Xining Shopping

Xining Shopping Guide provides you the detailed information about Xining local specialties, featured shopping areas, What and Where to Buy in Xining, Xining Local Products, Souvenirs, Shopping Districts, Streets and Malls.

What to Buy in Xining

As the center of Qinghai's commerce and trade, Xining provides lost of local specialties for you. You can buy dried yak meat, precious herbs and local handicrafts as gifts to your friends.

Cordyceps Sinensis/Yartsa Gunbu 冬虫夏草

Cordyceps sinensis which is a kind of very valuable herd which has much medical value. It is a traditional Chinese medicine which is used as a tonic to increase the body's natural resistance to disease. It has been exported to other countries for a long time. In Xining, you can purchase a bottle of medicated wine, including the Chinese caterpillar fungus and other rare medicinal materials. 

Snow Lotus 雪莲

Snow Lotus belongs to the Compositae, the protection level is 3 levels, distributed in Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu and other places. Snow Lotus is a rare and valuable medicinal plant in high mountains, so it is of great significance to protect the germplasm resources of Snow Lotus in science and medicine.

Rhodiola Rosea 红景天

Rhodiola rosea is recommended to tourists during shopping in this city, Xining. It is one of the precious herbals in Chinese traditional medicine science. This herbal is good for lung, weak body and some gynecological diseases shown by research. Rhodiola rosea is also used in the medicines, which are used for healing the injuries from falls, fractures, contusions and strains. At present, it has been one of the top ingredients used in Chinese herbal cosmetics. You can buy some of this herbal for your wife, female friends, relatives or colleagues during the trip. It is helpful for their skins and body.

Musk (Shexiang) 麝香

Though musk isn"t a herb, it is an important component of traditional Chinese medicine. Musk comes from the wild musk deer.Musk has been used as a popular perfume fixative since ancient times and is one of the most extensive animal products in the world. Modern use of natural musk pods is limited to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Dried Yak Meat 牦牛肉干

Dried yak meat is the featured food in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Living in the area above 3500 meters all year round, yaks often eat wild herbs such as fritillaria, cordyceps and so on. Therefore, their meat is delicious and tasty. Dried and packed yak meat is convenient for carrying, it is the good choice of gifts to friends.

Tibetan Accessories 藏饰

These traditional accessories are made from a variety of things including precious metals, natural materials and so on. Silver and copper are precious metals and natural materials are usually bamboo, wood and even bones. Tibetan accessories are very popular in the whole world. There are many handicraft products full of local flavor and ethnic style in Tibet, including various kinds of traditional Tibetan weaved and knited products like wooden bowls, silver bowls and bamboo bowls. There are also Tibetan knife, Tibetan rugs, masks, daggers, etc.  

Where to Buy in Xining

Zhanqian Street (站前街) has a variety of small commodity markets, including Dongguan Street (东关大街 ), Dashizi (大什字), etc. Dongguan Street is a Hui community in Xining City, with shops of various sizes. Nearby Muslim restaurants serve authentic Halal food. The Provincial Museum area is the bustling city center of Xining, with relatively prosperous commercial lanes and traffic lanes. There are many snacks in the nearby Koufu Street (口福街), with shops and restaurants offering a wide variety of goods and food.

Commercial Areas in Xining

Shopping in Xining is not a wise choice. Generally speaking, the goods here mostly serve as a supply on the Qinghai-Tibet line. Xining's most prosperous places are mainly in the areas of Ximenkou (西门口), Dashi (大什字) and Xinning Square (新宁广场). Among them, locals like to hang out in the area of Landmark Business Street (大力盟商业街). 

Ximenkou - Central Square 西门口-中心广场

This is the most prosperous place in Xining. It is similar to Wangfujing in Beijing. There are not only Wangfujing Department Store (No.40 West Street), Xining's top-grade shopping mall, but also the old-fashioned Department Store offering moderately priced products on West Street (No.43 West Street). What is most worth mentioning is that  Xining's specialty street Shuijingxiang Lane (see specialty shopping street) is also there, which can meet all the shopping needs of Xining.
Nearby: Shuijing Lane Snack Street
Address: West of Central Square
How to Get There: Buses No. 1, 1, 2, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 31, 41, 82, 102, get off at west gate station (西门站)

Dashizi Commercial Area 大什字商圈

This is Xining's traditional business district. Generally speaking, the city center is nearby. The most representative of this district are the Dashizi Department Store 大什字百货商店 (No.53 East Street) and the newly-built Tianqiao Shopping Plaza 天桥购物广场 (No.88 Dongguan Street), which have a history of 50 years. In addition, there are all kinds of special shops on both sides of the street, which are worth visiting. 
Nearby: Mojiajie Food Street, Yinma Food Street.
Address: Near North Street and East Street.
How to Get There: Buses No.2, 3, 14, 15, 16, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 31, 32, 40, 41, 81, 82, 85, 86, 103, 105, get off at Dashizi Station 大什字

Xinning Square Commercial Area 新宁广场商圈

Xinning Square is the place where local people mostly like to go shopping. There are not only many shopping malls, such as Textile Department Store 纺织品大楼百货 (44 Xiguan Street, West District), Guofang Department Store 国芳百货 (42-52 Xiguan Street, West District) and Wangfujing 王府井 (Wusi West Road, West District), but also many small shops. The Landmark Business Street 力盟商业巷步行街 around the commercial lane is the place Xining people like to visit most.
Nearby: Qinghai Provincial Museum
Address: The area around Xinning Square
How to Get There: Textile Department Stores: Bus No.22, 35, 41, 102 (Xinning Square South Station); Guofang Department Store: Buses No.12, 18, 22, 35, 41, 102 (Lutianqiao Station); Wangfujing: Bus No. 2, 12, 18, 22, 24, 29, 30, 35, 40, 41, 42, 43, 85, 102, 109 (Hutai Station).

Small Commodity Wholesale and Retail Commercial Area 小商品批发零售商圈

There are many small commodity wholesale markets near the fromer Xining Railway Station, the most famous of which is the small commodity markets radiating from the whole province and Tibet. There are many things, such as household appliances, cosmetics, cloth, clothing, shoes and hats, clocks, hardware, melons and fruits, liquor, etc. You may consider purchasing some supplies for Tibet travel here.
Address: 143 Huzhu West Road, Chengdong District (城东区互助西路143 号)
How to Get There: Buses No.20, 22, 30, 32, 105 and 106 (Small Commodity Market Station)

Shopping Streets in Xining

Shujingxiang Lane 水井巷

As the busiest food street, Shuijingxiang Lane is also an old Business Street of Xining. Almost all dishes and snacks of Xining can be found on this street. Located in central Xining, it packs all Xining foods such as Roasted Mutton, Bean Jelly, Boiled Mutton, etc.  Shuijingxiang Lane gets a nick name “Small Hong Kong” because of its tasty food. Xining people have a strong love of pasta. 
Address: Business Street, Shuijing Lane, Chengzhong District, Xining 城中区水井巷
How to Get There: Buses No. 5, 19, 32, 34, 40, 58 (Tianqiao Shopping Plaza天桥商贸城站).

Landmark Business Street 力盟商业巷步行街

As the first and only pedestrian streetin Xining, it is located near Xinning Square has the most favourable shopping environment. This place can be said to be locals' favorite place to visit. It is not a street, but a large area, with two streets, four gates, eight lanes and the main layout of the central city square that never closes. It not only has featured shops, brand monopoly and Qinghai specialty street, but also has food, bars and cafes, which can be regarded as an area offering the integrated service of eating, shopping and entertainment.
Address: No. 37, Wusi Street, Chengxi District, Xining城西区五四大街37号
How to Get There: Buses No. 9, 13, 25, 31, 58, 85, 104 (Shangyexiang Station 商业巷站)

Shopping Centers and Department Stores in Xining

• Wangfujing Department Store 王府井百货
  Address: No. 40 West St, Chengzhong District
  Tel: 0971 -823 6111
• Dashizi Department Store 大什字百货商店
  Address: No.53 Dongguan Street
  Tel: 0971 - 8234480
• Tianqiao Shopping Plaza 天桥购物广场
  Address: No.88 Dongguan Street
  Tel:/
• Textile Department Store 纺织品大楼百货
  Address: 44 Xiguan Street, West District
  Tel: 0971 -614 3776
• Guofang Department Store 国芳百货
  Address: 42-52 Xiguan Street, West District
  Tel: 0971-6330688

Edited by Brittany Tian/田春燕