Baoguo Temple Cultural Market, situated within the historic Baoguo Temple in Xicheng District, Beijing, is a vibrant hub for the exchange and sale of a diverse range of antiques and collectibles. Established in 1997, it has earned the reputation of being the ‘Grand View Garden of Folk Collections’.
The market specializes in antique ceramics, jewelry, antique furniture, carpets, Chinese and foreign calligraphy and paintings, antique clocks and watches, jade carvings, embroidery carpets, and second-hand books. Most of the market is composed of ground stalls, with a few dozen pavilions made of simple materials, offering a wide variety of goods, including rare and novel items.
A distinctive feature of the Baoguo Temple Cultural Market is the strong cultural atmosphere, with many stall owners being connoisseurs who are more than willing to engage in long conversations about collecting experiences, even if no purchase is made. This sets it apart from other markets like Panjiayuan, which are more market-oriented.
Year-round exhibitions enrich the cultural experience at the market. These include the ‘World Coin and Stamp Museum’, ‘Chinese Stamp Museum’, ‘Chinese Coin Museum’, ‘Cigarette Label and Spark Museum’, ‘Postage and Coin Card Corridor’, ‘Chinese Periodicals Museum’, and ‘Comic Book Museum’.
The Baoguo Temple Cultural Market is open every day, attracting more visitors on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. A monthly folk collection auction, known as ‘Micro Auction’, adds a contemporary cultural touch to the ancient temple. The market operates all day, all year round, making it a constant source of cultural enrichment for enthusiasts and casual visitors alike.
