Baoguo Temple Culture Market in Beijing
报国寺文化市场Located around and within the courtyard of the Baoguo Buddhist Temple, in the Xicheng district, the Baoguo Temple Culture Market is a relatively small, scenic area. The temple was built during the Liao Dynasty. It is neither the biggest nor the oldest temple in Beijing. However, it is still worth a visit during your trip into the city.
Once you arrive, you’ll find a wide selection of antiques, souvenirs and gifts, including Buddha statues, old books, coins, banknotes, miscellaneous paintings, calligraphies, comics and some interesting collectabale junk. In fact, the Baoguosi market is mostly focused on ancient coins, stamps, paper money and old books. So if you’re a collector, this may be one of the best places to go. There are over 18 permanent booths and stalls that work daily. However, it is best to arrive on the weekends, when most of the vendors here are allowed to sell their merchandise on the ground.
Baoguosi, also called the Baoguo Temple, is a Buddhist Temple that was first contructed during the Liao Dynasty in what is now referred to as the southern part of downtown Beijing. During the Ming Dynasty, it was used to host members of the royal family.
By the early Qing dynasty, the temple had already been turned into a popular bazaar for books and flowers. the Baoguosi Temple is more like an antique marketplace than it is a temple. Yet still, it keeps the appearance of a temple. The temple has three halls. Two of the three halls as well as the buildings circling the temple wall are used either as warehouses or showrooms.
Now Baoguosi has expanded to include an antique market, a souvenirs and gifts market, coin markets and a stamp collection market. Traders there also sell miscellaneous items as jade, coins, Buddha statues, old books, calligraphy works, paintings and many more!
There will be more sellers, specially more mobile vendors on the weekend. In fact only on the weekend, these mobile vendors are allowed to sell their stuff on the ground. The big difference between Baoguosi Culture Market and other antique markets is that Baoguosi market is well focused on ancient coins, old ppaper money and old books.
Baoguosi Temple antique market has become one of the most important market for old books, traditional Chinese paintings, stamps, ancient currency and antiques etc in Beijing. It is specially crowded on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Apart from the large market, there are also many collections shown here, antique exhibitions and auctions held each year.
The temple’s antique market is located at No.01, Guang’anmenneidajie street on the western Liangguang Lu ( Liangguang Ave. ), of the Xuanwu District. It opens 8:30am and closes at 5pm. As we suggested before, it is recommended that you visit the Baoguosi Culture Market on the weekends. You may even want to bring a friend with you to capture a great moment and to have a second opinion about the good you choose to buy.
Address: 1 Guanganmen Nei Dajie, Xicheng district
Address Chinese: 西城区广安门内大街报国寺1号
Hours Open: 8.00am-5.00pm daily
Contact: 8312 3214
