On May 10, Panjiayuan Antique Market opened for the first time on a Wednesday night, with hundreds of vendors taking to their stalls. Previously, the night market only took place on Fridays.
Panjiayuan Antique Market has gradually come to be regarded as a symbol of culture, attracting not just traditional handicraft enthusiasts but also young people beginning to explore the market's antique offerings and experience the cultural ambiance of Beijing. In the future, the Wednesday night market will feature cultural and creative products, while the products of the Friday night market will remain the same as usual.
Tourists taking photos at Panjiayuan Antique Market
During the day, amazing cultural artifacts make up most of the market. The market features a wider range of offerings after dusk, including bracelets, pendants, phone charms, second-hand game consoles, and cameras, among others.
Although the market on a Wednesday night is not as busy as on a Friday night, vendors are more than happy to offer extra choices for customers.
The Wednesday night market
Over the years, the market has gradually extended southwards, attracting both Chinese and foreign enthusiasts of traditional Chinese handicrafts. The market itself is also surrounded by a large number of malls also selling antiques.
As of the beginning of this year, Panjiayuan's Friday night market counts approximately 25,000 visitors nightly, with the total number on Saturday and Sunday of each week exceeding 50,000, meaning that the figure of a Friday night alone accounts for about half of the number of visits during the weekend. This increasing number of customers has also attracted more vendors to the market.
The Wednesday night market
In a list of Beijing's top internet-famous sites in 2022, which are selected by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Panjiayuan Antique Market is included in the category of "Blocks, Parks and Night-time Economy". It is becoming one of the main contributors to the city's night-time economy.
(Source: The Beijing News)