 Tea total-ing
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-12 08:12  With a giant sign proclaiming "Beijing No 1 Tea Street" and a teapot sculpture at one end, Maliandao market is hard to miss. The avenue is home to hundreds of tea stores, and attracts some 1,000 tea-dealers from across China. Located to the west of Xuanwu district and near the Beijing West Railway Station, the area is known as one of China's best markets for buying an endless variety of fresh tea leaves. Step inside one of the many outlets, and a shopkeeper will most likely invite you to relax, have a seat and sample some of their specialty teas. According to your taste, the vendor will find a suitable tea and concoct a new brew especially for you. In addition to tea for drinking, you can also buy such novelties as tea bricks, edible tea cakes and even paintings made from tea leaves. It is said that 3,000 kinds of tea are sold here, with trade totaling 1.8 billion yuan ($262 million) each year. That's a whole lot of tea! Located near the middle of the street you will see the renowned "Maliandao Tea City," a wholesale tea market where you might even find some good bargains. Xiao Changyan (China Daily 08/12/2008 page14) |
