For anyone that loves tea or wants to buy tea as a gift, Maliandao is a location you simply cannot miss while in Beijing.

Located to the west of Xuanwu District and near the Beijing West Railway Station, this area is known as one of China's biggest tea distributing centres. It has gathered more than 100 tea stores, eight tea wholesale markets, and at least 600 tea dealers from all over the country.

It is not difficult to find the renowned street. With a big shining logo "Beijing No 1 Tea Street" and a teapot sculpture at one end, the 1500-metre-long street is lined with numerous teashops and colourful signs.

Because of the construction of some buildings, the street is currently a little dirty and noisy. But the faint fragrance of tea can still be smelled in the air.

It is truly eye opening to find so many kinds of tea, in different shapes and packages, piled on the shelves of the area's shops. There are tea bricks, tea cakes, and even tea-made paintings. It is said that three thousand kinds of tea are sold here, and up to 1 billion yuan (US$ 12 million) of tea is sold here every year.

Beautiful tea sets are another highlight in the stores, tea sets made of purple clay, blue and white porcelain and basalt are often priced from 150 yuan to 1000 yuan (US$18 to 120). One of the most expensive tea boards is called a Duan Yan tray, made of high-quality ink-slab in Duanxi, Guangdong Province. The board is quite rare and engraved with delicate patterns.

In the middle of the street is "Maliandao Tea City," a four-floor tea shopping mall, which gathers most tea dealers in the area. As a big wholesale market, the tea prices here are much lower than other locations throughout the city. You can find many franchised counters of famous Chinese teas like Longjing, Biluochun, Qihong and Tieguanyin.

However, the prices are vary. Start hunting, because the exact same tea, processed in the same factory in the same packaging can be found for considerably different prices throughout the market. Usually the prices on the 2nd and 3rd floors are a little higher than on the ground floor.

Products related to tea, such as tea books, tea furniture and tea gadgets are also sold here.

Upon entering most of the shops, a salesperson will invite you to have a seat and try some of their specialty teas. According to your taste, they will find a suitable tea and make them especially for you. You can enjoy their professional tea making skills, drink the fragrant tea and chat with them about different varieties.

Beijing No 1 Tea Street

Location: Maliandao, west of Xuanwu District, adjacent to the Xisanhuan road in the west, Guang'anmenwai street in the north and the Beijing West Railway Station, Guang'anmen freight railway station is to the east. The street connects with Lize road to the south.

Tel: 6346-1811

(China Daily 06/03/2005 page15)