📍First Stop:
Beijing
— The Soul of Old China
✅ Must-Visit Markets:
1.
Panjiayuan Antique Market
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The King of Flea Markets
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Why go: China’s largest secondhand and antique market. A paradise for treasure hunters.
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What you’ll find: Vintage matchboxes, tin cans, propaganda posters, enamel badges, comic books.
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When to go: Open daily, but weekends are busiest. Best time: 7:00–9:00 AM.
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Photo tip: Use a wide-angle lens and vintage filters—capture the messy but soulful spirit of the stalls.
2.
Baoguosi Antique Market
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Quiet and Curated
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Why go: Smaller and more peaceful, perfect for taking your time and chatting with vendors.
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What you’ll find: Old postcards, stamps, red-era memorabilia, classic Chinese books.
📍Second Stop:
Shanghai
— Step Into the “Old Time Machine” of Haipai Culture
✅ Must-Visit Markets:
1.
Lanling Flower & Bird Market (Juqicheng Vintage Plaza)
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Location: On Lingshi Road, often referred to interchangeably with “Juqicheng” (聚奇城).
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Highlights:
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2nd floor: Fixed vendor counters with well-preserved vintage goods
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3rd floor: Open flea stalls, more chaotic but often more surprising
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2 AM–5 AM: Early-bird roadside vendors
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5 AM–afternoon: Vendors move indoors
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Open: Daily
2.
Yangpu Cultural Flea Market
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Why go: A treasure trove of working-class relics and genuine secondhand finds.
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When to go: Wednesdays are the biggest days, also open Saturday and Sunday
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Hours: From around 5–6 AM to 3–4 PM (some vendors start packing up around noon)
3.
Chenghuangmiao (Yu Garden) – Xinzangbaolou & Fuyou Building
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Xinzangbaolou (4th floor): Known for books, jade items, collectibles
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Fuyou Commercial Building (B2 level): Best for vintage books and retro items
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Hours: Open daily, best to go early morning (5–6 AM until noon)
🧭 Pro Tips for Treasure Hunters:
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Useful phrases:
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“Do you have any old matchboxes?” = “你有旧火柴盒吗？”
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“Looking for old postcards and tin cans” = “我在找老明信片和铁皮罐。”
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Don’t be afraid to bargain: Especially in open-air stalls. Price is often negotiable.
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Expect the unexpected: Some of the best finds are buried under piles of dusty trinkets.
📸 Photo Ideas for Social Media:
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Capture close-ups of rusted tin cans with old logos
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Flat-lay your postcard finds with maps and vintage pens
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Portraits in front of matchbox display walls at Panjiayuan
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Market chaos shots at 3 AM with soft lighting and retro filters
If you love vintage culture and hunting for history you can hold in your hand, then this two-city route will be the highlight of your China trip.
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