Tourists flock to Beijing''s famed Silk Market

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BEIJING, May 14 (KUNA) -- Xiushui Street, better known as Silk Market, is one of the most popular destinations for foreign tourists in Beijing.
Located in the city's central business district and adjacent to a number of luxurious hotels, more than 1,700 stalls bustle with shoppers from morning to night.
Once stepping into the six-story building, first-time customers are often stunned by a wide range of products that fill each floor, including shoes, bag, clothing, silk, handicraft, jewelry, toy, carpet, table cloth, electronic gadget, antique, painting and herb.
Many knock-offs are also found despite the government's efforts to protect intellectual property rights.
According to the shopping complex operator, Silk Market attracts 20,000 shoppers on weekdays and some 50,000 on weekends.
Although it is not a high-end market, bargaining is still essential in Xiushui.
Jenny, a Chinese woman in her early 20's working at a five-square-meter booth with piled-up silk and cashmere fabric is one of 3,000 foreign language-speaking salespersons in the market.
A native villager originally from the eastern province of Anhui, Jenny said she has never traveled out of China in her life, but enjoys dealing with foreign bargain hunters from many different countries everyday.
Xiushui's history dates back to early 80's, when several tiny stalls for silk and foreign-trade apparels at reasonable prices were set up on the street. After nearly 25 years of expansion, it had become one of city's most famous outdoor markets comprising 410 vendors with counterfeit luxury clothes and accessories.
However, due to concerns over fire hazard, the original Silk Market was torn down in January 2005, and moved to the current brand-new building with improved facilities two months later.


By Miyoko Ishigami and Ahmad Al-Furaij