Creative markets blossom in cool of night

As dusk falls, people begin gathering at the outdoor plaza of DT51 shopping mall in Beijing. Hou Shengyong hands a bowl of zhajiangmian, fried sauce noodles, to a passerby. A sign reads: "Zhajiangmian made with suzao sauce — 9.9 yuan ($1.47) a bowl, with free refills."

Some customers ask whether it is traditional Beijing-style zhajiangmian. Others take a bite and wonder why it tastes different from the usual version.

The difference is the sauce. Hou is a seventh-generation inheritor of the traditional skill of making suzao sauce, a condiment that took shape during the Daoguang period (1821-1850) and developed into different variations.

Hou, who has researched suzao sauce for more than a decade, said it uses 28 kinds of spices and the soy sauce undergoes several stages of processing. Pork, beef or mutton can be used as the meat component, mainly to enhance the aroma and remove unpleasant smells, but the sauce determines the flavor.

"The sauce is the heart of zhajiangmian. No matter how well you prepare everything else, it won't work if the sauce isn't good," he said. Hou said that if he priced the noodles too high, many people would not try them. By keeping the price low, he can introduce the sauce to consumers before expanding through online sales and restaurant partnerships.

In Beijing, night markets are widening the experience of an evening outing. Food remains the focus of most, but gaining in prominence are time-honored brands, intangible cultural heritage, seasonal farm produce, creative goods, music, family activities and small businesses.

In other words, there is more on the menu than dinner. A night market can be a place to eat, shop, listen to music, bring the family or simply linger after dark. Part of the markets' appeal lies in that flexibility: visitors can come for a meal, stay for a performance, pick up something for home or just spend time with friends without having to plan an entire evening around one activity.

For a city often associated with cold winters and a relatively quiet nightlife, the shift is notable. Policy support has helped drive the growth, while changing consumer habits are adding momentum. Traditional night markets are also taking on broader roles, bringing commerce, culture and leisure into shopping districts, communities and other urban spaces.

At the markets, a bowl of zhajiangmian introduces a traditional condiment; a winter-vegetable bun evokes a family memory; a shadow-puppet tattoo sticker engages young visitors.