Knick-knacks of all trades

In Panjiayuan Market, one of the largest markets for arts and crafts in China, you can find it all: everything from snuff bottles made in Hengshui to stone carvings from Quyang; embroidery made in Jiangsu to wood carvings from Dongyang; porcelain and crystal ornaments from Jiangxi to shadow puppets from Shandong. The only problem might be cramming all your purchases into a single luggage set for the trip home.

More than 4,000 shops and nearly 10,000 dealers barter handicrafts at the market, popularly known as the "dirt market", before distributing goods all over the world.

Other interesting items include ancient-style furniture, traditional stationery, calligraphic works, old books, foreign coins, bone carvings and relics of the "cultural revolution" (1966-76). Of course, some artifacts aren't genuine antiques, but will still make excellent home decorations or mementos of your time in Beijing.