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Although some people may not know exactly where No. 18 Huaweili, Panjiayuan Road is, in the south part of Chaoyang District, Panjiayuan Folk Culture Market is a popular draw. Many people are irresistibly drawn by its antiquities, and it is listed in several travel books. More and more foreigners in Beijing frequent this secondhand market.

There is something here for everyone -- reproductions of ancient furniture, ancient books, calligraphic works and paintings, jade and agate, ceramics, Chinese and foreign currencies, religious vessels, ethnic garments, and relics from the "cultural revolution" (1966-76). Covering an area equal to six or seven soccer fields, it is the largest secondhand market in Asia.

The market opens on weekends, drawing browsers to its 3,000 fixed stands manned by proprietors, some wearing the clothes of ethnic minorities. Business is most brisk on Saturday mornings. At five or six o'clock in the morning, vendors start setting out their wares. Many come from Beijing's outskirts, and some are from neighboring provinces such as Hebei and Shanxi. This market started in the first half of 1992 when a few locals brought their old furniture and electrical appliances to sell and others followed suit. This flea market has developed gradually and large sheds are continually being added.

Wandering around the Panjiayuan Folk Culture Market, you might be seduced by rare wares. Even if you don't want to buy, it is interesting to observe buyers and sellers bargaining or listen to legends about cultural relics. This market is like a magnet, attracting more and more people every weekend.