Is the Silk Market worth visiting in Beijing?

Yes, if you enjoy haggling and want gifts. The six floors mix genuine silk, custom tailoring, and notorious knockoff brands, with vendors who speak fluent English aimed at foreign shoppers. Skip it if you hate bargaining, since nothing has a fixed price. Treat it as a cultural experience as much as a shopping trip, and budget two to three hours.

How do I bargain at the Silk Market?

Counter the first asking price with roughly 10 to 20 percent of it, then negotiate upward slowly. Stay relaxed and willing to walk away, because vendors often chase you with a lower number at the exit. Never show strong interest in one item, and avoid making an offer you are not ready to honor. Patience matters more than aggression.

How do I get to the Silk Market and can I pay by card?

It sits at 8 Xiushui East Street in Chaoyang, directly above Yong'anli station on Metro Line 1, so it is one of the easiest markets to reach. Visa and Mastercard are accepted at many stalls, alongside Alipay and WeChat Pay, but carrying some cash still helps when sealing a haggled price. No booking or passport is needed to enter.

Silk Market (Xiushui), Beijing: Map & Visitor's Guide (2026)

Multi-story foreign-tourist shopping mall famous for silk, knockoff brands, custom tailoring, and aggressive bargaining.

At a glance

What it is: Shopping
Also known as: 秀水街 (Xiù Shuǐ Jiē)
Opening hours: 9:30 AM – 9 PM
Time needed: 2-3 hours
Best time to visit: Weekday afternoons, less crowded
Getting there: Metro to the door
English: Full English menu
Cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard
Entry: Walk-in — no booking
Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi
Address: 8 Xiushui East St, Chaoyang District, Beijing · 朝阳区秀水东街8号

See Silk Market (Xiushui)tickets & tours

Trip.com link · we earn a small commission · disclosure

The Silk Market is Beijing's most famous foreigner-targeted shopping destination — six floors of stalls selling silk garments, custom-tailored suits, leather goods, jewelry, electronics, and the city's most notorious knockoff brand-name clothing (LV, Gucci, Nike, etc.). The 1980s original was an outdoor street market that 'sold' silk and was raided periodically for fakes; the current indoor seven-story replacement opened in 2005 with the same vendor culture intact. Aggressive bargaining is essential — you must offer 10-20% of the first asking price, and skilled bargainers walk away from at least one offer to get the real price. English is universal here (vendors learned it specifically for foreigners). Tailoring on floors 1-3 is genuinely good — custom suit in 3 days for ~2,000-3,000 RMB. Avoid the 'massage' touts on the upper floors. The basement food court has Sichuan, dim sum, and other quick options. Best with patience and a willingness to argue; not for first-time bargainers.

Highlights

Custom-Tailored Suits (定制西装)Floors 1-3; ~2,000-3,000 RMB in 3 days; quality genuinely good
Aggressive Bargaining (砍价)Start at 10-20% of asking; walk away to get real price
Silk Garments & BeddingThe legitimate silk on lower floors — buy unique gifts here
Knockoff Brand RealityUpper floors; widely sold but counterfeit; buyer beware on customs declarations
Universal EnglishVendors learned English specifically for tourist trade; haggling fluent

What Chinese travelers actually do here

Distilled from Chinese-language travel notes — the practical tips most English guides miss.

▸Come on a weekday afternoon; tour-group buses pack the floors mid-morning and on weekends, which stiffens vendor prices.
▸Tailoring on floors one to three is the real value here, but order a custom suit on day one so the roughly three-day turnaround finishes before you fly out.
▸Ignore the 'massage' touts working the upper floors; they are an aside, not a service worth your time.
▸Bring your own reusable bag and check stitching and zippers in daylight near a window, since stall lighting flatters flaws.
▸The basement food court is a cheap, quick lunch with Sichuan and dim sum, handy for resting your feet mid-haggle.
▸Buyer beware on the knockoff floors: counterfeits can be seized by customs back home, so weigh that before declaring purchases.
▸Decide your top price before you open negotiations, then walk if the vendor refuses; the exit walk is your strongest bargaining move.

Photos

What travelers say (5 reviews)

Robert L.·TripAdvisor·3/5

Aggressive sellers. Bargain hard — start at 20% of opening price. Better than 10 years ago but still a tourist gauntlet.

2026-03-23

购物达人·Xiaohongshu·3/5

秀水街主要是仿牌和丝绸，还价从1/4开始。地铁永安里站直达。

2026-02-06

Anna F.·Google Maps·4/5

Real silk fabric on upper floors at fair prices. Custom tailoring takes 24-48 hours — quality varies wildly.

2026-04-19

Greg J.·TripAdvisor·3/5

Fakes are obvious fakes. If you want real labels, go to Sanlitun. If you want T-shirts and souvenirs, this is fine.

2026-01-14

DealHunter·YouTube·4/5

Pearls on the 3rd floor are legitimate and a great deal. Just ask for a UV test before buying anything claiming to be real.

2026-03-02

Videos

The Silk Market in Beijing - crazy sales ladies!

brucenkt

[4k] Walk in Beijing Silk Market

willbut21 - Un Siciliano in Cina 🇨🇳

Frequently asked questions about Silk Market (Xiushui)

Is the Silk Market worth visiting in Beijing?: Yes, if you enjoy haggling and want gifts. The six floors mix genuine silk, custom tailoring, and notorious knockoff brands, with vendors who speak fluent English aimed at foreign shoppers. Skip it if you hate bargaining, since nothing has a fixed price. Treat it as a cultural experience as much as a shopping trip, and budget two to three hours.
How do I bargain at the Silk Market?: Counter the first asking price with roughly 10 to 20 percent of it, then negotiate upward slowly. Stay relaxed and willing to walk away, because vendors often chase you with a lower number at the exit. Never show strong interest in one item, and avoid making an offer you are not ready to honor. Patience matters more than aggression.
How do I get to the Silk Market and can I pay by card?: It sits at 8 Xiushui East Street in Chaoyang, directly above Yong'anli station on Metro Line 1, so it is one of the easiest markets to reach. Visa and Mastercard are accepted at many stalls, alongside Alipay and WeChat Pay, but carrying some cash still helps when sealing a haggled price. No booking or passport is needed to enter.