Pearl Market (Hongqiao)

Hongqiao Market, generally known as the Pearl Market, is a four-storey shopping building at 9 Tiantan Road in Beijing, immediately outside the eastern side of the Temple of Heaven park. Despite the name it sells a good deal more than pearls. The ground floor carries electronics, watches, glasses and groceries; the first floor clothing, shoes, bags and luggage; the second floor freshwater pearls, jade and carved artefacts; and the top floor higher-priced jewellery. Displayed prices are opening positions rather than fixed, and bargaining is expected throughout the building, often bringing the final figure well below the first quote. Quality varies considerably, particularly among the pearls, and buyers unfamiliar with the material should treat certificates offered on the spot with caution. The market trades through the day into the early evening. The nearest subway station is Tiantandongmen on Line 5, about six minutes away on foot, with Ciqikou station roughly ten minutes away.