Store (No.255), and two posh malls, Beijing APM (No. 138, formerly known as Sun Dong An Plaza) and the Malls at Oriental Plaza (at the foot of Wangfujing street), its centralized location makes it simple to combine sightseeing with shopping trips. Along the busy street are a few ancient shops, including China Star Silk Store (No.133), Beijing Medical Department Store (No. 153), famed hat shop Shengxifu (No. 196), the Wuyutai Teahouse (No. 186). Beijing Foreign language Bookstore (No.235) houses Beijing’s largest selection of English-language materials. Beijing Gongmei Dasha (Artistic Mansion, No.200), the biggest art store in Beijing, stock all varieties of jade, from green Khotanese nephrite to Burmese jadeite on the third floor.

Getting Here: Subway Line 1 at Wangfujing

Xidan (西单)

It's new, it's modern, it's hip. The 13-story Joy city Xidan comes equipped with the world’s longest escalator, the largest digital cinema in China and the largest cosmetic shop in Beijing.

About a mile west of Tiananmen Square is a commercial quarter of Xidan which is very popular with Beijing’s youth and is basically a forest of massive shopping malls packed with cheap fashions, urban clothing and ‘liftstyle’ designs, as well as upmarket shopping centres selling fashion togs and perfume. If you’re up for the potentially overwhelming jaunt into the crush of young people, you can elbow your way through the labyrinth of malls, markets, and chain stores to find some cheap chic clustered along Xidan Beidajie, just north of the Xidan subway stop. Xidan is where you’ll find China’s crowning Beijing Book Building (17 Changanjie, 010-6607-8498), a multi-level fortress stocked with hundreds of thousands of books, magazines, maps, and learning materials. The English-language selection is slim.  The newest and biggest mall in Xidan, Joy City (131 Xidan Beidajie), is home to international chains like Zara, H&M, Uniqlo, and Next. Joy City has a second branch in Chaoyang district (101 Chaoyang Beilu, at the intersection of Qingnian Lu, 010-8557 9888)

Getting here: Subway Line 1 to the Xidan stop (exit A)

Qianmen Dajie and Dazhalan (前门大街和大栅栏)

The renovated commercial street of Qianmen Dajie is tourist-oriented and a bit Disneyland-esque with a Chinese kitsch bent

Just south of Qianmen (front gate) is the revamped Qianmen dajie. Beijing’s oldest shopping street recently had a massive facelift for the 2008 Olympics, emblazoned in green, gold, red and blue in the style of old Peking and decorated with birdcages and drums. Now you’ll find foreign boutiques such as H&M and Zara, upscale bars and restaurants. It’s pedestrian only and has a trolley running down the middle of it. Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (32 Qianmen Dajie, 010-6511-2418), Beijing’s most famous restaurant, was established in 1864 and remains a time-honored Beijing staple thanks to its beautiful, traditional setting and its unwavering dedication to serving the ultimate Peking duck.

Those in search of an authentic Chinese shopping experience should head down to Dazhalan (Dashilar in Beijing Dialect) two blocks southwest of Qianmen. Among the highlights of the narrow hutong (alley) are two old silk shops. Beijing Silk Store (No. 50) has been supplying the city with quality silks and fabrics since 1830. The silk costs from around Y40 a metre, or you can visit the 2nd floor and pick up ready-to-wear pyjamas and shirts. You’ll find piles of gorgeous silk brocade at Ruifuxiang (No. 5), in the trade for 110 years. They specialize in qipao, a body-hugging one-piece dress for ¥500 and up. Ruifuxiang also has an outlet at Wangfujing Dajie (190 Wangfujing Dajie; 010-6525 0764).

On the same street is China’s most famous traditional Chinese medicine shop, Tongrentang (No. 24), dating from the mid-17^th century. Browse the glassed displays of deer antlers and pickled snakes, dried seahorses and frogs, and delicate tangles of roots with precious price tags of Y48,000. A few paces down from Tongrentang is the oldest existing cloth shoe shop in China (it opened in 1853). Neiliansheng (34 Dashilan) sells traditional Chinese slippers and handmade cotton shoes in all sizes—even for Western feet. Photographs display Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping happily wearing the very shoes sold here. And you too can pick up ornately embroidered shoes, or simply styled cloth slippers.

If you take a right turn off Dazhalan, you can continue west to Liulichang, famous for its antiques and art-and-craft items. The most famous shop, Rongbaozhai (19 Liulichang), is on the western stretch and is known for its scroll paintings, calligraphy and brilliant wood-block prints.

Getting here: Subway Line 2 at Qianmen

Sanlitun (三里屯)

Sanlitun has always been famous for its bars, but Village at Sanlitun - with its colorful and fashionable buildings - provides a complete new shopping and entertainment experience.

Known among locals as “bar street”, this is a shopping hotspot. Situated between the worker’s stadium and the Embassy District, Sanlitun offers a wide range of the experiences – from the busy Yaxiu market to the posh mall Village at Sanlitun to the stylish Nali Market. The 3.3 fashion mall (33 Sanlitun Beijie) has trendy local boutiques and household designs. Nali mall across the road has funky silverware and jewelry stores.

Nanluoguxiang (南锣鼓巷)

One must-see hutong in Beijing is Nanluoguxiang - an alley of courtyard houses in the Gulou district - jammed with bars, cafés, restaurants and shops that range from the chic to the kitschy.

While large swaths of Beijing’s historic hutong districts were razed and replaced with sky malls, nanluoguxiang near the Bell and Drum Towers on the east of Back Lake (Houhai) has somehow survived the destruction. What started as a quiet row of houses renovated into shops and cafés has rapidly gentrified into a hip area of boutiques selling handicrafts and clothes of  both modern and ethic designs, small hotels, and restaurants. Perusing the artsy stores is a pleasure day or night. Start at Grifted (No. 32 Nanluoguxinag) for tongue-in-cheek modern reworkings of Cultural Revolution slogans painted onto furniture, accessories, and clothing. Then head to Plastered for a hit T-shirt with retro design. Finally, look for the small wall plate for La Mu, which sells beautiful leather-bound stationery and leather jewelry. For a break from the shopping, Xiaoxin’s Cafe at No. 103 serves fresh-brewed coffee and home-baked muffins. Wenyu Nailao at No. 49 is one of Beijing’s best yogurt shops.

• Markets

Whether indoors or out, markets in Beijing are inexpensive, chaotic and, for the visitors, tremendously interesting.

Although malls and shopping centers are becoming more popular, the majority of Beijing residents still shop markets. Whether indoors or out, these markets are inexpensive, chaotic and, for the visitors, tremendously interesting. Payment is in cash, bargaining is universal.

Panjiayuan Antique Market (Panjiayuan Jiuhuo Shichang, 潘家园旧货市场)

Panjiayuan is absolutely brimming with everything you could ever want in the way of antiques, crafts, jewelry, old books and souvenirs from China’s capital city.

Hands down the best place to shop for yishu (arts), gongyi (crafts) and guwan (antiques) in Beijing is Panjiayuan (aka the Dirt Market). If you only go shopping once in Beijing, take a trip to this colorful outdoor bazaar: row upon crowded row of calligraphy, jewelry, ceramics, teapots, ethnic clothing, Buddha statues, paper lanterns, Cultural Revolution memorabilia (Little Red Books, propaganda posters, and pastel-colored statues of Mao), PLA belts, little wooden boxes, Ming- and Qing-style furniture, old pipes, opium scales, and heavily embroidered “minority textiles”. There are some real antiques scattered among the junk, but you’d have to be an expert to pick them out. Panjiayuan market is located on the south side of Panjiayuan Lu, just inside the southeast corner of the Third Ring Road. It’s open Mon-Fri 8:30am-6pm; Sat-Sun 4:30am-6pm.

Hongqiao Pearl Market (Hong Qiao Shichang,北京红桥市场)

Few shoppers visit Beijing without a trip to the Hongqiao Market (aka Pearl Market, Hong Qiao Lu 16, northeast of Temple of Heaven, 010-6713-3354, 8:30am to 7 pm daily), where mid-quality pearls are cheap and plentiful.

Yashow Clothing Market (Yaxiu Fuzhang Shichang, 雅秀服装市场)

Along with Hongqiao and Xiushui (Silk Street), Yashow is one of the most tourist-heavy markets in the city, but it’s also one of the best if you want knockoff clothing, bags, shoes, a good tailor or a gift to take home to your friends. Prices are slightly cheaper than Silk Street Market (a tourist trap), but the haggling no less cruel. Basement: shoes, handbags and suitcases. Big Shoes is useful for anyone struggling to house big feet. First floor: coats and jackets. Second floor: hiking gear, suits, ladies wear. Third floor: silk, clothes, carpets, fabrics and tailors to fashion your material into something wearable. Fourth floor: jewelry, souvenirs, toys and a beauty salon. The market is just west of Sanlitun Jiuba Jie, at Gongti Bei Lu 58 (tel.010-6415-1726)  and is open daily from 9:30am to 9pm. Metro: Gongti Bei Lu. Note: Be especially aware of pickpockets in this market.

Beijing Zoo Clothing Wholesale Market
(Dongwuyuan Fuzhuang Pifa Shichang, 动物园服装批发市场)

If you ever wondered where the stallholders at the Silk, Yashow and Nurenjie (ladies street) get their stock, then ponder no more. The Beijing Zoo Clothing Wholesale Market (this place is where the locals shop for their clothes) is a boxy, heaving little place, crammed to the rafters with dirt-cheap clothes, bags, shoes and coats. The most popular ones of the seven zoo markets are Julong, Dongding and Shiji Tianle. Buy them here for half-price but be prepared to bargain hard or buy in volume. Claustrophobics are best advised to steer clear of the Zoo Clothing Market, especially on weekends when stampedes are part of the experience

Getting there: Subway line 4 to Beijing Zoo Station; Buses: No. 107, 103,102

• Shopping Malls and Department Stores

If you're a mall rat, you're spoiled for choice in Beijing. Sustained pre-Olympic development created brand-friendly megamalls, where everything costs as much as it does in the West.

A city in the midst of reinventing itself and continuing to build on the success of the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing is a place of frenzied construction. Shopping malls, luxury brand outlets and car dealerships are mushrooming across the city. The vast Oriental Plaza mall, on Wangfujing Dajie, has many brand stores, as does Solana. The China World Shopping Mall, Shin Kong Plaza, The Place, Jinbao Place and Park Life at Beijing Yintai Centre cater to those with upscale-brand obsessions and large wallets.

China World Shopping Mall (Guomao, 国贸商城)

Adjacent to the ritzy China World Hotel and Beijing's tallest skyscraper - China World Trade Center Tower 3, China World Shopping Mall has the full wardrobe of luxury clothing.

Rising up alongside Beijing’s tallest building, China World Trade Center Tower 3, Beijing’s ritziest mall is attached to the equally luxurious China World Hotel. Also known as Guomao, China World Shopping Mall (1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District; 010-6505-2288) is home to elite international brands such as Moschino, Prada, Cartier, Hermès, Dior and Louis Vuitton. Prices are at least as expensive as back home.

Peninsula Beijing Shopping Arcade (北京王府半岛酒店)

The big boys of fashion: Chanel, Dior, Gaultier, Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Versace, can be found in this exclusive and very hushed basement-level shopping haunt beneath the Peninsula Beijing hotel. There are also Cartier and Tiffany outlets, so you can pick up the diamonds you’ll need to go with your new outfit.

Address: 8 Jinyu Hutong, Dongcheng District

The Village at Sanlitun (三里屯Village)

The fashionable shopping complex of the Village at Sanlitun houses international flagship boutiques and contemporary designed concept stores such as Adidas, Apple and Uniqlo.

Located in the diplomatic area famous for its bars and cafes, the village at Sanlitun (19 Sanlitun Jie, Chaoyang district; 010-6417-3333; Metro: Tuanjiehu) – a community of 19 dramatic buildings – was designed by a team of international architects spearheaded by Japanese wonder Kengo Kuma. Anchor stores include the first Apple Experience Store and the world’s largest Adidas flagship.

Shin Kong Place (Xin Guang Tian Di, 新光天地)

Shin Kong Place (87 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District; 010-6530-5888; Metro: Dawang Lu) sets the gold standard in Beijing luxury shopping. This indoor mall has all the labels that break the bank: Coach, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Marc Jacobs, as well as high-end but more affordable retailers like Juicy Couture, Diesel, and Club Monaco.

The Place (Shi Mao Tian Jie, 世贸天阶)

The Place is noteworthy for its massive LED sky screen. Inside are mid-range brands such as Spain's Zara and Britain's French Connection.

This new behemoth, marked by a huge outdoor screen playing clips of random fashion shows, sees plenty of fashionista traffic. Spanish retailer Zara chose to set up shop here. Makeup gurus MAC also chose The Place for their flagship store. Other retailers like French Connection, Mango, and adidas ensure this place is virtually bargain-hunter free.

Seasons Place Mall (金融街购物中心)

Seasons Place (2 Jinchengfang Jie, Financial Street, Xicheng District; 010-6622 0808), a stunning luxe mall designed by Yabu Pushelberg in western Beijing on Financial street, opened in fall 2007 with a long list of top brands, including Hong Kong’s high-end department store chain Lane Crawford that carries some of the most desired labels from the best designers around the world (Stella McCartney, Emilio Pucci, Maison Martin Margiela, Alexander McQueen, Marni, Miu Miu, Givenchy and others). It may not be any cheaper than elsewhere, but it’s interesting to see how luxury is arriving in China.

Beijing Scitech Premium Outlet Mall (北京赛特奥特莱斯)

Though a bit suburban, Scitech outlet mall (28 Xiangjiang Bei Lu, Chaoyang district; 010-8435 7880) houses charming boutique stores in an immense new outdoor village. The outlet’s pricing policy of a 40 per cent minimum discount is a recessionista’s dream.  With over 5,000 parking spots, a free shuttle bus from Scitech Plaza, and a subway station due to open on Line 10 next year, making a saving just got a whole lot easier.

• Shopping Tips

Generally, shops in Beijing open earlier than in the West and close later; they usually open between 8am and 8:30am and close between 9pm and 10pm. Always remember that foreigners are likely to be quoted an inflated price for goods and services in Beijing. In markets such as Panjiayuan, Hongqiao and Sanlitun Yashow, haggling is essential. It’s always best to bargain with a smile on your face.

Major credit cards are accepted in pricier venues catering to Westerners. Cash is the driving force here, and ATMs abound.

Shops frequented by foreigners sometimes have an employee with some fluency in English. But money remains the international language. In many cases, whether or not there is a common language—the shop assistant will still whip out a calculator, look at you thoughtfully, then type in a starting price. You’re expected to counter with your offer. Punch in your dream price. The clerk will come down Y10 or Y20 and so on and so on. Remember that the terms “yuan,” “kuai,” and “RMB” are often used interchangeably.