Beijing Hotels: Nearby Guyazhai Antique Shop

If you come to the Beijing's famous artisan hub of Liuli Chang, you will find many antiques and artifacts shop, and Gu Ya Zhai is one of them
 
It is a curio shop selling various kinds of antique items, like porcelain,calligraphy, painting, shadow puppet, snuff bottle and kite.

The shop owner, Mr Xu, showed me his collection of porcelain ware excitedly. Most of the items on the wooden shelf has a history of more than 100 years. He especially introduced the one made during Guangxu emperor regime. Because two parts can be rotated, the piece is rare and set price of RMB 10000.

I was attracted by its large section of  reverse painted tobacco bottles. Most of them are the crystal bottles made by modern artists. These exquisite bottles are with different themes, like spring lantern feast, ancient beauties, fairy tales, and landscapes. I like the cat one most. If you check close, you can even see the cat fur are clearly painted inside the bottle. Price ranges from RMB 500 to RMB 2000 according to different shapes and skills.

Mr Xu told me the most popular items for foreigners are thin-silk kite and shadow puppets. The largest kite in the shop, featuring a light green fish costs RMB 80. While a pair of shadow puppets are priced for RMB 250.