Suburban village rekindles passion for leisurely shopping

Offline experience

Sun Xiaoqun is a frequent visitor to such markets. She said that due to the pandemic some fairs and morning markets were closed.

After the market in Xinzhuang opened, her friends invited her to join them for a stroll around the fair. There was no pressure to buy anything.

"I found many accessories were displayed at the market, and it was a lot of fun for me to take a good look at them. I usually browse for accessories and buy them online, which is a bit less fun," she said, adding that the market stalls have exquisite items that are completely different from those in wholesale markets.

Sun is also a tea expert. A friend suggested that she open a teahouse in the village after her shop in Beijing's Haidian district closed a few years ago.

"While the rent and overall costs for a shop here are relatively high, the village has a good atmosphere with lots of interesting shops and activities," she said. "Sometimes, opening a shop just takes a bit of luck, and I need to consider it carefully."

She enjoyed a fulfilling day in the village, staying until evening before heading home.

"I've visited the Guanyuan morning market in Xicheng district and Shilihe wholesale market in Chaoyang district," she said.

"The market fair here in Changping, however, is different. It features smaller stalls and more flexible locations, which frequent visitors might find a novel experience," she said.