A restored Qing-dynasty market street in the southwest of the old city, specialising in antiques, calligraphy brushes and ink, old books, paintings, and art supplies. The street was heavily restored in the 1980s and looks more like a film set of old Beijing than the real thing, but the shops themselves — many of them long-established — carry genuine quality goods alongside the tourist tat. The Rongbaozhai studio, one of China's most respected publishers of art reproductions, has its flagship store here.
The best shops are those selling calligraphy supplies — brushes, ink sticks, inkstones, and paper are at a quality and price point unmatched anywhere else in the city. For antiques, buy only from reputable dealers and be sceptical of anything claimed to be genuinely old; export of genuine antiques requires certification. A 20-minute walk from Qianmen station.