October 24, 2011
Rocking in the P.R.D. – Guangzhou’s Best Live Music Venues
Upon googling rock music in the PRD, I was very amused to stumble across a site that asked “what does P.R.D. stand for?” Much to my surprise the answer said “rock punk dinosaurs.” Though the site was quite obviously not related to anything Pearl River Delta related, I nevertheless took it as a sign that music of all genres - rock, punk, folk, pop…etc – is alive and kicking in South China. You see, in just under thirty years, alternative music genres like rock, punk, grunge and experimental have mushroomed in the People’s Republic, and the rising number of live music venues catering to such musical genres is one clear example of this trend. And what’s more, the nucleus of rock music which was once solely concentrated in Beijing has exploded into hundreds of pieces flying all across the land. One big chunk however, landed in Guangzhou. Below is a list of Guangzhou’s best live music venues.
Guangzhou live music bars
C:Union Guangzhou 喜窝
Tucked away behind a thick line of trees at the back of Tianyi Plaza on Shuiyin Lu and only found by those who look hard enough, C:Union is a rare gem in Guangzhou’s live music scene. The venue itself is low-key and its popularity has primarily been achieved through word of mouth. Run by a musician from Yunnan province, C:union attracts costumers from all walks of life. Some of the biggest acts in the country play here as do many international acts passing through town. Besides being a magnet for the most talented musicians and bands far and wide, much of C:union’s appeal lies in it’s laid-back, easy-going atmosphere, largely created through its simple interior decor and “living room-like” vibes. There’s little room for pretentiousness as it’s clear that most loyal followers here come for the venue’s top class music performances and friendly atmosphere. Drinks are reasonably priced at around 30 RMB for cocktails and bottles of Erdinger and Beamish are available for 40 RMB. Besides the live acts, customers can also entertain themselves by playing foosball or darts. (Address and contact info here)
Tutu Union T凸空间
The newest edition to Guangzhou’s live music scene, Tutu Union is located within Sculpture Park amidst the park’s beautiful natural surroundings. Spread over two stories, the venue occupies a total space of 1600 square metres and boasts a top class sound system and live recording system. With its international standard equipment and generous space, Tutu plans on becoming the main professional exchange platform in south China for artists and musicians, whilst giving Guangzhou music fans the opportunity to enjoy a musical experience akin to large-scale concerts halls. Though only in business a few months, Tutu has already attracted international acts like Vialka and popular Chinese bands like Hanggai and IZ band. Expect to see many more top class acts and music events here in the coming months. Look out also for the rotating art exhibits hanging from the walls.
Add: Inside Sculpture Park, 545 Xiatang Xilu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区下塘西路545号雕塑公园内
Tel: 020 3659 7623
E-mail: uniontutu@gmail.com
Tekkwun Livehouse 踢馆
Like C:Union, Tekkwun also attracts top class acts from home and abroad. Since its opening in August 2009, Tekkwun has fast become one of the city’s most active venues in promoting Chinese non-mainstream music. Not tied to one particular genre, you can catch anything from hard core metal concerts to mellow Chinese folk-rock gigs. Many top international acts also swing through Tekkwun’s doors, hence cementing its reputation as one of Guangzhou’s top live music venues.
Add: 201 Huguoshan, Huanshi Zhonglu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州越秀区环市中路花果山201号
Tel: 020 8667 0302
Website: www.tekkwun.com
Iron Age Space 黑铁时代
Strategically located in Guangzhou’s University City, Iron Age Space is another strong contender in Guangzhou’s live music scene. It’s the only venue in Guangzhou University City that offers live music to its population of 180,000. Iron Age Space is bar, an art-space and a live music venue all in one. With a 35 square metre stage, it counts as one of the bigger venues.
Add: 2 F, Xinjue Club, East Gate square, Suishi Village, Guangzhou University City
地址：广州大学城穗石村东门广场T8栋新觉青年公馆二楼
Tel: 020 2868 3060
Hooley’s Irish Pub
An Irish pub, a restaurant and a live music venue – Hooley’s is the venue of choice for people wishing to enjoy an expertly pulled pint of Guinness, good food and live music. Though immensely popular with the expat crowd, Hooley’s is the least bohemian and cutting edge out of the lot. At the same time however, Hooley’s doesn’t claim to be the most avant-garde live music venue around, hence it’s less about serious music and more about having a good time. However, there are major exceptions to this rule and sometimes Hooley’s does reel in a big name or two, such as Canadian rocker Ron Hawkins for example. The majority of gigs however, consist of cover bands, while the mic is given over to the audiences in their open mic night every Wednesday.
Add: Ground Floor, Binghua Hotel, 2 Tianhe Beilu, Guangzhou
地址：广州天河北路2号冰花酒店1楼
Tel: 020 3886 2675
Website: www.hooleys-pub.com
©
Guangzhou live music bars
C:Union Guangzhou 喜窝
Tucked away behind a thick line of trees at the back of Tianyi Plaza on Shuiyin Lu and only found by those who look hard enough, C:Union is a rare gem in Guangzhou’s live music scene. The venue itself is low-key and its popularity has primarily been achieved through word of mouth. Run by a musician from Yunnan province, C:union attracts costumers from all walks of life. Some of the biggest acts in the country play here as do many international acts passing through town. Besides being a magnet for the most talented musicians and bands far and wide, much of C:union’s appeal lies in it’s laid-back, easy-going atmosphere, largely created through its simple interior decor and “living room-like” vibes. There’s little room for pretentiousness as it’s clear that most loyal followers here come for the venue’s top class music performances and friendly atmosphere. Drinks are reasonably priced at around 30 RMB for cocktails and bottles of Erdinger and Beamish are available for 40 RMB. Besides the live acts, customers can also entertain themselves by playing foosball or darts. (Address and contact info here)
Tutu Union T凸空间
The newest edition to Guangzhou’s live music scene, Tutu Union is located within Sculpture Park amidst the park’s beautiful natural surroundings. Spread over two stories, the venue occupies a total space of 1600 square metres and boasts a top class sound system and live recording system. With its international standard equipment and generous space, Tutu plans on becoming the main professional exchange platform in south China for artists and musicians, whilst giving Guangzhou music fans the opportunity to enjoy a musical experience akin to large-scale concerts halls. Though only in business a few months, Tutu has already attracted international acts like Vialka and popular Chinese bands like Hanggai and IZ band. Expect to see many more top class acts and music events here in the coming months. Look out also for the rotating art exhibits hanging from the walls.
Add: Inside Sculpture Park, 545 Xiatang Xilu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区下塘西路545号雕塑公园内
Tel: 020 3659 7623
E-mail: uniontutu@gmail.com
Tekkwun Livehouse 踢馆
Like C:Union, Tekkwun also attracts top class acts from home and abroad. Since its opening in August 2009, Tekkwun has fast become one of the city’s most active venues in promoting Chinese non-mainstream music. Not tied to one particular genre, you can catch anything from hard core metal concerts to mellow Chinese folk-rock gigs. Many top international acts also swing through Tekkwun’s doors, hence cementing its reputation as one of Guangzhou’s top live music venues.
Add: 201 Huguoshan, Huanshi Zhonglu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州越秀区环市中路花果山201号
Tel: 020 8667 0302
Website: www.tekkwun.com
Iron Age Space 黑铁时代
Strategically located in Guangzhou’s University City, Iron Age Space is another strong contender in Guangzhou’s live music scene. It’s the only venue in Guangzhou University City that offers live music to its population of 180,000. Iron Age Space is bar, an art-space and a live music venue all in one. With a 35 square metre stage, it counts as one of the bigger venues.
Add: 2 F, Xinjue Club, East Gate square, Suishi Village, Guangzhou University City
地址：广州大学城穗石村东门广场T8栋新觉青年公馆二楼
Tel: 020 2868 3060
Hooley’s Irish Pub
An Irish pub, a restaurant and a live music venue – Hooley’s is the venue of choice for people wishing to enjoy an expertly pulled pint of Guinness, good food and live music. Though immensely popular with the expat crowd, Hooley’s is the least bohemian and cutting edge out of the lot. At the same time however, Hooley’s doesn’t claim to be the most avant-garde live music venue around, hence it’s less about serious music and more about having a good time. However, there are major exceptions to this rule and sometimes Hooley’s does reel in a big name or two, such as Canadian rocker Ron Hawkins for example. The majority of gigs however, consist of cover bands, while the mic is given over to the audiences in their open mic night every Wednesday.
Add: Ground Floor, Binghua Hotel, 2 Tianhe Beilu, Guangzhou
地址：广州天河北路2号冰花酒店1楼
Tel: 020 3886 2675
Website: www.hooleys-pub.com
©
Where to Find the Best Burgers in Guangzhou
Residing in China often leaves you with the greatest cravings for Western meals. Even in a city as large as Guangzhou, tracking down your favorites from home takes some time and learning about the city. If your craving is for hamburgers, the best places to go not surprisingly read like a who's-who of expat hangouts, and if you crave company and community along with your burger, that's not an especially bad thing.
Find the Best Burgers in Guangzhou
Finding a good burger, or any burger at all, at restaurants besides these gets much harder. There are certainly numerous Western-style cafes around Guangzhou and countless other cities. However, only a minority of these will grill up a burger, and some are of dubious quality. Here is a roundup of six of the biggest, best and surprisingly creative burgers in Guangzhou.
1) Gail's
Gail's is one of the most popular Western restaurants in town, and hamburgers happen to be one of their most favored dishes, selling about one or two hundred every month. Gail's has been around since 2000, and has two locations now, both in downtown and in Panyu.
Varieties: Hamburger, Bacon Cheeseburger, Chicken Burger, Mushroom Blue Cheese Chicken Burger, Works Burger (with fried egg), Specially Burger (with hot chilis and sour cream)
Weight: About 200 g.
Buns: Homemade buns, toasted
Beef: Imported
Toppings: Anything you want
Sauces: Ketchup, mustard
Prices: 45-60 RMB
Add: 1/F Stars Building, 172 Huasui Lu, Zhujiang New Town, Guangzhou
地址：广州市珠江新城华穗路172号,星辰大厦首层02铺
Tel: 020 8350 1667, 3759 4226
Website: www.gailsplace2000.com
Directions: Take metro Line 3 to Zhujiang New Town and use Exit A2 or B1. Walk down Hua Cheng Avenue and turn left at the second crossing at Hua Sui Road. The restaurant is on your left at the end of the block.
2) Hooley's Irish Pub
Hooley's opened in 2007 and is run by some of the same folks that run Strange Brew listed below. They feature live music, open mic nights and sports, usually soccer and rugby. Hooley's serves classic hamburgers with fresh ingredients.
Varieties: Standard hamburger with a choice of cheese and bacon
Weight: 170 + g.
Buns: Homemade buns
Beef: Hooley's grind their own beef from North China. It comes from a company with Western management and a reputation for quality. In order to keep the taste and texture at its best, the beef has never been frozen.
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, onion, caramelized onion and more
Sauces: Ketchup, mustard
Prices: 65 RMB
Add: 2 Tianhe Bei Lu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
地址：广州天河北路2号冰花酒店1楼
Tel: 020 3886 2675
Website: www.hooleys-pub.com
Directions: Take metro Line 3 to Linhexi. Walk to Tian He Bei Lu, turn right and walk to the end of the block. It's at the bottom of the Bing Hua Hotel.
3) Strange Brew
Strange brew is another well-known eatery and haunt for Westerners. They recently closed down their old location and expect to open at a new location near Zhujiang New Town in May or June 2010.
Varieties: They have ten varieties of burger and a build-your-own ethic. Creations include the standard burger and cheeseburger, as well as such innovative belly-fillers as mango-chutney, barbecue-onion and wasabi-cream. The latter is their number-one seller.
Weight: Under 170 g. (they prefer the slightly smaller size, as the largest paddies can tend towards mushiness)
Buns: Freshly-made toasted ciabatta buns
Beef: Australian
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, onion and anything else they have which you like
Sauces: Ketchup, mustard and mushroom-cheese along with a wide variety of hamburger sauces used on the specialty burgers
Prices: 40-65 RMB
Add: New location will be in Zhujiang New Town
Tel: 134 5022 7140
Directions: Will be close to Zhujiang New Town metro stop on Line 3
4) Cascade Cafe
Cascade Cafe gets plenty of Western customers as its located right in the landmark Garden Hotel. They serve many Western and Chinese favorites, including several standard burgers.
Varieties: Hamburger with a choice of cheese, bacon and fried egg
Weight: 180-200 g.
Buns: toasted hamburger buns
Beef: Local
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, cucumber
Sauces: Ketchup and mustard
Prices: 78 RMB, including a side of fried potatoes
Add: 1 F Garden Hotel, 368 Huan Shi Dong Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区环市东路花园酒店1楼
Tel: 020 8333 8989 (This is Garden Hotel's number. They can connect you to Cascade Cafe.
Directions: Take Metro to Taojin on Line 5 and use Exit A. Walk to Garden Hotel. (It's right by the metro)
5) Paddy Field 田野酒吧
Paddy Field is practically an institution in Guangzhou, a lively Irish bar right in downtown with live music and plenty of sports, standing out for its penchant for rugby. They cook up several kinds of burgers, but will basically let you build your own.
Varieties: Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Chicken Burger, Veggie Burger (with a curry potato paddie and veggies)
Weight: Around 200 g.
Buns: Homemade toasted hamburger buns
Beef: Australian
Toppings: Just about anything you want – pineapple, bacon, mushroom....
Sauces: All homemade sauces. They'll give you anything they've got in the house.
Prices: 50-70 RMB
Add: 1/F Central Plaza, 38 Huale Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区华乐路34号广怡大厦首层1A
Tel: 020 8360 1379
Website: www.thepaddyfield.com
Directions: Take metro to Taojin on Line 5 and use Exit A. Walk to the back of Garden Hotel, which is right by the metro stop.
6) Lucy's
Lucy's is beautifully situated on Shamian Island close to the Pearl River, and it's hard to turn down their outdoor eating section amidst the Banyan trees. Lucy's cuisine is extensively varied, and includes several simple burgers.
Varieties: Hamburger, Cheeseburger
Weight: 180 g.
Buns: Toasted hamburger buns
Beef: Local
Toppings: Tomato, cucumber, onion
Sauces: Ketchup and mustard
Prices: 28-32 RMB
Add: 3 Shamian Da Jie, Shamian Island (next to White Swan Hotel ), Guangzhou
地址：广州市沙面岛沙面大街3号
Tel: 020 8121 5106
Directions: Take metro Line 1 to Huangsha and use Exit D. Cross over walking bridge, continue straight on and turn left after Victory Hotel. You will come to Shamian Park and Lucy's is within the park.
©
Find the Best Burgers in Guangzhou
Finding a good burger, or any burger at all, at restaurants besides these gets much harder. There are certainly numerous Western-style cafes around Guangzhou and countless other cities. However, only a minority of these will grill up a burger, and some are of dubious quality. Here is a roundup of six of the biggest, best and surprisingly creative burgers in Guangzhou.
1) Gail's
Gail's is one of the most popular Western restaurants in town, and hamburgers happen to be one of their most favored dishes, selling about one or two hundred every month. Gail's has been around since 2000, and has two locations now, both in downtown and in Panyu.
Varieties: Hamburger, Bacon Cheeseburger, Chicken Burger, Mushroom Blue Cheese Chicken Burger, Works Burger (with fried egg), Specially Burger (with hot chilis and sour cream)
Weight: About 200 g.
Buns: Homemade buns, toasted
Beef: Imported
Toppings: Anything you want
Sauces: Ketchup, mustard
Prices: 45-60 RMB
Add: 1/F Stars Building, 172 Huasui Lu, Zhujiang New Town, Guangzhou
地址：广州市珠江新城华穗路172号,星辰大厦首层02铺
Tel: 020 8350 1667, 3759 4226
Website: www.gailsplace2000.com
Directions: Take metro Line 3 to Zhujiang New Town and use Exit A2 or B1. Walk down Hua Cheng Avenue and turn left at the second crossing at Hua Sui Road. The restaurant is on your left at the end of the block.
2) Hooley's Irish Pub
Hooley's opened in 2007 and is run by some of the same folks that run Strange Brew listed below. They feature live music, open mic nights and sports, usually soccer and rugby. Hooley's serves classic hamburgers with fresh ingredients.
Varieties: Standard hamburger with a choice of cheese and bacon
Weight: 170 + g.
Buns: Homemade buns
Beef: Hooley's grind their own beef from North China. It comes from a company with Western management and a reputation for quality. In order to keep the taste and texture at its best, the beef has never been frozen.
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, onion, caramelized onion and more
Sauces: Ketchup, mustard
Prices: 65 RMB
Add: 2 Tianhe Bei Lu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
地址：广州天河北路2号冰花酒店1楼
Tel: 020 3886 2675
Website: www.hooleys-pub.com
Directions: Take metro Line 3 to Linhexi. Walk to Tian He Bei Lu, turn right and walk to the end of the block. It's at the bottom of the Bing Hua Hotel.
3) Strange Brew
Strange brew is another well-known eatery and haunt for Westerners. They recently closed down their old location and expect to open at a new location near Zhujiang New Town in May or June 2010.
Varieties: They have ten varieties of burger and a build-your-own ethic. Creations include the standard burger and cheeseburger, as well as such innovative belly-fillers as mango-chutney, barbecue-onion and wasabi-cream. The latter is their number-one seller.
Weight: Under 170 g. (they prefer the slightly smaller size, as the largest paddies can tend towards mushiness)
Buns: Freshly-made toasted ciabatta buns
Beef: Australian
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, onion and anything else they have which you like
Sauces: Ketchup, mustard and mushroom-cheese along with a wide variety of hamburger sauces used on the specialty burgers
Prices: 40-65 RMB
Add: New location will be in Zhujiang New Town
Tel: 134 5022 7140
Directions: Will be close to Zhujiang New Town metro stop on Line 3
4) Cascade Cafe
Cascade Cafe gets plenty of Western customers as its located right in the landmark Garden Hotel. They serve many Western and Chinese favorites, including several standard burgers.
Varieties: Hamburger with a choice of cheese, bacon and fried egg
Weight: 180-200 g.
Buns: toasted hamburger buns
Beef: Local
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, cucumber
Sauces: Ketchup and mustard
Prices: 78 RMB, including a side of fried potatoes
Add: 1 F Garden Hotel, 368 Huan Shi Dong Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区环市东路花园酒店1楼
Tel: 020 8333 8989 (This is Garden Hotel's number. They can connect you to Cascade Cafe.
Directions: Take Metro to Taojin on Line 5 and use Exit A. Walk to Garden Hotel. (It's right by the metro)
5) Paddy Field 田野酒吧
Paddy Field is practically an institution in Guangzhou, a lively Irish bar right in downtown with live music and plenty of sports, standing out for its penchant for rugby. They cook up several kinds of burgers, but will basically let you build your own.
Varieties: Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Chicken Burger, Veggie Burger (with a curry potato paddie and veggies)
Weight: Around 200 g.
Buns: Homemade toasted hamburger buns
Beef: Australian
Toppings: Just about anything you want – pineapple, bacon, mushroom....
Sauces: All homemade sauces. They'll give you anything they've got in the house.
Prices: 50-70 RMB
Add: 1/F Central Plaza, 38 Huale Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区华乐路34号广怡大厦首层1A
Tel: 020 8360 1379
Website: www.thepaddyfield.com
Directions: Take metro to Taojin on Line 5 and use Exit A. Walk to the back of Garden Hotel, which is right by the metro stop.
6) Lucy's
Lucy's is beautifully situated on Shamian Island close to the Pearl River, and it's hard to turn down their outdoor eating section amidst the Banyan trees. Lucy's cuisine is extensively varied, and includes several simple burgers.
Varieties: Hamburger, Cheeseburger
Weight: 180 g.
Buns: Toasted hamburger buns
Beef: Local
Toppings: Tomato, cucumber, onion
Sauces: Ketchup and mustard
Prices: 28-32 RMB
Add: 3 Shamian Da Jie, Shamian Island (next to White Swan Hotel ), Guangzhou
地址：广州市沙面岛沙面大街3号
Tel: 020 8121 5106
Directions: Take metro Line 1 to Huangsha and use Exit D. Cross over walking bridge, continue straight on and turn left after Victory Hotel. You will come to Shamian Park and Lucy's is within the park.
©
October 22, 2011
China minibus carrying 66 school children stopped by police
A vehicle designed to carry only a handful of passengers has been caught transporting eight times its legal capacity.
Police in China's Hebei Province were shocked to find dozens of school children packed into a bus that was only licenced to carry eight people.
The bus had been modified to pack in as many children as possible, with four benches replacing the seats.
The children and their teachers were forced to abandon their journey as 12 police vans were dispatched to take the pupils home safely.
©
Police in China's Hebei Province were shocked to find dozens of school children packed into a bus that was only licenced to carry eight people.
The bus had been modified to pack in as many children as possible, with four benches replacing the seats.
The children and their teachers were forced to abandon their journey as 12 police vans were dispatched to take the pupils home safely.
©
Chinese toddler run over twice after being left on street
A Chinese toddler was run over twice and ignored by nearly 20 passers-by in Guangdong Province in a case that has caused outrage around the world.
By Peter Foster, Beijing
8:27AM BST 17 Oct 2011
It is a story that has deeply unsettled millions in China, posing troubling questions about whether three decades of headlong economic development has left nothing but a moral vacuum in its wake.
It begins last Thursday when a two-year-old girl totters into a narrow lane in a wholesale market in the thriving industrial city of Foshan in Guangdong Province and is hit by a small, white van. The driver pauses, and then pulls away, crushing the child for a second time under his rear wheels.
It is not the accident itself, but what happens next — or rather doesn’t happen – that has left millions of ordinary Chinese wondering where their country is heading.
One by one, no fewer than 18 passers-by are seen on closed circuit television ignoring the girl as she lies, clearly visible in the road, haemorrhaging into the gutter. Not a single one of them stops to help.
The first is a young man in a white T-shirt and trainers. He walks on past the prone form of girl who is by now bleeding profusely, without a second glance.
Next comes a cyclist who wobbles slightly to avoid the dying child and then pedals on, turning his head back momentarily, as if to check he really did see a child dying in the street.
As the pool of blood spreads, a third pedestrian comes by, clearly sees the bleeding girl, but steps out into the small lane to give her a wide berth.
All three could have moved the girl, later named by her parents as 2-year-old Yueyue, but none did, allowing another, larger vehicle following down the lane a few minutes later to run her over for a second time.
The pictures of the incident which happened last Thursday afternoon then show a succession of other cyclists and rickshaw drivers weaving round the girl, including a woman walking with a child who on seeing Yueyue visibly quickens her step, dragging her charge after her.
It is only the nineteenth passer-by, a 58-year-old street cleaner called Chen Xianmei, who drops her bag of rubbish and rushes to the bleeding child, attempting to scoop up her up, but finding her floppy and lifeless.
Mrs Chen, who is only 4ft 7in tall, then calls for the girl’s mother who comes rushing into view, taking up her child in her arms, who is now in intensive care in the military hospital in the city of Guangzhou.
Yueyue remains in a critical condition, a nurse told The Daily Telegraph by phone. Earlier doctors said she had suffered major head injuries and was breathing only with the assistance of a ventilator. The story of Yueyue was the leading item across China’s online news portals as the copies of the CCTV highly distressing footage attracted more than a million viewings in a number of hours.
Many viewers reacted with dismay, citing the incident as further evidence that China had become a “world without morals”.
“Everyone is praising the rubbish-collecting granny for helping, but isn’t it normal to help someone who is wounded or dying?”, asked Johnny Yao on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, “This just shows how abnormal is the moral situation in this society! The sad Chinese, poor China are we even rescuable?”
Others blamed China’s compensation culture for the apparent show of callousness, recalling a famous 2006 judgment when a Good Samaritan who helped a woman get to hospital was wrongly ordered to pay her compensation.
“They didn’t ignore the girl, they just didn’t dare help her,” said one comment among many that said that Chinese law had helped create a fear of intervening.
However many others said there could be no excuse, and that the scenes in the video should “shake the soul of every conscientious person” in China.
“Even if the passers-by couldn’t rescue her, they could dial 120 and 110 [China’s emergency numbers] and help to stop vehicles, then the little Yueyue wouldn’t have been run over by the second car,” said another comment posted by 'Dull Baby’.
“What’s up with people these days? They make so many excuses to turn a blind eye. The society is so indifferent, so heartless.” Yueyue’s father, a man surnamed Wang who was shown weeping with his wife on television news bulletins, said he didn’t want to enter the moral debate, only pray for his child’s survival.
“Yueyue is so lovely, often amuses us. Sometime if I quarrelled with her mother and if her mother cried, she would tell us not to cry, she always tried to amuse us. I don’t have any thoughts now, I just hope my child will wake up and call me Dad again.”
©
By Peter Foster, Beijing
8:27AM BST 17 Oct 2011
It is a story that has deeply unsettled millions in China, posing troubling questions about whether three decades of headlong economic development has left nothing but a moral vacuum in its wake.
It begins last Thursday when a two-year-old girl totters into a narrow lane in a wholesale market in the thriving industrial city of Foshan in Guangdong Province and is hit by a small, white van. The driver pauses, and then pulls away, crushing the child for a second time under his rear wheels.
It is not the accident itself, but what happens next — or rather doesn’t happen – that has left millions of ordinary Chinese wondering where their country is heading.
One by one, no fewer than 18 passers-by are seen on closed circuit television ignoring the girl as she lies, clearly visible in the road, haemorrhaging into the gutter. Not a single one of them stops to help.
The first is a young man in a white T-shirt and trainers. He walks on past the prone form of girl who is by now bleeding profusely, without a second glance.
Next comes a cyclist who wobbles slightly to avoid the dying child and then pedals on, turning his head back momentarily, as if to check he really did see a child dying in the street.
As the pool of blood spreads, a third pedestrian comes by, clearly sees the bleeding girl, but steps out into the small lane to give her a wide berth.
All three could have moved the girl, later named by her parents as 2-year-old Yueyue, but none did, allowing another, larger vehicle following down the lane a few minutes later to run her over for a second time.
The pictures of the incident which happened last Thursday afternoon then show a succession of other cyclists and rickshaw drivers weaving round the girl, including a woman walking with a child who on seeing Yueyue visibly quickens her step, dragging her charge after her.
It is only the nineteenth passer-by, a 58-year-old street cleaner called Chen Xianmei, who drops her bag of rubbish and rushes to the bleeding child, attempting to scoop up her up, but finding her floppy and lifeless.
Mrs Chen, who is only 4ft 7in tall, then calls for the girl’s mother who comes rushing into view, taking up her child in her arms, who is now in intensive care in the military hospital in the city of Guangzhou.
Yueyue remains in a critical condition, a nurse told The Daily Telegraph by phone. Earlier doctors said she had suffered major head injuries and was breathing only with the assistance of a ventilator. The story of Yueyue was the leading item across China’s online news portals as the copies of the CCTV highly distressing footage attracted more than a million viewings in a number of hours.
Many viewers reacted with dismay, citing the incident as further evidence that China had become a “world without morals”.
“Everyone is praising the rubbish-collecting granny for helping, but isn’t it normal to help someone who is wounded or dying?”, asked Johnny Yao on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, “This just shows how abnormal is the moral situation in this society! The sad Chinese, poor China are we even rescuable?”
Others blamed China’s compensation culture for the apparent show of callousness, recalling a famous 2006 judgment when a Good Samaritan who helped a woman get to hospital was wrongly ordered to pay her compensation.
“They didn’t ignore the girl, they just didn’t dare help her,” said one comment among many that said that Chinese law had helped create a fear of intervening.
However many others said there could be no excuse, and that the scenes in the video should “shake the soul of every conscientious person” in China.
“Even if the passers-by couldn’t rescue her, they could dial 120 and 110 [China’s emergency numbers] and help to stop vehicles, then the little Yueyue wouldn’t have been run over by the second car,” said another comment posted by 'Dull Baby’.
“What’s up with people these days? They make so many excuses to turn a blind eye. The society is so indifferent, so heartless.” Yueyue’s father, a man surnamed Wang who was shown weeping with his wife on television news bulletins, said he didn’t want to enter the moral debate, only pray for his child’s survival.
“Yueyue is so lovely, often amuses us. Sometime if I quarrelled with her mother and if her mother cried, she would tell us not to cry, she always tried to amuse us. I don’t have any thoughts now, I just hope my child will wake up and call me Dad again.”
©
October 15, 2011
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October 14, 2011
Crime and Punishment: How To Stay Safe in Guangzhou
Despite a downturn in crime over the past few years, thefts, purse-snatchings, muggings, and burglaries are still all-too-common in Guangzhou. Reported crime rates have fallen from a peak of 140,000-a-year in 2000, as city officials and the police force put into effect an array of new measures, such as banning motorbikes, increasing the number of police at the train stations, and organizing neighborhood undercover units. Yet despite these and other crime-stopping efforts, offenses in Guangzhou, a city of 8 to 10 million, still topped 50,000-a-year in 2008.
How To Stay Safe in Guangzhou
Naturally, some criminals and gangs have simply moved or changed targets. For example, some of the crimes that used to occur on major central streets have now started to occur on the smaller ones. Motorcycle gangs may have been struck a serious blow, but burglaries are up. So residents of Guangzhou still ought to seriously consider safety in terms of where they go and when.
So which areas are worst affected, and what can you do to stay out of danger?
Train and bus stations: Police are aiming to increase their presence at Guangzhou's major terminals from about one-in-a-thousand (circa 2005) to about one-in-three-hundred, but the sheer number of people at the big stations make them impossible to police perfectly. Like any other crowded area, pay close attention to your bags and be aware of what people close to you are doing. Never go with random people claiming to be cabbies. And apply caution even at smaller terminals.
Buses and trains: These are prime places to have your pocket picked or your bag rifled through. If you have a knapsack style bag, don't wear it on your back or you're asking to get robbed. If you wear it slung on your side, make sure the zippers are facing forward where you can see them. Bags made of softer materials can easily be slashed with a razor.
The crowd that forms on entering a bus makes it a particularly vulnerable time, since everyone is close together and facing forward. This is a time when many thieves strike. You are likely thinking more about entering the bus, or getting out your card, than paying attention to your pockets. And the thief can make an easy getaway.
Outdoor barbecues: Though banned in the city center, outdoor barbecues can be loud and boisterous by nine in the evening, and turn violent by eleven. Most of the people are not hardened criminals, but bored teenagers drinking and looking for trouble. Previously, I lived across the street from such a barbecue venue in the Huadu district, and heard screaming nearly every night. Once there was what appeared to be a full-on gang fight.
The average passer-by is typically not attacked, but the kind of crowd that hangs out here late at night sometimes tries to provoke people. Most of the time, you can stay safe just by ignoring them. If you are eating at one of these barbecues, you can be sure that once the bottles start to fly against the wall, it’s time to leave.
Apartments: There is a reason why nearly all apartments have a guarded gatehouse and many have bars on the window. Burglary is prevalent, and electronic security systems are still not that common. If you ask around and find out your neighborhood has problems with break-ins, then it is worth investing in bars and a deadbolt if you don't already have them. Living on the top floor is not necessarily a way to avoid this, as thieves can, and do, go to the roof and then enter through a window.
Hotels: Even four-star hotels have their problems with robbery, despite the guards, cameras and security systems. Some of these are actually inside jobs, which could leave you waking up in the morning missing your valuables, despite being certain you'd locked the door. Leaving valuables in the hotel lock box can help with this, although lock boxes get struck by insiders as well.
One tip, if the doorlock involves entering a code, is to wipe it down after you use it, or quickly push all of the keys. This way someone coming along later can't tell which buttons you pushed to enter the room. If you don't mind a more primitive approach, simply leaving heavy bags against the inside of the door will force anyone entering to make at least a little noise.
Shopping Areas: Any crowded shopping area puts the pedestrian at risk, especially if their attention is on the shops. They also attract scam artists who sell absolute junk. Beijing Road for example, though hardly a rough neighborhood, has plenty of these types who attempt to sell you things that they store in their jackets. Cellphones are particularly common. Do not do business with such “salespeople” unless you like losing your money.
It’s nevertheless worth noting that most thieves in China are non-violent. In fact, some are more afraid of you than you are of them. Nevertheless, Guangzhou has known its share of violent crime, including beatings that leave their victims in the hospital. While some analysts have predicted a Guangdong crime wave due to the current recession and an estimated 20 million lost jobs, so far Guangzhou has seen little or nothing of it, with the majority of crimes continuing to decrease. However, it still pays to treat living in this city with caution.
Here are the results of a 2007 report showing the most crime-stricken streets and townships in Guangzhou. The districts most popular with tourists and expats are listed first:
Fengyang street, Haizhu district; Tianhenan street, Tianhe district; Tangxia street, Tianhe district; Shimu street, Panyu district; Shiqiao street, Panyu district; Shiweitang street, Liwan district; Qiaozhong street, Liwan district; Kuangquan street, Yuexiu district; Dengfeng street, Yuexiu district; Tangjing street, Baiyun district; Jingxi street, Baiyun district; Shijing street, Baiyun district; Shiling street, Huadu district; Xinhua street, Huadu district; Jiangpu street, Conghua district; Nansha street, Nansha district; Jiulong town, Luogang district; Nangang street, Huangpu district; Shitan town, Zengcheng district; Xintang town, Zengcheng district
©
How To Stay Safe in Guangzhou
Naturally, some criminals and gangs have simply moved or changed targets. For example, some of the crimes that used to occur on major central streets have now started to occur on the smaller ones. Motorcycle gangs may have been struck a serious blow, but burglaries are up. So residents of Guangzhou still ought to seriously consider safety in terms of where they go and when.
So which areas are worst affected, and what can you do to stay out of danger?
Train and bus stations: Police are aiming to increase their presence at Guangzhou's major terminals from about one-in-a-thousand (circa 2005) to about one-in-three-hundred, but the sheer number of people at the big stations make them impossible to police perfectly. Like any other crowded area, pay close attention to your bags and be aware of what people close to you are doing. Never go with random people claiming to be cabbies. And apply caution even at smaller terminals.
Buses and trains: These are prime places to have your pocket picked or your bag rifled through. If you have a knapsack style bag, don't wear it on your back or you're asking to get robbed. If you wear it slung on your side, make sure the zippers are facing forward where you can see them. Bags made of softer materials can easily be slashed with a razor.
The crowd that forms on entering a bus makes it a particularly vulnerable time, since everyone is close together and facing forward. This is a time when many thieves strike. You are likely thinking more about entering the bus, or getting out your card, than paying attention to your pockets. And the thief can make an easy getaway.
Outdoor barbecues: Though banned in the city center, outdoor barbecues can be loud and boisterous by nine in the evening, and turn violent by eleven. Most of the people are not hardened criminals, but bored teenagers drinking and looking for trouble. Previously, I lived across the street from such a barbecue venue in the Huadu district, and heard screaming nearly every night. Once there was what appeared to be a full-on gang fight.
The average passer-by is typically not attacked, but the kind of crowd that hangs out here late at night sometimes tries to provoke people. Most of the time, you can stay safe just by ignoring them. If you are eating at one of these barbecues, you can be sure that once the bottles start to fly against the wall, it’s time to leave.
Apartments: There is a reason why nearly all apartments have a guarded gatehouse and many have bars on the window. Burglary is prevalent, and electronic security systems are still not that common. If you ask around and find out your neighborhood has problems with break-ins, then it is worth investing in bars and a deadbolt if you don't already have them. Living on the top floor is not necessarily a way to avoid this, as thieves can, and do, go to the roof and then enter through a window.
Hotels: Even four-star hotels have their problems with robbery, despite the guards, cameras and security systems. Some of these are actually inside jobs, which could leave you waking up in the morning missing your valuables, despite being certain you'd locked the door. Leaving valuables in the hotel lock box can help with this, although lock boxes get struck by insiders as well.
One tip, if the doorlock involves entering a code, is to wipe it down after you use it, or quickly push all of the keys. This way someone coming along later can't tell which buttons you pushed to enter the room. If you don't mind a more primitive approach, simply leaving heavy bags against the inside of the door will force anyone entering to make at least a little noise.
Shopping Areas: Any crowded shopping area puts the pedestrian at risk, especially if their attention is on the shops. They also attract scam artists who sell absolute junk. Beijing Road for example, though hardly a rough neighborhood, has plenty of these types who attempt to sell you things that they store in their jackets. Cellphones are particularly common. Do not do business with such “salespeople” unless you like losing your money.
It’s nevertheless worth noting that most thieves in China are non-violent. In fact, some are more afraid of you than you are of them. Nevertheless, Guangzhou has known its share of violent crime, including beatings that leave their victims in the hospital. While some analysts have predicted a Guangdong crime wave due to the current recession and an estimated 20 million lost jobs, so far Guangzhou has seen little or nothing of it, with the majority of crimes continuing to decrease. However, it still pays to treat living in this city with caution.
Here are the results of a 2007 report showing the most crime-stricken streets and townships in Guangzhou. The districts most popular with tourists and expats are listed first:
Fengyang street, Haizhu district; Tianhenan street, Tianhe district; Tangxia street, Tianhe district; Shimu street, Panyu district; Shiqiao street, Panyu district; Shiweitang street, Liwan district; Qiaozhong street, Liwan district; Kuangquan street, Yuexiu district; Dengfeng street, Yuexiu district; Tangjing street, Baiyun district; Jingxi street, Baiyun district; Shijing street, Baiyun district; Shiling street, Huadu district; Xinhua street, Huadu district; Jiangpu street, Conghua district; Nansha street, Nansha district; Jiulong town, Luogang district; Nangang street, Huangpu district; Shitan town, Zengcheng district; Xintang town, Zengcheng district
©
A Foreigner’s Guide to the New (Mandatory) Social Insurance System
Oct 09, 2011
By Christopher Myer
In June of 2011, the draft of the "Provisional Measures for Foreigners Working in China regarding Participation in the Social Insurance Scheme" was publicly released, stating that starting from July 1st, foreigners would have to pay into the Chinese social security system, and consequently sparked worries about what that exactly meant and whether or not we could opt out of it. Just a few months later, on September 6th, 2011, despite our hopes that it would simply disappear, the China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security issued the "Final Provisional Measures" which will take effect starting on October 15th, 2011. While the "Final Provisional Measures" cleared up a few of the initial ambiguities about how exactly foreigners would pay into China’s social insurance system, many foreigners are still very sceptical about the actual benefits they can derive from contributing, and since this final draft still leaves many questions unanswered, it does little to quell anyone’s resentment. Given the complexity of the situation, and though it remains to be seen how this policy will take shape or form, it is important that foreigners working in China understand the "who, what, when, why etc." of what is about to happen.
A Foreigner’s Guide to the New (Mandatory) Social Insurance System
Photo: photophoto.cn, 3lian
What is it?
The "Provisional Measures for Foreigners Working in China regarding Participation in the Social Insurance Scheme", "Social Insurance Law", or simply "The Law" for short, mandates that all people employed in China have the same right to enjoy China’s social insurance system, which consists of five types of insurance:
1) Basic pension
2) Basic medical
3) Unemployment
4) Maternity
5) Work-related injury
Who does it affect?
Chances are, if you are reading this article and are not a full-time student (or working illegally), this policy will affect you. According to "The Law", all foreigners employed by either Chinese or overseas-funded businesses, foundations, organisations, social groups etc., who have worked in China for longer than six months must participate in the social insurance system, i.e., pretty much all foreigners working in China (in the current version of "The Law", it remains unclear whether or not this includes Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan residents who work in mainland China). Those hoping for some sort of "opt-out" option are also out of luck, as is stated numerous times through the various legislation and press releases… this is mandatory. Having an international insurance will not get you a ticket to bypass "The Law". The only chance you have at opting-out is if you are a foreign employee from one of the nations which has entered into a social insurance treaty with China, which is currently a very short list: Germany and South Korea. Even then, only under certain circumstances will you be given permission to opt-out.
When does it start?
When the first draft of "The Law" was released in June, it stated that starting July 1st, foreigners would begin paying into the social insurance system. After a few months of official silence on the matter, it was announced on September 6th that the "The Law would be taking effect starting October 15th." Also currently unclear is whether or not foreigners will owe back-pay for July, August and September.
How much is this going to cost?
Monthly social insurance fees will be paid by both the foreign employee and by the employer in accordance with the regulations set by "The Law". The fee will vary depending on the average salary in the city where you work. As such, expect to pay more if you live in one of the Tier 1 cities. For example, foreigners living in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou must all pay about 11 percent of the first 12,000 RMB of their monthly salaries. Oddly, earnings above that amount are not taxed, which means that any foreigner living in Beijing, regardless of whether they pull in 10,000 RMB per month or 100,000 RMB per month, are all going to pay about 200 USD for social insurance (low-level teachers are no doubt pretty annoyed with this). In addition to this, employers are required to contribute even more to the social insurance system – double or triple the amount (up to three times the average salary in the city):
Beijing = about 32 percent of the foreigner’s monthly salary
Shanghai = 37 percent of the foreigner’s monthly salary
Guangzhou = about 24 percent of the foreigner’s monthly salary
Why?
And now for the big question that is on every foreigner’s mind: Why? The official line is that this policy will help foreign workers enjoy the same social security benefits in China as Chinese nationals do! While for many foreigners who already had insurance, this seems unnecessary, but this is exciting news for foreigners employed in China who currently have no insurance policy. But what about the rest of us? Expat criticisms to this plan have ranged from rationally upset: this plan punishes teachers and other "low wage" foreign employees in China while turning a blind eye to the millionaire businessmen and consultants; to overtly derogatory: the government is tired of foreigners working in China stealing all of the good jobs and earning a king’s ransom.
Although it is unlikely to be reported as such by the Chinese media, many people believe that the underlying intention of the new policy is to use this influx of cash to alleviate some of the pressure on China’s social safety net that is likely to occur in the near future as more and more Chinese reach the age of retirement. The numbers behind "The Law" seem to support this notion: according to one estimate, the new regulations mandating foreigners contribute to the social insurance system are expected to raise as much as 1.5 billion USD a year. As a foreigner working in China, I am obviously not thrilled about this idea…but I’ll be damned if that isn’t a brilliantly masterminded scheme!
Other Problems
So let's hypothetically say that the goal of this policy was not to use foreigners' money to pay for China’s soon-to-be massive wave of retirees… does the social insurance system actually benefit foreigners? Experts who have already studied "The Law" in depth seem pretty concerned about its ambiguities, vagueness and inability to provide details: the specifics of how to actually reclaim a pension after leaving the country, if it is 100 percent reclaimable, whether or not it is taxed and other questions remain unclear; how and where foreigners can use their medical insurance in China, i.e. in the international sections of Chinese hospitals or in international clinics, is also unknown; how foreigners can take advantage of the unemployment insurance, if as is often the case, visas do not allow them to live in China long-term without employment etc. The overarching concern however is what "The Law" will do to the job market prospects for foreigners in China. Besides the irritation that every foreigner employee in China just took a mandatory pay-cut of about 1,000 RMB per month, will employers still be willing to hire foreigners if they have to pay an additional social insurance contribution fee of 3,000-4,000 RMB a month? Time will tell.
©
By Christopher Myer
In June of 2011, the draft of the "Provisional Measures for Foreigners Working in China regarding Participation in the Social Insurance Scheme" was publicly released, stating that starting from July 1st, foreigners would have to pay into the Chinese social security system, and consequently sparked worries about what that exactly meant and whether or not we could opt out of it. Just a few months later, on September 6th, 2011, despite our hopes that it would simply disappear, the China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security issued the "Final Provisional Measures" which will take effect starting on October 15th, 2011. While the "Final Provisional Measures" cleared up a few of the initial ambiguities about how exactly foreigners would pay into China’s social insurance system, many foreigners are still very sceptical about the actual benefits they can derive from contributing, and since this final draft still leaves many questions unanswered, it does little to quell anyone’s resentment. Given the complexity of the situation, and though it remains to be seen how this policy will take shape or form, it is important that foreigners working in China understand the "who, what, when, why etc." of what is about to happen.
A Foreigner’s Guide to the New (Mandatory) Social Insurance System
Photo: photophoto.cn, 3lian
What is it?
The "Provisional Measures for Foreigners Working in China regarding Participation in the Social Insurance Scheme", "Social Insurance Law", or simply "The Law" for short, mandates that all people employed in China have the same right to enjoy China’s social insurance system, which consists of five types of insurance:
1) Basic pension
2) Basic medical
3) Unemployment
4) Maternity
5) Work-related injury
Who does it affect?
Chances are, if you are reading this article and are not a full-time student (or working illegally), this policy will affect you. According to "The Law", all foreigners employed by either Chinese or overseas-funded businesses, foundations, organisations, social groups etc., who have worked in China for longer than six months must participate in the social insurance system, i.e., pretty much all foreigners working in China (in the current version of "The Law", it remains unclear whether or not this includes Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan residents who work in mainland China). Those hoping for some sort of "opt-out" option are also out of luck, as is stated numerous times through the various legislation and press releases… this is mandatory. Having an international insurance will not get you a ticket to bypass "The Law". The only chance you have at opting-out is if you are a foreign employee from one of the nations which has entered into a social insurance treaty with China, which is currently a very short list: Germany and South Korea. Even then, only under certain circumstances will you be given permission to opt-out.
When does it start?
When the first draft of "The Law" was released in June, it stated that starting July 1st, foreigners would begin paying into the social insurance system. After a few months of official silence on the matter, it was announced on September 6th that the "The Law would be taking effect starting October 15th." Also currently unclear is whether or not foreigners will owe back-pay for July, August and September.
How much is this going to cost?
Monthly social insurance fees will be paid by both the foreign employee and by the employer in accordance with the regulations set by "The Law". The fee will vary depending on the average salary in the city where you work. As such, expect to pay more if you live in one of the Tier 1 cities. For example, foreigners living in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou must all pay about 11 percent of the first 12,000 RMB of their monthly salaries. Oddly, earnings above that amount are not taxed, which means that any foreigner living in Beijing, regardless of whether they pull in 10,000 RMB per month or 100,000 RMB per month, are all going to pay about 200 USD for social insurance (low-level teachers are no doubt pretty annoyed with this). In addition to this, employers are required to contribute even more to the social insurance system – double or triple the amount (up to three times the average salary in the city):
Beijing = about 32 percent of the foreigner’s monthly salary
Shanghai = 37 percent of the foreigner’s monthly salary
Guangzhou = about 24 percent of the foreigner’s monthly salary
Why?
And now for the big question that is on every foreigner’s mind: Why? The official line is that this policy will help foreign workers enjoy the same social security benefits in China as Chinese nationals do! While for many foreigners who already had insurance, this seems unnecessary, but this is exciting news for foreigners employed in China who currently have no insurance policy. But what about the rest of us? Expat criticisms to this plan have ranged from rationally upset: this plan punishes teachers and other "low wage" foreign employees in China while turning a blind eye to the millionaire businessmen and consultants; to overtly derogatory: the government is tired of foreigners working in China stealing all of the good jobs and earning a king’s ransom.
Although it is unlikely to be reported as such by the Chinese media, many people believe that the underlying intention of the new policy is to use this influx of cash to alleviate some of the pressure on China’s social safety net that is likely to occur in the near future as more and more Chinese reach the age of retirement. The numbers behind "The Law" seem to support this notion: according to one estimate, the new regulations mandating foreigners contribute to the social insurance system are expected to raise as much as 1.5 billion USD a year. As a foreigner working in China, I am obviously not thrilled about this idea…but I’ll be damned if that isn’t a brilliantly masterminded scheme!
Other Problems
So let's hypothetically say that the goal of this policy was not to use foreigners' money to pay for China’s soon-to-be massive wave of retirees… does the social insurance system actually benefit foreigners? Experts who have already studied "The Law" in depth seem pretty concerned about its ambiguities, vagueness and inability to provide details: the specifics of how to actually reclaim a pension after leaving the country, if it is 100 percent reclaimable, whether or not it is taxed and other questions remain unclear; how and where foreigners can use their medical insurance in China, i.e. in the international sections of Chinese hospitals or in international clinics, is also unknown; how foreigners can take advantage of the unemployment insurance, if as is often the case, visas do not allow them to live in China long-term without employment etc. The overarching concern however is what "The Law" will do to the job market prospects for foreigners in China. Besides the irritation that every foreigner employee in China just took a mandatory pay-cut of about 1,000 RMB per month, will employers still be willing to hire foreigners if they have to pay an additional social insurance contribution fee of 3,000-4,000 RMB a month? Time will tell.
©
Retail Heaven: A Guide to Guangzhou’s Bargain Markets
With markets that date back a few decades, the city that sells everything is certainly no stranger to clothing. If you’re looking for clothes in Guangzhou, you’ll find plenty in lovely boutiques at Tee Mall, but the price tags might spark some laughter as the mark-up is usually unbelievable. So where can you find clothes that will fit into an average budget and are of decent quality that will last? Finding cheap clothing in Guangzhou is actually not a difficult challenge. There are several large, famous markets, as well as small shops and even temporary outdoor markets in every neighborhood in and around the Guangzhou metropolis.
The challenge, which seems to be less of an issue in recent times, is avoid the absolute junk during your diligent search. Be aware that much of what you will find is imitation, even in name brand, outlet stores. Some people purposely seek out artificial goods while others try to avoid them like the plague. The good news is that many imitations, as well as many average-price Chinese brands, are much better in quality than they used to be, thus they will generally last longer than in the past. It isn’t uncommon to find shoes or clothing and after a couple of uses, they tear up or you realise the quality is poor. In some instances, the shopkeepers will be fair enough to give your money back or allow you to exchange for something different. Below are the ins and outs of five major clothing markets in Guangzhou. You can shop at any of these places on a budget and if you’re looking to spend a bit more money, you will also find many respected brands being sold. One thing you should remember: Changing rooms are rare.
Guangzhou Shisanhang Clothing Market Area十三行服装批发城
A visit to Shisanhang Market takes you down to the historical Xiguan District and not far from popular Shangxiajiu walking street. The roads that make up the Shisanhang clothing area have been lined with markets since the 17th century and used to be a central import and export center. Because this was a major trading and communications hub between East and West, the neighborhood, like much of old Xiguan, still contains some of the blended architecture that developed from the meeting of cultures.
The ancient market mainly lies along four streets: Shisanhang Lu, Guyi Lu, Doulanshang Lu and Hepingdong Lu, attracting plenty of international customers. On Shisanhang Lu, the two main buildings are the New China Building and the Hongpiantian Building. Both sell retail and wholesale clothes and sports apparel for men, women and children. Prices here range between 20-200 RMB. You can also find many small shops along Shisanhang Lu which on average will be less expensive. The wholesale stores will open quite early, often around 05:00 and will close in the late afternoon.
Guyi Lu is a narrow street between Hepingdong and Shisanhang. People have been doing business here for at least 300 years, selling everything from used clothes to fine silks. Modern retail and wholesale activity started in the 1980s. Prices on Guyi Lu are some of the most reasonable, with goods going for between 5-50 RMB. Doulanshang and Hepingdong roads comprise the rest of the clothing market. While prices are affordable here at 10-150 RMB, its reputation for quality is not so good.
Add: Shisanhang Lu, Liwan District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市荔湾区十三行路
Getting there: Bus 31, 38, 61, 102, 103, 106, 128, 134, 186, 202, 217, 239, 251, 288, 521, 541, 556 or 823 to Renmin Nanlu stop
New China Building (Xinzhongguo Dasha) 新中国大厦
The New China Building on Shisanhang Lu is so big that it gets its own section in the full ten stories. Remember when you come here, most of the wholesale markets open much earlier than the retail shops. The first three floors are for the young and/or trendy people. While it is mostly name brand replicas, the quality isn’t necessarily bad. You’ll spend 18-50 RMB per item and walk out looking fashionable and trendy. Winter time is near so if you are looking for woolen appareal or coats, floors 4-6 are the place to go. Styles here are ordinary and the quality average. Prices range between 30-80 RMB. Floors 7-10 are a Korean’s shopping mecca. Most of the stores are run by Koreans and they target women in their 20’s selling coats and women’s clothing. The prices here average at 100-200 RMB.
Add: 1 Shisanhang Lu, Liwan District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市荔湾区十三行路1号
Opening hours: Daily, 06:00-13:00 for markets; 09:30-1:00 for retail stores
Getting there: Bus 31, 38, 61, 102, 106, 103, 128, 134, 186, 202, 217, 239, 251, 288, 521, 541, 556 or 823 to Renminnan Road bus stop. Walk 50 meters to venue.
Guangzhou White Horse Clothing Market 广州白马服装批发市
White Horse is the grandest and one the most popular of all clothing markets in Guangzhou. Set alongside the Guangzhou Railway Station, it fills up six stories of a ten-story office building. White Horse Market may not be in the most pleasant of neighborhoods or in an easy walking area, but it makes up for it with volume and variety.
The basement floor is mainly women’s pants, shirts, skirts and accessories. Prices are some of the lowest, between 5-100 RMB. It’s wise to be cautious about quality here, and many of the products are imitations. Floors one, four and five also sell women’s clothing but they distinguish themselves by selling many Korean fashions. You can expect better quality here as well as more trendy items. The first floor is the cheapest among them, with the fourth and fifth floor ranging up to 500 RMB. Floors two and three carry women’s clothing and apparel, with a focus on adults and the elderly. Most brands you’ll find are respected local brands. The sixth floor is dedicated to men. You can find men’s clothing including an abundance of jeans in local and international brands. Expect to pay between 50-300 RMB.
Add: 16 Zhannan Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区站南路16号
Getting there: By subway; Line 2 to Guangzhou Railway Station, D4 exit 250 meters (820 feet) through tunnel to F exit.
Gaodijie Wholesale Market高第街批发市场
Just next to Beijing Lu, Gaodijie Market was one of the largest markets in Guangzhou only 20 or 30 years ago. Bringing in nearly 200,000 people every day, it is said to have helped to build Beijing Lu into the popular area that it is today. While Gaodijie is now in a bit of a slump, having been out-done by more modern markets, like White Horse, it still attracts crowds almost every day. The shopping road is over half a kilometer long and in good Chinese style, it is lined with over 300 shops. Most of the products they sell are cotton and the quality is usually fair. You’ll find socks for 2-10 RMB, underwear for 5-40 RMB, leisure clothes for 15-50 RMB and swimwear for 25-60 RMB. Some of its goods are only sold in bulk so be sure to ask.
Add: Gaodijie Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区高第街路
Opening hours: Daily, 10:00-12:00
Getting there: By bus; lines 1, 7, 14, 64, 125, 182, 191, 215, 219, 222, 263, 543 or 864 to Beijing Lu Kou bus stop. Walk 100 meters (328 feet) to venue on right.
First Tunnel Clothing Wholesale Center广州第一大道服装批发中心
First Tunnel Clothing Wholesale Center is one of Guangzhou’s largest underground markets. The shopping area is 2 full kilometers (1.24 miles) long with 24 entrances and exits and 18 elevators. There are two main floors and 1,200 shops in total. The second floor is mostly known for selling very cheap imitations of famous brands. This megalithic market is divided into seven sections: fashionable women’s wear, export leisure wear, men’s clothing, Korean styles, local leisure wear, children’s clothes and socks and underwear. There are also several restaurants and a bank in case hunger strikes while you’re shopping or wandering. The average prices are 25-100 RMB, though newer items range up to 250 RMB. Obviously the higher-priced items are generally better quality, but the lower-priced ones are not necessarily bad.
Add: Liuhua Jie, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区流花街
Getting there: By subway: Metro Line 2 to Guangzhou Railway Station, H exit. Walk 200 meters (656 feet) to venue.
©
The challenge, which seems to be less of an issue in recent times, is avoid the absolute junk during your diligent search. Be aware that much of what you will find is imitation, even in name brand, outlet stores. Some people purposely seek out artificial goods while others try to avoid them like the plague. The good news is that many imitations, as well as many average-price Chinese brands, are much better in quality than they used to be, thus they will generally last longer than in the past. It isn’t uncommon to find shoes or clothing and after a couple of uses, they tear up or you realise the quality is poor. In some instances, the shopkeepers will be fair enough to give your money back or allow you to exchange for something different. Below are the ins and outs of five major clothing markets in Guangzhou. You can shop at any of these places on a budget and if you’re looking to spend a bit more money, you will also find many respected brands being sold. One thing you should remember: Changing rooms are rare.
Guangzhou Shisanhang Clothing Market Area十三行服装批发城
A visit to Shisanhang Market takes you down to the historical Xiguan District and not far from popular Shangxiajiu walking street. The roads that make up the Shisanhang clothing area have been lined with markets since the 17th century and used to be a central import and export center. Because this was a major trading and communications hub between East and West, the neighborhood, like much of old Xiguan, still contains some of the blended architecture that developed from the meeting of cultures.
The ancient market mainly lies along four streets: Shisanhang Lu, Guyi Lu, Doulanshang Lu and Hepingdong Lu, attracting plenty of international customers. On Shisanhang Lu, the two main buildings are the New China Building and the Hongpiantian Building. Both sell retail and wholesale clothes and sports apparel for men, women and children. Prices here range between 20-200 RMB. You can also find many small shops along Shisanhang Lu which on average will be less expensive. The wholesale stores will open quite early, often around 05:00 and will close in the late afternoon.
Guyi Lu is a narrow street between Hepingdong and Shisanhang. People have been doing business here for at least 300 years, selling everything from used clothes to fine silks. Modern retail and wholesale activity started in the 1980s. Prices on Guyi Lu are some of the most reasonable, with goods going for between 5-50 RMB. Doulanshang and Hepingdong roads comprise the rest of the clothing market. While prices are affordable here at 10-150 RMB, its reputation for quality is not so good.
Add: Shisanhang Lu, Liwan District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市荔湾区十三行路
Getting there: Bus 31, 38, 61, 102, 103, 106, 128, 134, 186, 202, 217, 239, 251, 288, 521, 541, 556 or 823 to Renmin Nanlu stop
New China Building (Xinzhongguo Dasha) 新中国大厦
The New China Building on Shisanhang Lu is so big that it gets its own section in the full ten stories. Remember when you come here, most of the wholesale markets open much earlier than the retail shops. The first three floors are for the young and/or trendy people. While it is mostly name brand replicas, the quality isn’t necessarily bad. You’ll spend 18-50 RMB per item and walk out looking fashionable and trendy. Winter time is near so if you are looking for woolen appareal or coats, floors 4-6 are the place to go. Styles here are ordinary and the quality average. Prices range between 30-80 RMB. Floors 7-10 are a Korean’s shopping mecca. Most of the stores are run by Koreans and they target women in their 20’s selling coats and women’s clothing. The prices here average at 100-200 RMB.
Add: 1 Shisanhang Lu, Liwan District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市荔湾区十三行路1号
Opening hours: Daily, 06:00-13:00 for markets; 09:30-1:00 for retail stores
Getting there: Bus 31, 38, 61, 102, 106, 103, 128, 134, 186, 202, 217, 239, 251, 288, 521, 541, 556 or 823 to Renminnan Road bus stop. Walk 50 meters to venue.
Guangzhou White Horse Clothing Market 广州白马服装批发市
White Horse is the grandest and one the most popular of all clothing markets in Guangzhou. Set alongside the Guangzhou Railway Station, it fills up six stories of a ten-story office building. White Horse Market may not be in the most pleasant of neighborhoods or in an easy walking area, but it makes up for it with volume and variety.
The basement floor is mainly women’s pants, shirts, skirts and accessories. Prices are some of the lowest, between 5-100 RMB. It’s wise to be cautious about quality here, and many of the products are imitations. Floors one, four and five also sell women’s clothing but they distinguish themselves by selling many Korean fashions. You can expect better quality here as well as more trendy items. The first floor is the cheapest among them, with the fourth and fifth floor ranging up to 500 RMB. Floors two and three carry women’s clothing and apparel, with a focus on adults and the elderly. Most brands you’ll find are respected local brands. The sixth floor is dedicated to men. You can find men’s clothing including an abundance of jeans in local and international brands. Expect to pay between 50-300 RMB.
Add: 16 Zhannan Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区站南路16号
Getting there: By subway; Line 2 to Guangzhou Railway Station, D4 exit 250 meters (820 feet) through tunnel to F exit.
Gaodijie Wholesale Market高第街批发市场
Just next to Beijing Lu, Gaodijie Market was one of the largest markets in Guangzhou only 20 or 30 years ago. Bringing in nearly 200,000 people every day, it is said to have helped to build Beijing Lu into the popular area that it is today. While Gaodijie is now in a bit of a slump, having been out-done by more modern markets, like White Horse, it still attracts crowds almost every day. The shopping road is over half a kilometer long and in good Chinese style, it is lined with over 300 shops. Most of the products they sell are cotton and the quality is usually fair. You’ll find socks for 2-10 RMB, underwear for 5-40 RMB, leisure clothes for 15-50 RMB and swimwear for 25-60 RMB. Some of its goods are only sold in bulk so be sure to ask.
Add: Gaodijie Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区高第街路
Opening hours: Daily, 10:00-12:00
Getting there: By bus; lines 1, 7, 14, 64, 125, 182, 191, 215, 219, 222, 263, 543 or 864 to Beijing Lu Kou bus stop. Walk 100 meters (328 feet) to venue on right.
First Tunnel Clothing Wholesale Center广州第一大道服装批发中心
First Tunnel Clothing Wholesale Center is one of Guangzhou’s largest underground markets. The shopping area is 2 full kilometers (1.24 miles) long with 24 entrances and exits and 18 elevators. There are two main floors and 1,200 shops in total. The second floor is mostly known for selling very cheap imitations of famous brands. This megalithic market is divided into seven sections: fashionable women’s wear, export leisure wear, men’s clothing, Korean styles, local leisure wear, children’s clothes and socks and underwear. There are also several restaurants and a bank in case hunger strikes while you’re shopping or wandering. The average prices are 25-100 RMB, though newer items range up to 250 RMB. Obviously the higher-priced items are generally better quality, but the lower-priced ones are not necessarily bad.
Add: Liuhua Jie, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区流花街
Getting there: By subway: Metro Line 2 to Guangzhou Railway Station, H exit. Walk 200 meters (656 feet) to venue.
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Cravings from Home – Import Food Shops in Guangzhou
They say that no one ever writes poetry about cheese. Cheese, the theory goes, is too mundane and uninspiring for the artistic temperament. That’s not entirely true though. For all of us foreigners living in Guangzhou, cheese and other tastes from home are something to long for and even to wax poetic about. The same may be said about certain other culinary delights, such as good bread, ground coffee, chocolate or even simple tortillas. But where does the longing poet go for such foods, especially in a city which so far fails to appreciate their pleasures?
Aside from a few shelves of foreign foods in the larger supermarkets, it takes some investigating and some journeying across town. Guangzhou does have its share of import food shops, mostly small, and a few of them even close to the center. You can find Western meat, cheese, beer and wine, as well as Korean and Japanese food. The largest, of course, is METRO, and though their official policy is that you need to be a business to buy at their Guangzhou branch, rumor has it that they do make exceptions for Westerners. If you’re frequently at home, there’s an internet delivery service which sells a true abundance of foreign foods.
Below I’ve put together a listing of seven local businesses that sell food for the international palate. The shops here won’t be able to satisfy all of your culinary longings, but they do carry enough to inspire at least a shopping trip, and perhaps several sonnets.
1) Metro 麦德龙
There’s a METRO lurking in the outskirts of nearly every large city in China, and Guangzhou’s METRO recently became accessible by the subway with the opening up of Line 5. Metro sells most of its goods in bulk, since it’s a wholesaler, and offers 10,000 square meters of floor space and a large parking lot. Though popular with foreigners for buying food from home, they also sell many non-food items, and would be a great place to get professional cooking equipment. You can expect to find nearly every variety of food here, including meats, seafood, fresh produce, wine, dairy, spices and sauces. Most meat and dairy are from Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.A., but they also import from Europe, Southeast Asia and South America.
Add: No.351 Huangpu Dadao Zhong, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市天河区303号 黄埔大道中
Tel: 020 8393 8888 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Opening hours: 06:00 - 22:00
Getting there：Take metro line 5, get off at Keyun Lu metro station and take the B exit. Walk toward your right side as you face the road, and in about 400 meters you’ll see a small canal. The shop is by the canal.
2) Ming Jiang Japanese Food and Book Store名将书店·日本食品店
One part Japanese books and one part Japanese food, Ming Jiang offers an assortment of cooking sauces and candies as well as fine sake and tea. They are also quite proud of their array of chocolates, which is greatest during fall and winter, and offer popular snacks and sweets in traditional decorative packages.
Add: Booth 244, 2/F CITIC Plaza, No.233 Tianhe Bei Lu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市天河北路233号中天购物城2楼
Tel: 020 3877 0677
Opening hours: 10:00 - 21:30
Getting there: Take metro line 3B, and get off at Linhe Xilu metro station leaving by the D exit. You’ll find you are already at CITIC Plaza. Take the elevator to the 2nd floor.
3) Jin Gang Yuan （Korean Grocery Store）金刚苑
If you’re feeling like Korean hotpot or barbecue, Jin Gang Yuan is the place to start for your ingredients. They sell beef, pork and lamb along with common hotpot ingredients such as fish balls, natto, crab meat and burdock rolls. There are also a plethora of Korean specialties including spices, sauces and teas along with a few items from Japan.
Add: Booth 256-259, 2/F CITIC Plaza, No.233 Tianhe Beilu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市天河北路233号中天购物城2楼
Tel: 020 3877 2700
Opening hours: 10:00 -21:30
Getting there: Take metro line 3B. Get off at Linhe Xilu metro station and go out from the D exit. You’ll find you are already at CITIC Plaza; you can then take the elevator to the 2nd floor.
4) Corner's Deli Grocery 每一角落 (CITIC flagship Branch)
Corner’s Deli has three locations in Guangzhou, and the central one in CITIC Plaza is the largest by far, carrying items not sold at the others. Its import food selection is heavily European, with pasta from Italy and olive oil from Italy, Greece and Spain; but it also carries several items from the U.S.A., Japan and Korea. Corner’s deli offers free city-wide delivery when your order is over 8,000 RMB.
Add: Booth 6, SC-01, Basement CITIC Plaza, No 233, Tianhe Beilu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
地址: 广州市天河区天河北路233号中信广场BM层SC-01单位6号铺
Opening hours: 9:00 – 21:30 (sometimes they open by 8:30)
Getting there: Take metro line 3B, get off at Linhe Xilu metro station and go out by the C exit. Turn right and you’ll find a small back street by the CITIC apartment building; walk down the street about 50 meters and you’ll find the shop.
5) Friend’s Daily
Friend’s Daily is a comfortable café bar with European décor, comfortable sofas and large French windows. They also sell a few products to customers, mostly cheese and wine. You can find blue cheese, mozzarella, cream cheese, cheddar, parmesan and more, along with wines from Chile, Australia, France and Italy. They don’t encourage residents to use them as a grocery store since they’d rather you sit down and stay for a while, but they will oblige if you ask. Friend’s Daily wine and cheese are high quality and high price.
Add: 11 Taojin Street (up from the Friendship Store), Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
Tel: 020 8359 6681
地址: 广州市越秀区淘金街11号,
Opening Hours: 14:00 - 2:00
Getting there: Take metro line 5 and get off at Taojin Lu metro station B exit. Facing Huanshidong Lu, turn left, walk about 400 meters, and you will find Taojin Lu on your left. Walk along Taojin Lu about 800 meters and you’ll find Friend’s Daily.
6) Oliver Supermarket奥利华进口食品超市
Oliver Supermarket has three locations in the city, one of them downtown. Considering their variety, prices and central main store, this small market may be the most convenient shop in Guangzhou for imported foods. They also offer city-wide free delivery if you spend over 500 RMB. This is a rarity among import stores. Oliver’s prices include many budget items along with the more expensive wines and liquors.
Add: A2.1/F, Clifford Mansion, Ming Yue Yi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou (Opposite the Ramada Hotel)
地址: 广州市明月一路祈福华厦裙楼1层A2室
Tel: 020 8735-9202
Opening hours: 10:00 -21:00
Getting there: Take metro line 5. Get off at Wuyangcun metro station B exit and walk toward the riverside about 5 minutes. Turn right at the first corner and you will be at Ming Yue Yi Lu. Walk along the road about 50 meters and the shop will be on your right.
7) Wencle Delivery Service
If the six stores above fail to satisfy you, there’s also Wencle delivery service, which will bring food to your door any day of the week for only a 5% delivery charge within Guangzhou. The variety of brands and types of food they sell varies depending on the category. For cheeses, it’s three pages worth of listings. For baking goods, only thirteen items. Meat is mysteriously hard to find on their website, although if you look under “condiments” you’ll find a listing, which is mostly for hams. Wencle’s prices are mostly reasonable and they regularly have specials.
Tel: 020 8555 3047
E-mail: service@wencle.com
Website: www.wencle.com
©
Aside from a few shelves of foreign foods in the larger supermarkets, it takes some investigating and some journeying across town. Guangzhou does have its share of import food shops, mostly small, and a few of them even close to the center. You can find Western meat, cheese, beer and wine, as well as Korean and Japanese food. The largest, of course, is METRO, and though their official policy is that you need to be a business to buy at their Guangzhou branch, rumor has it that they do make exceptions for Westerners. If you’re frequently at home, there’s an internet delivery service which sells a true abundance of foreign foods.
Below I’ve put together a listing of seven local businesses that sell food for the international palate. The shops here won’t be able to satisfy all of your culinary longings, but they do carry enough to inspire at least a shopping trip, and perhaps several sonnets.
1) Metro 麦德龙
There’s a METRO lurking in the outskirts of nearly every large city in China, and Guangzhou’s METRO recently became accessible by the subway with the opening up of Line 5. Metro sells most of its goods in bulk, since it’s a wholesaler, and offers 10,000 square meters of floor space and a large parking lot. Though popular with foreigners for buying food from home, they also sell many non-food items, and would be a great place to get professional cooking equipment. You can expect to find nearly every variety of food here, including meats, seafood, fresh produce, wine, dairy, spices and sauces. Most meat and dairy are from Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.A., but they also import from Europe, Southeast Asia and South America.
Add: No.351 Huangpu Dadao Zhong, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市天河区303号 黄埔大道中
Tel: 020 8393 8888 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Opening hours: 06:00 - 22:00
Getting there：Take metro line 5, get off at Keyun Lu metro station and take the B exit. Walk toward your right side as you face the road, and in about 400 meters you’ll see a small canal. The shop is by the canal.
2) Ming Jiang Japanese Food and Book Store名将书店·日本食品店
One part Japanese books and one part Japanese food, Ming Jiang offers an assortment of cooking sauces and candies as well as fine sake and tea. They are also quite proud of their array of chocolates, which is greatest during fall and winter, and offer popular snacks and sweets in traditional decorative packages.
Add: Booth 244, 2/F CITIC Plaza, No.233 Tianhe Bei Lu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市天河北路233号中天购物城2楼
Tel: 020 3877 0677
Opening hours: 10:00 - 21:30
Getting there: Take metro line 3B, and get off at Linhe Xilu metro station leaving by the D exit. You’ll find you are already at CITIC Plaza. Take the elevator to the 2nd floor.
3) Jin Gang Yuan （Korean Grocery Store）金刚苑
If you’re feeling like Korean hotpot or barbecue, Jin Gang Yuan is the place to start for your ingredients. They sell beef, pork and lamb along with common hotpot ingredients such as fish balls, natto, crab meat and burdock rolls. There are also a plethora of Korean specialties including spices, sauces and teas along with a few items from Japan.
Add: Booth 256-259, 2/F CITIC Plaza, No.233 Tianhe Beilu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市天河北路233号中天购物城2楼
Tel: 020 3877 2700
Opening hours: 10:00 -21:30
Getting there: Take metro line 3B. Get off at Linhe Xilu metro station and go out from the D exit. You’ll find you are already at CITIC Plaza; you can then take the elevator to the 2nd floor.
4) Corner's Deli Grocery 每一角落 (CITIC flagship Branch)
Corner’s Deli has three locations in Guangzhou, and the central one in CITIC Plaza is the largest by far, carrying items not sold at the others. Its import food selection is heavily European, with pasta from Italy and olive oil from Italy, Greece and Spain; but it also carries several items from the U.S.A., Japan and Korea. Corner’s deli offers free city-wide delivery when your order is over 8,000 RMB.
Add: Booth 6, SC-01, Basement CITIC Plaza, No 233, Tianhe Beilu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
地址: 广州市天河区天河北路233号中信广场BM层SC-01单位6号铺
Opening hours: 9:00 – 21:30 (sometimes they open by 8:30)
Getting there: Take metro line 3B, get off at Linhe Xilu metro station and go out by the C exit. Turn right and you’ll find a small back street by the CITIC apartment building; walk down the street about 50 meters and you’ll find the shop.
5) Friend’s Daily
Friend’s Daily is a comfortable café bar with European décor, comfortable sofas and large French windows. They also sell a few products to customers, mostly cheese and wine. You can find blue cheese, mozzarella, cream cheese, cheddar, parmesan and more, along with wines from Chile, Australia, France and Italy. They don’t encourage residents to use them as a grocery store since they’d rather you sit down and stay for a while, but they will oblige if you ask. Friend’s Daily wine and cheese are high quality and high price.
Add: 11 Taojin Street (up from the Friendship Store), Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
Tel: 020 8359 6681
地址: 广州市越秀区淘金街11号,
Opening Hours: 14:00 - 2:00
Getting there: Take metro line 5 and get off at Taojin Lu metro station B exit. Facing Huanshidong Lu, turn left, walk about 400 meters, and you will find Taojin Lu on your left. Walk along Taojin Lu about 800 meters and you’ll find Friend’s Daily.
6) Oliver Supermarket奥利华进口食品超市
Oliver Supermarket has three locations in the city, one of them downtown. Considering their variety, prices and central main store, this small market may be the most convenient shop in Guangzhou for imported foods. They also offer city-wide free delivery if you spend over 500 RMB. This is a rarity among import stores. Oliver’s prices include many budget items along with the more expensive wines and liquors.
Add: A2.1/F, Clifford Mansion, Ming Yue Yi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou (Opposite the Ramada Hotel)
地址: 广州市明月一路祈福华厦裙楼1层A2室
Tel: 020 8735-9202
Opening hours: 10:00 -21:00
Getting there: Take metro line 5. Get off at Wuyangcun metro station B exit and walk toward the riverside about 5 minutes. Turn right at the first corner and you will be at Ming Yue Yi Lu. Walk along the road about 50 meters and the shop will be on your right.
7) Wencle Delivery Service
If the six stores above fail to satisfy you, there’s also Wencle delivery service, which will bring food to your door any day of the week for only a 5% delivery charge within Guangzhou. The variety of brands and types of food they sell varies depending on the category. For cheeses, it’s three pages worth of listings. For baking goods, only thirteen items. Meat is mysteriously hard to find on their website, although if you look under “condiments” you’ll find a listing, which is mostly for hams. Wencle’s prices are mostly reasonable and they regularly have specials.
Tel: 020 8555 3047
E-mail: service@wencle.com
Website: www.wencle.com
©
Buyer's Guide: The Best Shopping in Guangzhou
Whether you’re just visiting Guangzhou or you’ve been here for a while, you will probably do some shopping while you are here. Guangzhou boasts a great number of good places to shop, but where you should go depends heavily on what you want to buy. However, if you are simply in the mood to window-shop, Guangzhou is probably one of the best places in China to satisfy your need for retail therapy.
Beijing Lu Walking Street, Guangzhou
First, and probably most well know is Beijing Lu 北京路 (Gongyuanqian Metro stop), the major shopping street in the city. Here you will probably be able to find anything you are looking for, although the emphasis of most stores is either on clothing or electronics. It is a high traffic area and is visited by thousands everyday (especially on weekends), but since it is a pedestrian street no vehicles are allowed on it so making your way from shop to shop is not a hassle. Many local shoppers also frequent this street so shopping here doesn’t have the “touristy” feel that it can have in other places. You will, however, have to fend off some pushy street vendors who want to sell you cheap watches or jewelry. One unique thing about Beijing Lu is that there are remnants of the road as when it was first constructed over 500 years ago. It is a nice little touch to have an artifact such as this juxtaposed with the neon-lit commercial street. All in all Beijing Lu is a must if you enjoy shopping in China.
Shangxiajiu Lu, Guangzhou
Another place to stop by is the Shang Xia Jiu Lu 上下九路 shopping street. A short walk from the Changshou Lu Metro stop (Line 1) this shopping street feels a bit more like a traditional Chinese shopping area than Beijing Lu. Most of the shops are housed in European colonial style architecture, not unlike the kind you find on Shamian Island. Here you will also find sculptures on the street that are meant to represent life in Guangzhou during the 19th century, which was when this street was established. There are more than 200 stores on this street so there is plenty to see and to buy.
If you are looking for something a bit more modern or contemporary the Teem Mall 天河城 at the Tiyu Xi Lu Metro stop is a great place to go. In this immense shopping center you will not only find a large number of department stores, restaurants, electronics shops, and boutiques, but you will also find a five-star cinema on the top floor. The Teem Mall has everything a person could ever want to shop for, but it is also quite expensive. This is not the kind of place where you will be able to bargain the vendor down to a reasonable price.
©
Beijing Lu Walking Street, Guangzhou
First, and probably most well know is Beijing Lu 北京路 (Gongyuanqian Metro stop), the major shopping street in the city. Here you will probably be able to find anything you are looking for, although the emphasis of most stores is either on clothing or electronics. It is a high traffic area and is visited by thousands everyday (especially on weekends), but since it is a pedestrian street no vehicles are allowed on it so making your way from shop to shop is not a hassle. Many local shoppers also frequent this street so shopping here doesn’t have the “touristy” feel that it can have in other places. You will, however, have to fend off some pushy street vendors who want to sell you cheap watches or jewelry. One unique thing about Beijing Lu is that there are remnants of the road as when it was first constructed over 500 years ago. It is a nice little touch to have an artifact such as this juxtaposed with the neon-lit commercial street. All in all Beijing Lu is a must if you enjoy shopping in China.
Shangxiajiu Lu, Guangzhou
Another place to stop by is the Shang Xia Jiu Lu 上下九路 shopping street. A short walk from the Changshou Lu Metro stop (Line 1) this shopping street feels a bit more like a traditional Chinese shopping area than Beijing Lu. Most of the shops are housed in European colonial style architecture, not unlike the kind you find on Shamian Island. Here you will also find sculptures on the street that are meant to represent life in Guangzhou during the 19th century, which was when this street was established. There are more than 200 stores on this street so there is plenty to see and to buy.
If you are looking for something a bit more modern or contemporary the Teem Mall 天河城 at the Tiyu Xi Lu Metro stop is a great place to go. In this immense shopping center you will not only find a large number of department stores, restaurants, electronics shops, and boutiques, but you will also find a five-star cinema on the top floor. The Teem Mall has everything a person could ever want to shop for, but it is also quite expensive. This is not the kind of place where you will be able to bargain the vendor down to a reasonable price.
©
Guangzhou Shopping Areas
Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Streets上下九步行街
Zhongshan Wu Lu- Beijing Lu中山五路-北京路
Tianhe Rd.-Tianhe Nan Yi Rd for Modern Vogue 天河路-天河南一街
Hualin Jadeware Street 华林寺玉器一条街
Wende Cultural Shopping Street 文德文化商业
Jiangnan Dadao: Wedding Dresses Street 江南大道：婚纱一条街
Nonglinxia Rd. & Shuqian St. for bourgeois Leisure 农林下路- 署前路
Mouse Street 老鼠街
Top-notched Trojan Bei - Huanshi Dong Intersection 淘金北与环市东口街
Zhongshan San Lu 中山三路
Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Streets 上下九步行街
Best know for its low prices and trendy clothes. Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street is one of the three major shopping streets in Guangzhou. The street starts from Shangjiu St. westwards through Xiajiu St. to Dishifu St. The street is lined with about 250 shops, mainly of garments, shoes and food, restaurants and malls including Heling's Shoes & Hats, Guangzhou Department Store, Xingping Tailoring and Hualin Jade and Jewelry Market, Guangzhou Restaurant, Taotao Ju, Lianxiang Lou, Qingping Restaurant, Wenchang-chicken, Huangshanghuang Sausage, Nanxin Dessert, Yins Canteen and Quxiang Cakes. Most of these shops are historic buildings that render to the culture of the area.
There are a few modern commercial additions such as Liwan Plaza, at the eastern end of Xiajiu St.; however, most of the stores sell shoes, underwear, jades, crystal, AV items, snacks and so forth. Other malls like Dongji (for youngsters), Minghui, Cyber and Qiancai scatter around west to Liwan Plaza.
Places: Guangzhou Department Store for Women and Children; Xingping Tailoring.
Zhongshan Wu Lu- Beijing Lu中山五路-北京路
It is a frenzied shopping matrix in the city center, with Beijing Lu as its center. Pedestrianized and open from around 10 AM until 10 PM, this is where youth buy sensible, mid-range Hong Kong clothes and increasingly gaudy local brands. Noise and fun, here is lined with cheap food stalls, cafés, and fast-food chains like KFC and McDonald's. The area is the home for mid-size and large shopping centers like Xindaxin and Grandbuy. You can also find several theme bookstores, Changjiang Musical Instruments Store, Sanduoxuan and Jiya-zhai Studios, and a photo studio in the area.
Places: Grandbuy (Guangzhou Merchandise) Department Store; Xindaxin Department Store; Mayflower Plaza.
Tianhe Rd.-Tianhe Nan Yi Rd for Modern Vogue 天河路-天河南一路
Grandview and Teem is the top largest shopping malls in the city and Grandview even the No.1 in South East Asia. A menagerie of stylish apparels, shoes, jewelries, watches, food, furniture, home items, mobile phones and so on attract tens of thousands people everyday.
You can spend hours and hours shopping for that special gift here. Between Teem and Grandview is Hongcheng Plaza, there is a similar modern mall with relatively lower prices.
Near Tianhe Nan Yi Rd., in the south and further into the roadside Liuyun Circle, you can find little shops of original wears and home items, chocolates workshops, cafes and bars in the tree-shaded communities. North to the Teem Plaza stands the seven-floor Guangzhou Book Center, the biggest of its kind in Guangzhou.
Places: Team Plaza; Grandview Mall; Hongcheng Plaza; Guangzhou Book Center.
Hualin Jadeware Street 华林寺玉器一条街
Located on Xia Jiu Lu, Hualin Jadeware Street specializes mainly jade and jewelry processing for retail and wholesale. Since the Qing Dynasty, Hualin Jadeware Street has been famed Jadeware Fair. At present, hundreds of jadeware stores are found here. Many of the jade items are made from jade imported from Myanmar and Yunnan Province.
Wende Cultural Shopping Street 文德文化商业
Wende Calligraphy and Painting Street is known as 'Guangzhou Gallery', and often called “The first cultural street in Guangzhou”. This road is lined with 300 shops specializing in cultural goods, including some large emporiums for business of high-grade curio, calligraphy, painting and the ‘Four Treasures of Study’.
Jiangnan Dadao: Wedding Dresses Street 江南大道：婚纱一条街
"Wedding dresses Street", located at the northern end of Jiangnandadao road, is the biggest retail area of wedding dresses in Guangdong province. Originally established in the 1980s, the area was once one of two overseas Chinese roads in Guangzhou. Overseas Chinese living there could contact with the outside world frequently, with some turning their own gardens and lawns into wedding dress shops. In the very beginning, these shops were no more than manual potteries, with a business at the front and a factory in the backyard. Now, more and more people come here for wedding dresses. As a result, dress styles have become more and more diverse and some famous than Hong Kong, Taiwan.
Nonglinxia Rd. & Shuqian St. for bourgeois Leisure 农林下路- 署前路
A little less crowded than other shopping districts. Nonglinxia is within walking distance to Shangxiajiu and Beijing streets. Many designers' outlets of garments and shoes stores sell the new trends in Guangzhou. The area is the home of Guangzhou’s Wangfujing Department Store. This area is great for finding North China goods. Across Zhongshan-Er Rd. into Shuqian St., you can find Dongshan Department Store, a reputed old shopping place.
Places: Wangfujing Department Store; Dongshan Department Store.
Mouse Street 老鼠街
Mouse Street (Lao Shu Jie), also known as "Women's Street" (Nu Ren Jie) and is where Guangzhou's modern women shop till they drop. Hundreds of boutiques sell locally produced garments and accessories, Japanese-brand clothes, shoes, and accessories. Definitely cheaper than Beijing Road, but more crowded. Bargaining is essential. Open 10-6.
Add: North of China Plaza, Hong Shan Lu, Guangzhou
Top-notched Trojan Bei - Huanshi Dong Intersection 淘金北与环市东路口
This "Golden Triangle" is known for its top-notch profile and quality. Friendship Department Store, Nan fang International Shopping Mall and La Parle Plaza, which lie in the Huanshi-dong COD. The area is also full of office buildings, hi-end hotels and communities where many foreigners and rich or powerful Chinese live. They boast premium luxury merchandise at Western prices.
Zhongshan San Lu 中山三路
Originally, it was a mobile-phone haven, now it is one of the largest shopping districts on Zhongshan-4 Road, which is east to Beijing Lu. China Plaza sells furniture, apparel, accessories and home décor. Many of them are original and up-to-date while some are local designers' signature works. Located in the area, is the famous Japanese Department – JUSCO, which offers great selection of goods.
Its basement leads to the underground Update Mall, which is the biggest and subway mall in China. The mall expands to the Linguini station and is jammed packed with fashionable brands, Salon and cosmetics.
©
Zhongshan Wu Lu- Beijing Lu中山五路-北京路
Tianhe Rd.-Tianhe Nan Yi Rd for Modern Vogue 天河路-天河南一街
Hualin Jadeware Street 华林寺玉器一条街
Wende Cultural Shopping Street 文德文化商业
Jiangnan Dadao: Wedding Dresses Street 江南大道：婚纱一条街
Nonglinxia Rd. & Shuqian St. for bourgeois Leisure 农林下路- 署前路
Mouse Street 老鼠街
Top-notched Trojan Bei - Huanshi Dong Intersection 淘金北与环市东口街
Zhongshan San Lu 中山三路
Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Streets 上下九步行街
Best know for its low prices and trendy clothes. Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street is one of the three major shopping streets in Guangzhou. The street starts from Shangjiu St. westwards through Xiajiu St. to Dishifu St. The street is lined with about 250 shops, mainly of garments, shoes and food, restaurants and malls including Heling's Shoes & Hats, Guangzhou Department Store, Xingping Tailoring and Hualin Jade and Jewelry Market, Guangzhou Restaurant, Taotao Ju, Lianxiang Lou, Qingping Restaurant, Wenchang-chicken, Huangshanghuang Sausage, Nanxin Dessert, Yins Canteen and Quxiang Cakes. Most of these shops are historic buildings that render to the culture of the area.
There are a few modern commercial additions such as Liwan Plaza, at the eastern end of Xiajiu St.; however, most of the stores sell shoes, underwear, jades, crystal, AV items, snacks and so forth. Other malls like Dongji (for youngsters), Minghui, Cyber and Qiancai scatter around west to Liwan Plaza.
Places: Guangzhou Department Store for Women and Children; Xingping Tailoring.
Zhongshan Wu Lu- Beijing Lu中山五路-北京路
It is a frenzied shopping matrix in the city center, with Beijing Lu as its center. Pedestrianized and open from around 10 AM until 10 PM, this is where youth buy sensible, mid-range Hong Kong clothes and increasingly gaudy local brands. Noise and fun, here is lined with cheap food stalls, cafés, and fast-food chains like KFC and McDonald's. The area is the home for mid-size and large shopping centers like Xindaxin and Grandbuy. You can also find several theme bookstores, Changjiang Musical Instruments Store, Sanduoxuan and Jiya-zhai Studios, and a photo studio in the area.
Places: Grandbuy (Guangzhou Merchandise) Department Store; Xindaxin Department Store; Mayflower Plaza.
Tianhe Rd.-Tianhe Nan Yi Rd for Modern Vogue 天河路-天河南一路
Grandview and Teem is the top largest shopping malls in the city and Grandview even the No.1 in South East Asia. A menagerie of stylish apparels, shoes, jewelries, watches, food, furniture, home items, mobile phones and so on attract tens of thousands people everyday.
You can spend hours and hours shopping for that special gift here. Between Teem and Grandview is Hongcheng Plaza, there is a similar modern mall with relatively lower prices.
Near Tianhe Nan Yi Rd., in the south and further into the roadside Liuyun Circle, you can find little shops of original wears and home items, chocolates workshops, cafes and bars in the tree-shaded communities. North to the Teem Plaza stands the seven-floor Guangzhou Book Center, the biggest of its kind in Guangzhou.
Places: Team Plaza; Grandview Mall; Hongcheng Plaza; Guangzhou Book Center.
Hualin Jadeware Street 华林寺玉器一条街
Located on Xia Jiu Lu, Hualin Jadeware Street specializes mainly jade and jewelry processing for retail and wholesale. Since the Qing Dynasty, Hualin Jadeware Street has been famed Jadeware Fair. At present, hundreds of jadeware stores are found here. Many of the jade items are made from jade imported from Myanmar and Yunnan Province.
Wende Cultural Shopping Street 文德文化商业
Wende Calligraphy and Painting Street is known as 'Guangzhou Gallery', and often called “The first cultural street in Guangzhou”. This road is lined with 300 shops specializing in cultural goods, including some large emporiums for business of high-grade curio, calligraphy, painting and the ‘Four Treasures of Study’.
Jiangnan Dadao: Wedding Dresses Street 江南大道：婚纱一条街
"Wedding dresses Street", located at the northern end of Jiangnandadao road, is the biggest retail area of wedding dresses in Guangdong province. Originally established in the 1980s, the area was once one of two overseas Chinese roads in Guangzhou. Overseas Chinese living there could contact with the outside world frequently, with some turning their own gardens and lawns into wedding dress shops. In the very beginning, these shops were no more than manual potteries, with a business at the front and a factory in the backyard. Now, more and more people come here for wedding dresses. As a result, dress styles have become more and more diverse and some famous than Hong Kong, Taiwan.
Nonglinxia Rd. & Shuqian St. for bourgeois Leisure 农林下路- 署前路
A little less crowded than other shopping districts. Nonglinxia is within walking distance to Shangxiajiu and Beijing streets. Many designers' outlets of garments and shoes stores sell the new trends in Guangzhou. The area is the home of Guangzhou’s Wangfujing Department Store. This area is great for finding North China goods. Across Zhongshan-Er Rd. into Shuqian St., you can find Dongshan Department Store, a reputed old shopping place.
Places: Wangfujing Department Store; Dongshan Department Store.
Mouse Street 老鼠街
Mouse Street (Lao Shu Jie), also known as "Women's Street" (Nu Ren Jie) and is where Guangzhou's modern women shop till they drop. Hundreds of boutiques sell locally produced garments and accessories, Japanese-brand clothes, shoes, and accessories. Definitely cheaper than Beijing Road, but more crowded. Bargaining is essential. Open 10-6.
Add: North of China Plaza, Hong Shan Lu, Guangzhou
Top-notched Trojan Bei - Huanshi Dong Intersection 淘金北与环市东路口
This "Golden Triangle" is known for its top-notch profile and quality. Friendship Department Store, Nan fang International Shopping Mall and La Parle Plaza, which lie in the Huanshi-dong COD. The area is also full of office buildings, hi-end hotels and communities where many foreigners and rich or powerful Chinese live. They boast premium luxury merchandise at Western prices.
Zhongshan San Lu 中山三路
Originally, it was a mobile-phone haven, now it is one of the largest shopping districts on Zhongshan-4 Road, which is east to Beijing Lu. China Plaza sells furniture, apparel, accessories and home décor. Many of them are original and up-to-date while some are local designers' signature works. Located in the area, is the famous Japanese Department – JUSCO, which offers great selection of goods.
Its basement leads to the underground Update Mall, which is the biggest and subway mall in China. The mall expands to the Linguini station and is jammed packed with fashionable brands, Salon and cosmetics.
©
Hot Deals on New Gadgets at Guangzhou’s Electronic Markets
So you have seen Steve Jobs presenting the newest iPad, iPhone, iSomething and as an affluent city dweller you don't want to be left behind. The first option you have to get your hands on these new toys for a reasonable price is taking a short trip to Hong Kong where there is no VAT (value-added tax). However, you might want to consider saving time and travel costs by staying and shopping in Guangzhou. Thanks to the fierce competition in the main electronic markets in Guangzhou, you might even find a better deal than if you had gone to Hong Kong in the first place.
Guangzhou’s Electronic Markets
Below we have compiled a list of some of the biggest electronic markets in Guangzhou. Be sure to have some bargaining Chinese ready as prices almost everywhere are negotiable, though in most cases even the first prices you get are quite reasonable as these are not entirely tourist areas and locals go shopping here as well. Note that all electronic markets open daily from around 10:00-18:00 (though some of the shops are open until 20:00).
1) Tianhe Ganding广州天河区岗顶
The electronic market directly above the Gangding metro station in Tianhe is one of the most famous of its kind in Guangzhou and is even known outside of the city. You probably want to come here first if you are looking for the newest gadgets, especially computers, and you don't mind paying a bit more than the most competitive price. Most shops here sell both retail and wholesale. If by any chance you have time to go shopping during the week, come here during weekdays as on weekends it gets really (as in, totally) crowded.
Main products: Computers, gadgets
Getting there: Metro station Gangding (岗顶地铁站)
2) Yuexiu Dashatou 广州越秀区大沙头
In Dashatou you will feel like you are at a Middle Eastern Bazaar – not only because you will mainly find new and second-hand electronic products here but also for the fact that most of the buyers here are in fact from Africa and the Middle East. Most of the products are second-hand phones and computers, but you will also find new cameras, A/Cs, fridges etc. at retail and wholesale prices. The prices here are probably the cheapest in Guangzhou and, unless otherwise stated, negotiable. If you don't ask for a regular invoice you will save even more – as many of the products are either smuggled from Hong Kong or “fell off the truck” somewhere. There’s no metro station near Dashatou so your best bet is to arrive by taxi.
Main products: second-hand mobile phones and computers, cameras, household electronics
Getting there: Taxi or bus to Dashatou (大沙头)
3) Jie Fang Zhong Lu Taojie 广州越秀区解放中路
This market, one of the first of its kind in Guangzhou, is a bit smaller than the other ones and mainly consists of little shops that sell standard products. Many of these shops are also active on taobao and accordingly sell a mix of more-or-less useful gadgets and electronics. You might not find the newest state-of-the-art computers here but it is a good place to go to if you are more of a DIY guy or gal and in need of spare parts that are not available anywhere else.
Main products: DIY parts for computers and electronics
Getting there: Metro station Haizhu Guangchang (海珠广场地铁站)
4) Lieshi Lingyuan Xilu 广州越秀区烈士陵园
This market mainly consists of little stores along Lingyuan Xilu near China Plaza and is a good place to go for mobile phones. However, it is not so good if you expecting the lowest prices possible. Be especially careful if you have not inquired about the prices of the products you intend to buy beforehand – for foreigners especially there can be a bit of a gap between initial price quote and the final price you would have to pay after a bout of bargaining.
Main products: Mobile phones
Getting there: Metro station Martyrs Park (烈士陵园地铁站)
5) Nanfang Dasha (near Wenhua Gongyuan) 广州文化公园南方大厦
The most spectacular fact about this market is probably the building, which with its illuminated red star on top, looks quite nice from the waterfront and has quite a “communist” feeling about it. Incidentally this is not too far from the truth as you will find many more Chinese homemade commodities here than you will find Western products. Prices are cheap, but that may correlate with quality. If you are a wholesaler, you might want to have a look as there is probably nowhere else in Guangzhou where you can find domestic electronics at such cheap wholesale prices.
Main products: Domestic (Chinese) electronic products
Getting there: Metro station Haizhu Guangchang (海珠广场地铁站)
©
Guangzhou’s Electronic Markets
Below we have compiled a list of some of the biggest electronic markets in Guangzhou. Be sure to have some bargaining Chinese ready as prices almost everywhere are negotiable, though in most cases even the first prices you get are quite reasonable as these are not entirely tourist areas and locals go shopping here as well. Note that all electronic markets open daily from around 10:00-18:00 (though some of the shops are open until 20:00).
1) Tianhe Ganding广州天河区岗顶
The electronic market directly above the Gangding metro station in Tianhe is one of the most famous of its kind in Guangzhou and is even known outside of the city. You probably want to come here first if you are looking for the newest gadgets, especially computers, and you don't mind paying a bit more than the most competitive price. Most shops here sell both retail and wholesale. If by any chance you have time to go shopping during the week, come here during weekdays as on weekends it gets really (as in, totally) crowded.
Main products: Computers, gadgets
Getting there: Metro station Gangding (岗顶地铁站)
2) Yuexiu Dashatou 广州越秀区大沙头
In Dashatou you will feel like you are at a Middle Eastern Bazaar – not only because you will mainly find new and second-hand electronic products here but also for the fact that most of the buyers here are in fact from Africa and the Middle East. Most of the products are second-hand phones and computers, but you will also find new cameras, A/Cs, fridges etc. at retail and wholesale prices. The prices here are probably the cheapest in Guangzhou and, unless otherwise stated, negotiable. If you don't ask for a regular invoice you will save even more – as many of the products are either smuggled from Hong Kong or “fell off the truck” somewhere. There’s no metro station near Dashatou so your best bet is to arrive by taxi.
Main products: second-hand mobile phones and computers, cameras, household electronics
Getting there: Taxi or bus to Dashatou (大沙头)
3) Jie Fang Zhong Lu Taojie 广州越秀区解放中路
This market, one of the first of its kind in Guangzhou, is a bit smaller than the other ones and mainly consists of little shops that sell standard products. Many of these shops are also active on taobao and accordingly sell a mix of more-or-less useful gadgets and electronics. You might not find the newest state-of-the-art computers here but it is a good place to go to if you are more of a DIY guy or gal and in need of spare parts that are not available anywhere else.
Main products: DIY parts for computers and electronics
Getting there: Metro station Haizhu Guangchang (海珠广场地铁站)
4) Lieshi Lingyuan Xilu 广州越秀区烈士陵园
This market mainly consists of little stores along Lingyuan Xilu near China Plaza and is a good place to go for mobile phones. However, it is not so good if you expecting the lowest prices possible. Be especially careful if you have not inquired about the prices of the products you intend to buy beforehand – for foreigners especially there can be a bit of a gap between initial price quote and the final price you would have to pay after a bout of bargaining.
Main products: Mobile phones
Getting there: Metro station Martyrs Park (烈士陵园地铁站)
5) Nanfang Dasha (near Wenhua Gongyuan) 广州文化公园南方大厦
The most spectacular fact about this market is probably the building, which with its illuminated red star on top, looks quite nice from the waterfront and has quite a “communist” feeling about it. Incidentally this is not too far from the truth as you will find many more Chinese homemade commodities here than you will find Western products. Prices are cheap, but that may correlate with quality. If you are a wholesaler, you might want to have a look as there is probably nowhere else in Guangzhou where you can find domestic electronics at such cheap wholesale prices.
Main products: Domestic (Chinese) electronic products
Getting there: Metro station Haizhu Guangchang (海珠广场地铁站)
©
October 13, 2011
Where to Buy Books in Guangzhou
Whether you’re new to town, or have been here a while, you’ve probably found that finding English books in Guangzhou is a task that is easier said than done. This is especially true if the book you are looking for is a foreign book about China, in which case it might be deemed to controversial to be sold here. However, there are several excellent foreign bookstores in Guangzhou, some of them with a surprisingly diverse range, that can make for a very pleasant afternoon’s browsing.
If you want to find a specific book the first place you should check is the Tianhe Book Center. [123 Tianhe Lu, Guangzhou 广州市天河路123号] To get there take Metro Lines 1 or 2 to the Tiyu Xilu stop (体育西路站), and leave the station through exit D and you will see the book center immediately to your left. This 7 story complex houses a multitude of book and electronics shops, as well as a sporting goods store and a Yamaha Music Store in the basement, not to mention a seldom seen Apple store right next door, so it’s a great place to stop if books aren’t the only thing on your list. You’ll want to stick to the higher levels to find the English books, as the lower levels are dedicated primarily to Chinese school-books. Many of the bookstores on the 4th, 5th, and 6th floors feature large Art books in English and bilingual books about Chinese culture and cuisine that are fun if you are looking to browse. However, if you have a specific book in mind, your best bet would probably be New Page on the 4th floor, to the left of the escalator. New Page has new releases as well as classical literature, and they sport a pretty robust children’s section if you need something to keep the kids occupied. You’ll find that the prices may be a bit higher than you’d expect (in some cases close to double) but if you just have to have the book, New Page is the place to go.
Another shop that carries a wide selection of English books and magazines is Joint Publishing Co. [ B1, World Peach Plaza, 362-366, Huanshi Donglu 环市东路362-366号好世界广场B1楼]. This shop has slightly better deals than New Page, but fewer books so there is a trade off. Its great location too, because there is a Starbucks right next door as well as several other more authentic cafés down the street if you’re looking to get a start on your book right away. It’s also just across the street from the Elephant & Castle Pub. And, if you think you’ll be coming back, there are membership card opportunities that get you discounts on many of the books. (Unfortunately, Joint Publishing Co. is currently undergoing some renovations so the store will not be open until October 2009, but you can contact them at JPCGood@126.com to reserve a book.)
Xinhua Bookstore (276 Beijing Lu 北京路276号) is also a safe bet. The selection may not be quite as diverse as the previous two suggestions, but prices are better and Beijing Lu is THE place to be in Guangzhou for shopping. You may want to schedule your visit accordingly in order to avoid the crowds. Mid-day times on weekdays have generally less traffic than later afternoons and weekends, which tend to be quite packed.
If you really need a book, but just don’t have the time to go out and get it, there is a solution. The Book Depository (http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/) is a UK based book vendor that offers free shipping of books worldwide. Their database is enormous so you should be able to find just about any book you can imagine, and the books can be found at their normal store prices so this is one of the best resources you will find online. All you have to do is set up a brief account (less than five minutes) give them the shipping address and the books will be on their way.
©
If you want to find a specific book the first place you should check is the Tianhe Book Center. [123 Tianhe Lu, Guangzhou 广州市天河路123号] To get there take Metro Lines 1 or 2 to the Tiyu Xilu stop (体育西路站), and leave the station through exit D and you will see the book center immediately to your left. This 7 story complex houses a multitude of book and electronics shops, as well as a sporting goods store and a Yamaha Music Store in the basement, not to mention a seldom seen Apple store right next door, so it’s a great place to stop if books aren’t the only thing on your list. You’ll want to stick to the higher levels to find the English books, as the lower levels are dedicated primarily to Chinese school-books. Many of the bookstores on the 4th, 5th, and 6th floors feature large Art books in English and bilingual books about Chinese culture and cuisine that are fun if you are looking to browse. However, if you have a specific book in mind, your best bet would probably be New Page on the 4th floor, to the left of the escalator. New Page has new releases as well as classical literature, and they sport a pretty robust children’s section if you need something to keep the kids occupied. You’ll find that the prices may be a bit higher than you’d expect (in some cases close to double) but if you just have to have the book, New Page is the place to go.
Another shop that carries a wide selection of English books and magazines is Joint Publishing Co. [ B1, World Peach Plaza, 362-366, Huanshi Donglu 环市东路362-366号好世界广场B1楼]. This shop has slightly better deals than New Page, but fewer books so there is a trade off. Its great location too, because there is a Starbucks right next door as well as several other more authentic cafés down the street if you’re looking to get a start on your book right away. It’s also just across the street from the Elephant & Castle Pub. And, if you think you’ll be coming back, there are membership card opportunities that get you discounts on many of the books. (Unfortunately, Joint Publishing Co. is currently undergoing some renovations so the store will not be open until October 2009, but you can contact them at JPCGood@126.com to reserve a book.)
Xinhua Bookstore (276 Beijing Lu 北京路276号) is also a safe bet. The selection may not be quite as diverse as the previous two suggestions, but prices are better and Beijing Lu is THE place to be in Guangzhou for shopping. You may want to schedule your visit accordingly in order to avoid the crowds. Mid-day times on weekdays have generally less traffic than later afternoons and weekends, which tend to be quite packed.
If you really need a book, but just don’t have the time to go out and get it, there is a solution. The Book Depository (http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/) is a UK based book vendor that offers free shipping of books worldwide. Their database is enormous so you should be able to find just about any book you can imagine, and the books can be found at their normal store prices so this is one of the best resources you will find online. All you have to do is set up a brief account (less than five minutes) give them the shipping address and the books will be on their way.
©
Old School Shopping—An Introduction to Guangzhou's Markets
For centuries, Guangzhou's markets have enticed travelers. Unlike the Western shopping culture that bred the department store where a variety of goods are available under one roof, in ancient Asia tradesmen would base themselves and their wares around a particular district—a quirk evident in Guangzhou's shopping streets even to the present day. In old times, sellers might hawk their goods from carts pulled up to the street corner, but nowadays in urban Guangzhou, you're more likely to find your bargains inside a shopping mall-looking building complete with air-conditioners and colour TVs for bored shop assistants. But, no matter what it looks like outside, the old bargains still persist. And whether you've been bitten by the shopping bug or not, walking through Guangzhou's streets browsing wares and looking for deals is a fantastic way to get to know the city better.
Here's a list of a few interesting stops for Guangzhou shoppers. When going to the markets keep in mind that some vendors prefer to sell wholesale and if you only want one or two items of something cheap, they may decline to sell to you at all, but it never hurts to ask. Each vendor along a particular market street will make their own hours, but generally most places are open between 10:00 and 18:00, with some of the more traditional areas or food vendors opening a little earlier. Hot property areas like Beijing Road may have stores open as late as 22.00.
1) Qingping Street Market清平市场
The most famous of Guangzhou's old markets must be the Qingping Street Market, a winding street north of Shamian Island. Proving the point that Guangdong people will eat anything that moves, sellers offer bundles of dried centipedes, bushels of dried seahorses, crucified dried lizards and other questionable delectables along with more familiar dried foods. Farther north are pet shops selling fish, turtles, kittens, puppies, pet food and pet accessories. The street runs into a traditional Chinese medicine market along Liu’er Sanlu and Zhuji Lu around the Affiliated Guangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Browsing these market stalls makes for a great day out, especially for photographers. It's just across the Inner Ring Road from Shamian Island, so combining the two areas is a nice day trip.
Getting There:
By subway: Take metro Line 1 to Huangsha Station, exit D.
2) Hualin Lu Jade Market华林路玉器市场
Another shopping experience that will take you back in history is a trip to the Hualin Lu Jade Market near the Changshou Lu Metro Station. Walk down twisting lanes of stalls full of jade and jadeite and bargain or visit the more modern, air-conditioned versions nearby. Antiques and other curios can be found in a few back-alley stalls. If you fancy some jewelry—a beaded necklace or bracelet perhaps—some vendors will make it to your specifications. While here check out the Hualin Buddhist Temple, a shady retreat from Guangzhou's busy shopping streets.
Getting There:
By subway: Take metro Line 1 to Changshou Lu Station. Follow Changshou Xi Lu to Wenchang Nan Lu, turn right and look for Hualin Lu on the left.
3) Fangcun Tea Market 芳村茶叶城
Teas from all over China can be had at the Fangcun Tea Market, an enormous grouping of shops, malls and stalls along Fangcun Dadao in southwest Guangzhou. Let the vendors invite you in to sample a blend or two, browse tea pots and tea accessories to create your own personal tea set.
Getting There:
By subway: Take metro Line 1 to Fangcun Station, exit C. Turn right and follow the signs over the bridge.
4) Wende Lu Culture Street 文德路文化街
Artists and art lovers will enjoy Wende Lu Culture Street. Shops along this street sell art supplies, from miniature brushes to gigantic ones that could be used as brooms, as well as all kinds of papers and frames to cap off your masterpieces. Prefer to hang someone else's artwork on the wall? No problem, there are plenty of shops selling paintings of many different styles, especially grouped in and around No. 71 Wende Lu. It's only one street down from Guangzhou's most famous pedestrianised fashion shopping street, Beijing Lu.
Getting There:
By Subway: Take metro line 1 or 2 to Gongyuanqian station near Beijing Lu. From Beijing Lu walk east along Zhongshan Lu then turn right on Wende Lu.
5) Haizhu Square and its vicinity
The area around Haizhu Square is full of shopping opportunities. Directly across the street from exit D of Haizhu Guangchang station on line 1 is the Haizhu Accessories Market, a warren of small stalls selling silk flowers, costume jewellery, holiday decorations and a huge variety of other small things. Across Yide Lu from the accessories market is the Guangzhou Metropolis Shoes City, a multilevel building full of footwear that takes up most of the block. Across Jiefang Zhong Lu from the shoe shops you can find Daxin Lu Music Instruments Street. Here musical instruments ranging from the violin to the gu zheng will keep any music lover happy.
Getting There:
By subway: Take metro line 1 to Haizhu Guangchang Station.
6) Zhanxi Lu Fashion Street 站西路
Behind the Guangzhou Long Distance Bus Station is the Zhanxi Lu Fashion Street as well as a huge market dealing in watches and timepieces. Wholesalers and retail vendors sit side by side selling men's and women's fashion from the multilevel malls that line the west end of the street, while watch shops are mostly along the east end of the street.
Getting There:
By subway: Take metro line 2 to Guangzhou Railway Station metro stop, Exit F. Walk up the small hill past the post office.
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Here's a list of a few interesting stops for Guangzhou shoppers. When going to the markets keep in mind that some vendors prefer to sell wholesale and if you only want one or two items of something cheap, they may decline to sell to you at all, but it never hurts to ask. Each vendor along a particular market street will make their own hours, but generally most places are open between 10:00 and 18:00, with some of the more traditional areas or food vendors opening a little earlier. Hot property areas like Beijing Road may have stores open as late as 22.00.
1) Qingping Street Market清平市场
The most famous of Guangzhou's old markets must be the Qingping Street Market, a winding street north of Shamian Island. Proving the point that Guangdong people will eat anything that moves, sellers offer bundles of dried centipedes, bushels of dried seahorses, crucified dried lizards and other questionable delectables along with more familiar dried foods. Farther north are pet shops selling fish, turtles, kittens, puppies, pet food and pet accessories. The street runs into a traditional Chinese medicine market along Liu’er Sanlu and Zhuji Lu around the Affiliated Guangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Browsing these market stalls makes for a great day out, especially for photographers. It's just across the Inner Ring Road from Shamian Island, so combining the two areas is a nice day trip.
Getting There:
By subway: Take metro Line 1 to Huangsha Station, exit D.
2) Hualin Lu Jade Market华林路玉器市场
Another shopping experience that will take you back in history is a trip to the Hualin Lu Jade Market near the Changshou Lu Metro Station. Walk down twisting lanes of stalls full of jade and jadeite and bargain or visit the more modern, air-conditioned versions nearby. Antiques and other curios can be found in a few back-alley stalls. If you fancy some jewelry—a beaded necklace or bracelet perhaps—some vendors will make it to your specifications. While here check out the Hualin Buddhist Temple, a shady retreat from Guangzhou's busy shopping streets.
Getting There:
By subway: Take metro Line 1 to Changshou Lu Station. Follow Changshou Xi Lu to Wenchang Nan Lu, turn right and look for Hualin Lu on the left.
3) Fangcun Tea Market 芳村茶叶城
Teas from all over China can be had at the Fangcun Tea Market, an enormous grouping of shops, malls and stalls along Fangcun Dadao in southwest Guangzhou. Let the vendors invite you in to sample a blend or two, browse tea pots and tea accessories to create your own personal tea set.
Getting There:
By subway: Take metro Line 1 to Fangcun Station, exit C. Turn right and follow the signs over the bridge.
4) Wende Lu Culture Street 文德路文化街
Artists and art lovers will enjoy Wende Lu Culture Street. Shops along this street sell art supplies, from miniature brushes to gigantic ones that could be used as brooms, as well as all kinds of papers and frames to cap off your masterpieces. Prefer to hang someone else's artwork on the wall? No problem, there are plenty of shops selling paintings of many different styles, especially grouped in and around No. 71 Wende Lu. It's only one street down from Guangzhou's most famous pedestrianised fashion shopping street, Beijing Lu.
Getting There:
By Subway: Take metro line 1 or 2 to Gongyuanqian station near Beijing Lu. From Beijing Lu walk east along Zhongshan Lu then turn right on Wende Lu.
5) Haizhu Square and its vicinity
The area around Haizhu Square is full of shopping opportunities. Directly across the street from exit D of Haizhu Guangchang station on line 1 is the Haizhu Accessories Market, a warren of small stalls selling silk flowers, costume jewellery, holiday decorations and a huge variety of other small things. Across Yide Lu from the accessories market is the Guangzhou Metropolis Shoes City, a multilevel building full of footwear that takes up most of the block. Across Jiefang Zhong Lu from the shoe shops you can find Daxin Lu Music Instruments Street. Here musical instruments ranging from the violin to the gu zheng will keep any music lover happy.
Getting There:
By subway: Take metro line 1 to Haizhu Guangchang Station.
6) Zhanxi Lu Fashion Street 站西路
Behind the Guangzhou Long Distance Bus Station is the Zhanxi Lu Fashion Street as well as a huge market dealing in watches and timepieces. Wholesalers and retail vendors sit side by side selling men's and women's fashion from the multilevel malls that line the west end of the street, while watch shops are mostly along the east end of the street.
Getting There:
By subway: Take metro line 2 to Guangzhou Railway Station metro stop, Exit F. Walk up the small hill past the post office.
©
Finding the “Secret” Handicrafts Areas in Guangzhou
While name brand and knock-off shopping is easy in Guangzhou—locals and expats alike seem to live and breathe it—if you're not shopping for fashion, a few passes through the malls of the metropolis can feel like an exercise in monotony. Shoppers who are looking for something unique, especially traditional handicrafts or artwork to give as gifts, might want to look a bit further than the city's shining shopping plazas. Three of the big traditional art forms of Guangzhou are embroidery, carving and enameled ceramics; however shoppers looking to make a unique statement from the Guangdong capital may also consider purchasing jade jewellery or statuary, bronzeware, calligraphy or paintings. When on the hunt for a special gift or an unusual souvenir, here are a few places to check:
1) Chen Clan Academy's Folk Art Museum
Anyone looking for local handmade gifts should swing by the Chen Clan Academy's Folk Art Museum for an orientation in Guangdong handicrafts. Especially interesting here are the miniature carvings and ceramics. It's worth noting that many of the museums in the city, including this one, have gift shops, which feature crafts by local artisans, often at surprisingly reasonable prices.
Add: Chen Clan Academy, Zhongshan Qi Lu, Liwan District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市荔湾区中山七路
Tel: 020 8181 4559
Opening hours: Daily, 08:30-17:30
Price: 10 RMB. Children under 1.2 meters tall get in free.
Getting There: Metro Line 1, Chen Clan Academy station, exit D. Bus No. 85, 88, 104, 107, 109, 114, 128, 133, 181, 193, 204, 233, 250, 251, 260, 268, 286.
2) Changshou Lu Metro Station
The streets both east and west of the Changshou Lu Metro station in Liwan District have plenty of unique shopping opportunities. To the west, at the edge of Liwanhu Park, are clusters of antique dealers and other shops collectively called the Xiguan Guwan Cheng (西关古玩城). Housed in examples of traditional Guangzhou Xiguan architecture, the array of area-specific goodies as well as antiques and antique-looking objects from all over China attracts both domestic and international collectors.
Add: Lizhiwan Lu, Liwan District Guangzhou
地址：广州市荔湾区荔枝湾路
Opening hours: Daily, around 08:30 to 17:30
Getting There: Metro Line 1, Changshou Lu station, Exit B then follow Baoyuan Lu. Bus No. 226, 541, 39 to Hengbao Garden Bus Terminal; bus No. 2, 25, 55 or 66 to Pantang.
3) Hualin Jade Street and Yuansheng Xijie Street
To the west of Changshou Lu are two more major sites for decorative homeware and jewellery. The Hualin Jade Street (华林玉器街), near the Hualin Temple, and neighbouring Yuansheng Xijie Street（源胜西街) feel more like bazaars than the “street” in their names suggests. Find jade and other semi-precious stone curios, jewellery, beads, antique and bronze collectibles, ceramics, brassware and carvings. Wise shoppers will double-check authenticity of any 'antiques' and bargain shrewdly.
Getting There: Take metro Line 1 to Changshou Lu Station (长寿路站). Follow Changshou Xi Lu (长寿西路) to Wenchang Nan Lu (文昌南路), turn right and look for Hualin Lu (华林路) on the left. The handicrafts market area extends south to the intersection with Xiajiu Lu (下九路) and west to Kangwang Lu (康王路).
4) Guangzhou Antique Shop Head Office / Wende Lu Culture Street
The museum-feel Guangzhou Antique Shop Head Office offers impressive examples of Guangdong handicrafts. While in the area shoppers should also visit the Wende Lu Culture Street art market. It has some original calligraphy and paintings as well as reproductions of famous paintings.
Guangzhou Antique Shop Head Office
Add: 172 Wende Bei Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区文德北路172号
Wende Lu Culture Street
Getting There: Take metro line 1 or 2 to Gongyuanqian station (公园前站) near Beijing Lu (北京路). From Beijing Lu walk east along Zhongshan Lu (中山路) then turn right on Wende Lu (文德路).
5) “Cheap” options
For less pricey shopping, the markets near Haizhu Guangchang are sometimes touted as places to buy 'handicrafts', however most of the goods sold there don't really fit the bill. That said at the Haizhu Accessories Market there are some neat souvenirs to be had, especially of the key chain and soft toy variety. These are mostly wholesale distributors, but bargaining for one-offs is often acceptable.
Getting There:
By subway: Metro line 1 to Haizhu Guangchang Station (海珠广场站).
©
1) Chen Clan Academy's Folk Art Museum
Anyone looking for local handmade gifts should swing by the Chen Clan Academy's Folk Art Museum for an orientation in Guangdong handicrafts. Especially interesting here are the miniature carvings and ceramics. It's worth noting that many of the museums in the city, including this one, have gift shops, which feature crafts by local artisans, often at surprisingly reasonable prices.
Add: Chen Clan Academy, Zhongshan Qi Lu, Liwan District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市荔湾区中山七路
Tel: 020 8181 4559
Opening hours: Daily, 08:30-17:30
Price: 10 RMB. Children under 1.2 meters tall get in free.
Getting There: Metro Line 1, Chen Clan Academy station, exit D. Bus No. 85, 88, 104, 107, 109, 114, 128, 133, 181, 193, 204, 233, 250, 251, 260, 268, 286.
2) Changshou Lu Metro Station
The streets both east and west of the Changshou Lu Metro station in Liwan District have plenty of unique shopping opportunities. To the west, at the edge of Liwanhu Park, are clusters of antique dealers and other shops collectively called the Xiguan Guwan Cheng (西关古玩城). Housed in examples of traditional Guangzhou Xiguan architecture, the array of area-specific goodies as well as antiques and antique-looking objects from all over China attracts both domestic and international collectors.
Add: Lizhiwan Lu, Liwan District Guangzhou
地址：广州市荔湾区荔枝湾路
Opening hours: Daily, around 08:30 to 17:30
Getting There: Metro Line 1, Changshou Lu station, Exit B then follow Baoyuan Lu. Bus No. 226, 541, 39 to Hengbao Garden Bus Terminal; bus No. 2, 25, 55 or 66 to Pantang.
3) Hualin Jade Street and Yuansheng Xijie Street
To the west of Changshou Lu are two more major sites for decorative homeware and jewellery. The Hualin Jade Street (华林玉器街), near the Hualin Temple, and neighbouring Yuansheng Xijie Street（源胜西街) feel more like bazaars than the “street” in their names suggests. Find jade and other semi-precious stone curios, jewellery, beads, antique and bronze collectibles, ceramics, brassware and carvings. Wise shoppers will double-check authenticity of any 'antiques' and bargain shrewdly.
Getting There: Take metro Line 1 to Changshou Lu Station (长寿路站). Follow Changshou Xi Lu (长寿西路) to Wenchang Nan Lu (文昌南路), turn right and look for Hualin Lu (华林路) on the left. The handicrafts market area extends south to the intersection with Xiajiu Lu (下九路) and west to Kangwang Lu (康王路).
4) Guangzhou Antique Shop Head Office / Wende Lu Culture Street
The museum-feel Guangzhou Antique Shop Head Office offers impressive examples of Guangdong handicrafts. While in the area shoppers should also visit the Wende Lu Culture Street art market. It has some original calligraphy and paintings as well as reproductions of famous paintings.
Guangzhou Antique Shop Head Office
Add: 172 Wende Bei Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
地址：广州市越秀区文德北路172号
Wende Lu Culture Street
Getting There: Take metro line 1 or 2 to Gongyuanqian station (公园前站) near Beijing Lu (北京路). From Beijing Lu walk east along Zhongshan Lu (中山路) then turn right on Wende Lu (文德路).
5) “Cheap” options
For less pricey shopping, the markets near Haizhu Guangchang are sometimes touted as places to buy 'handicrafts', however most of the goods sold there don't really fit the bill. That said at the Haizhu Accessories Market there are some neat souvenirs to be had, especially of the key chain and soft toy variety. These are mostly wholesale distributors, but bargaining for one-offs is often acceptable.
Getting There:
By subway: Metro line 1 to Haizhu Guangchang Station (海珠广场站).
©
If You Have a Beer in China, Thank a Pole
You enter the gate, up ahead are a cluster of white tents. Soon the distinct smell of barbecue and beer is mixed with noisy conversations and shouts for ganbei. You take a seat with your friends and order a round of cold ones; it’s summer and it’s time to enjoy a beer festival in China.
You don’t have to look hard; it seems every major city in China is holding a beer festival or two these days. Beer is a big hit in China and is surprisingly consumed more than the traditional baijiu (rice liquor). That might seem odd to some; when most people think of beer China is not the first country that usually comes to mind. Yet China is both the largest producer and largest consumer of beer in the world. In 2009, 43 billion liters of beer were made in China alone and some reports predict that by 2015 one in every four beers consumed worldwide will be gulped in the Middle Kingdom.
That is a lot of beer! But how did beer get to be so big in a nation better known for its tea and kungfu kicks?
A little bit of history
Like most ancient civilizations, the Chinese had something that could be considered akin to modern day beer. As early as 7,000 B.C., Chinese were huddled over pots brewing a beer-like drink made of honey, rice and hawthorn fruit. Like early beer consumed in the Middle East, the Chinese often used the potent concoction in ancestor worship and religious rites, possibly even for some ancient beer festivals!
The drink remained in use all the way through the Zhou Dynasty, but then during the Han Dynasty the drink was quickly replaced by the more potent huanjiu (a non-distilled rice wine). By the time the Han Dynasty fell in 220 A.D., knowledge of how to make ancient Chinese beer had disappeared with the sands of time. It would take nearly 1,700 years for beer to make its reemergence in China.
A Russian? A Pole? A lover of beer!
By 1900 the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin was fast becoming a major stop on the Trans-Siberian railroad that connected Imperial Russia with its eastern seaport of Vladivostok. Russians and an odd assortment of eastern Europeans poured into the city which was rapidly developing a more Western feel. One of those that followed the railroad to the orient was a young Pole called Wroblewski. The young Wroblewski quickly noticed the Russian rail workers were hankering for something good to drink, so in 1900 he founded the first modern brewery in China using his Russian name, Ulubulevskij. That brewery is now known as Harbin Brewery and is home to one of China’s most popular modern brews, Harbin Beer.
In 1903, three years after Wroblewski opened the first modern brewery in China, German settlers did something similar in the coastal city of Qingdao when they opened a small brewery to cater to foreign workers in the area; that brewery now produces China’s most famous beer, Tsingtao.
By the formation of the PRC in 1949 these breweries became nationalised, yet beer production remained extremely localised, and was not as popular as the more traditional drinking options of huangjiu and baijiu.
Open and reform…let’s have a beer!
As is the case with many things in China today, the Open and Reform Policy of the late 1970’s completely changed the game for beer in China. As Chinese got more and more disposable income they started drinking more beer. In 1961 the average Chinese drank half a bottle of beer a year and by 1991, a little over ten years after China opened to the world, the average Chinese now consumes 27 bottles a year. Putting it numerically that is an increase from roughly 500 million bottles to nearly 33 billon bottles drank every year.
Foreign beer companies were quick to take notice and soon began to pour into China. By 1999 there were over 60 foreign companies invested in the Chinese beer industry, an increase from four in 1994.
Soon beer barons from the United Kingdom, America, Japan and Belgium were snapping up local Chinese breweries and heavily investing in larger ones like Harbin and Tsingtao. One of the biggest success stories is how UK brewery SABMiller took the little known Chinese beer brand Snow and turned it into the most consumed beer brand in the world in 2008. Even though international taste testers have said Snow “tastes like water”, it remains a big hit in China.
You can have a pale lager, a pale lager or a pale lager
While it is not hard to find a variety of beer brands in China today, it is still difficult to find a variety of beers. That is because almost all beer produced in China is a pale lager: the golden-coloured and hop flavoured goodness that originated in the hills of beer-mad Bavaria.
One reason why pale lager is so popular is because of the nature of the Chinese beer market, which is still fairly fragmented and offers producers low profit margins. In such an environment breweries focus on pale lager because it is cheaper and faster to produce than other types of beer. There are also those who say the Chinese palate might not be well suited for darker, bitterer beers because it reminds them of bitter traditional Chinese medicine.
The major players
So if you find yourself enjoying a nice brew at a beer festival in China this summer, just remember the popularity of beer in modern China would not have been possible without the efforts of an enterprising Pole who, just like the heavily foreign-invested breweries of China today, was just looking for a good way to make a buck from a mass of hot and thirsty workers aching for a good way to kick back and relax.
If You Have a Beer in China, Thank a Pole
Photo: chinadaily
Below are the four most popular beer brands in China today.
1) Snow
Produced by a joint-venture between SABMiller and China Resource Enterprises, the brand was taken from relative obscurity to the number one selling beer brand in the world. According to 2008 figures, it has captured roughly 18% of the Chinese beer market.
2) Tsingtao
There isn’t a foreigner in China who hasn’t enjoyed the crisp taste of a Tsingtao, and if you haven’t then you’re missing out. The brand, which in its history has been owned by Germans, Japanese, Americans and Chinese holders, is the number one Chinese beer overseas. It occupied a little over 13% of the market in 2008.
3) Yanjing
Proud sponsor of the 2008 Olympics, Beijing based Yanjing brewery is one of the cheapest and most widely drunk beers in China. In particular it dominates in northern China. If you live in Beijing, sometimes all a restaurant has is case after case of Yanjing. As of 2008, Yanjing controlled roughly 10.5% of the Chinese market.
4) Harbin
Even though Harbin brewery was the first modern brewery in China it has had a bit of a rocky history. Now, (99.66%) owned by American beer giant Anheuser-Busch, Harbin is making a big push and now controls over 5% of the Chinese market, and considering their recent advertisements in the 2010 World Cup, look for this to grow in the future.
©
You don’t have to look hard; it seems every major city in China is holding a beer festival or two these days. Beer is a big hit in China and is surprisingly consumed more than the traditional baijiu (rice liquor). That might seem odd to some; when most people think of beer China is not the first country that usually comes to mind. Yet China is both the largest producer and largest consumer of beer in the world. In 2009, 43 billion liters of beer were made in China alone and some reports predict that by 2015 one in every four beers consumed worldwide will be gulped in the Middle Kingdom.
That is a lot of beer! But how did beer get to be so big in a nation better known for its tea and kungfu kicks?
A little bit of history
Like most ancient civilizations, the Chinese had something that could be considered akin to modern day beer. As early as 7,000 B.C., Chinese were huddled over pots brewing a beer-like drink made of honey, rice and hawthorn fruit. Like early beer consumed in the Middle East, the Chinese often used the potent concoction in ancestor worship and religious rites, possibly even for some ancient beer festivals!
The drink remained in use all the way through the Zhou Dynasty, but then during the Han Dynasty the drink was quickly replaced by the more potent huanjiu (a non-distilled rice wine). By the time the Han Dynasty fell in 220 A.D., knowledge of how to make ancient Chinese beer had disappeared with the sands of time. It would take nearly 1,700 years for beer to make its reemergence in China.
A Russian? A Pole? A lover of beer!
By 1900 the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin was fast becoming a major stop on the Trans-Siberian railroad that connected Imperial Russia with its eastern seaport of Vladivostok. Russians and an odd assortment of eastern Europeans poured into the city which was rapidly developing a more Western feel. One of those that followed the railroad to the orient was a young Pole called Wroblewski. The young Wroblewski quickly noticed the Russian rail workers were hankering for something good to drink, so in 1900 he founded the first modern brewery in China using his Russian name, Ulubulevskij. That brewery is now known as Harbin Brewery and is home to one of China’s most popular modern brews, Harbin Beer.
In 1903, three years after Wroblewski opened the first modern brewery in China, German settlers did something similar in the coastal city of Qingdao when they opened a small brewery to cater to foreign workers in the area; that brewery now produces China’s most famous beer, Tsingtao.
By the formation of the PRC in 1949 these breweries became nationalised, yet beer production remained extremely localised, and was not as popular as the more traditional drinking options of huangjiu and baijiu.
Open and reform…let’s have a beer!
As is the case with many things in China today, the Open and Reform Policy of the late 1970’s completely changed the game for beer in China. As Chinese got more and more disposable income they started drinking more beer. In 1961 the average Chinese drank half a bottle of beer a year and by 1991, a little over ten years after China opened to the world, the average Chinese now consumes 27 bottles a year. Putting it numerically that is an increase from roughly 500 million bottles to nearly 33 billon bottles drank every year.
Foreign beer companies were quick to take notice and soon began to pour into China. By 1999 there were over 60 foreign companies invested in the Chinese beer industry, an increase from four in 1994.
Soon beer barons from the United Kingdom, America, Japan and Belgium were snapping up local Chinese breweries and heavily investing in larger ones like Harbin and Tsingtao. One of the biggest success stories is how UK brewery SABMiller took the little known Chinese beer brand Snow and turned it into the most consumed beer brand in the world in 2008. Even though international taste testers have said Snow “tastes like water”, it remains a big hit in China.
You can have a pale lager, a pale lager or a pale lager
While it is not hard to find a variety of beer brands in China today, it is still difficult to find a variety of beers. That is because almost all beer produced in China is a pale lager: the golden-coloured and hop flavoured goodness that originated in the hills of beer-mad Bavaria.
One reason why pale lager is so popular is because of the nature of the Chinese beer market, which is still fairly fragmented and offers producers low profit margins. In such an environment breweries focus on pale lager because it is cheaper and faster to produce than other types of beer. There are also those who say the Chinese palate might not be well suited for darker, bitterer beers because it reminds them of bitter traditional Chinese medicine.
The major players
So if you find yourself enjoying a nice brew at a beer festival in China this summer, just remember the popularity of beer in modern China would not have been possible without the efforts of an enterprising Pole who, just like the heavily foreign-invested breweries of China today, was just looking for a good way to make a buck from a mass of hot and thirsty workers aching for a good way to kick back and relax.
If You Have a Beer in China, Thank a Pole
Photo: chinadaily
Below are the four most popular beer brands in China today.
1) Snow
Produced by a joint-venture between SABMiller and China Resource Enterprises, the brand was taken from relative obscurity to the number one selling beer brand in the world. According to 2008 figures, it has captured roughly 18% of the Chinese beer market.
2) Tsingtao
There isn’t a foreigner in China who hasn’t enjoyed the crisp taste of a Tsingtao, and if you haven’t then you’re missing out. The brand, which in its history has been owned by Germans, Japanese, Americans and Chinese holders, is the number one Chinese beer overseas. It occupied a little over 13% of the market in 2008.
3) Yanjing
Proud sponsor of the 2008 Olympics, Beijing based Yanjing brewery is one of the cheapest and most widely drunk beers in China. In particular it dominates in northern China. If you live in Beijing, sometimes all a restaurant has is case after case of Yanjing. As of 2008, Yanjing controlled roughly 10.5% of the Chinese market.
4) Harbin
Even though Harbin brewery was the first modern brewery in China it has had a bit of a rocky history. Now, (99.66%) owned by American beer giant Anheuser-Busch, Harbin is making a big push and now controls over 5% of the Chinese market, and considering their recent advertisements in the 2010 World Cup, look for this to grow in the future.
©
How to Always / Only Use VPN Connection
VPNs are great for added security when using the Internet - but what about when the VPN drops or disconnects? Unfortunately, if you use Windows (any version), any running application (for example, BitTorrent, your browser) will revert to using your ISP connection, exposing your IP address and opening you up to security and privacy issues. Windows will not prevent traffic in the event of a disconnect.
There are many guides found online to prevent this using third-party firewalls such as Comodo, or using a third-party applications such as VPNetMon or VPNCheck (neither of which I know anything about, and cannot speak to their reliability or safety).
This guide will show you how to configure Windows 7 Firewall to block any specified application (I have used Firefox as an example - but you can pick any application, e.g. utorrent or your preferred torrent client) from using your ISP connection, and permit it to connect the the Internet using only the VPN connection. Users who are unfamiliar with the basic aspects of Windows 7 Firewall may wish to consult this guide. Unfortunately, this will not work with the built-in firewall in Windows XP or Vista.
If the method described below does not work for you (or perhaps you don't want to mess with your firewall, or you use Windows XP / 2000 / Vista / Mac OS X), consider using ProXPN VPN, which offers a client with VPN Guard, which will close any selected applications immediately in the event of an unexpected disconnection.
ProXPN offers PPTP / OpenVPN, a dead simple-to-use client and VPN Guard.
Preliminary Considerations:
1. If you use an antivirus program such as avast! that has a Web Shield / Filter that passes HTTP traffic through an antivirus/malware scan, you may want to consider this post.
2. The IPv6 functionality in Windows 7 can also leak IP information - you may wish to disable it - see the guide here.
3. After you complete the steps in this guide, you may want to consider adding a rule to block all traffic that does not match a rule to the Domain and Private profile. See the guide here.
4. If you want to create these rules for one user account, and maintain less strict rules for another user account, please see this post.
5. If you are blocking a torrent application such as uTorrent, you'll want to disable uTP, DHT, UPnP, Local Peer Discovery and IPv6.
Steps:
1. Connect to your VPN as you normally would.
2. Open the Network and Sharing Center - right-click on the Internet connection icon in the taskbar and choose "Open Network and Sharing Center" (see below)
3. You should see (at least) two networks listed under "View Your Active Networks" - your VPN connection and one called "Network" - a.k.a. your ISP Connection. Ensure that your VPN is a "Public Network", and your ISP connection is "Home Network". If you need to change either connection, click it and an option window will appear (see below).
4. Go to the Control Panel and click System and Security (see below).
5. In the resulting window, click Windows Firewall (see below).
6. In the Windows Firewall window, click Advanced Settings on the left pane (see below).
Note: You must be logged in as an Adminstrator to make changes to the Firewall Settings.
7. You should see a window titled Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. In this window, click Inbound Rules (see below).
8. On the right pane, you will see an option for a New Rule. Click it (see below).
9. In the New Inbound Rule Wizard (which should appear), do the following:
Choose Program and click Next.
Choose the program you wish to block all traffic to except on the VPN connection, and click next.
Choose Block the Connection.
Tick Domain and Private. Make sure Public is left unticked.
10. Repeat Step 9 for Outbound Rules.
When all of the above steps are complete, you should test the configuration. Run the application you made the rule for, and test that it is working when the VPN is connected. Start a download, and then disconnect from the VPN. If all is configured properly, the download should die immediately as the firewall will immediately block it from using your ISP-assigned IP address. If you wish to monitor traffic closely, use TCPView.
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There are many guides found online to prevent this using third-party firewalls such as Comodo, or using a third-party applications such as VPNetMon or VPNCheck (neither of which I know anything about, and cannot speak to their reliability or safety).
This guide will show you how to configure Windows 7 Firewall to block any specified application (I have used Firefox as an example - but you can pick any application, e.g. utorrent or your preferred torrent client) from using your ISP connection, and permit it to connect the the Internet using only the VPN connection. Users who are unfamiliar with the basic aspects of Windows 7 Firewall may wish to consult this guide. Unfortunately, this will not work with the built-in firewall in Windows XP or Vista.
If the method described below does not work for you (or perhaps you don't want to mess with your firewall, or you use Windows XP / 2000 / Vista / Mac OS X), consider using ProXPN VPN, which offers a client with VPN Guard, which will close any selected applications immediately in the event of an unexpected disconnection.
ProXPN offers PPTP / OpenVPN, a dead simple-to-use client and VPN Guard.
Preliminary Considerations:
1. If you use an antivirus program such as avast! that has a Web Shield / Filter that passes HTTP traffic through an antivirus/malware scan, you may want to consider this post.
2. The IPv6 functionality in Windows 7 can also leak IP information - you may wish to disable it - see the guide here.
3. After you complete the steps in this guide, you may want to consider adding a rule to block all traffic that does not match a rule to the Domain and Private profile. See the guide here.
4. If you want to create these rules for one user account, and maintain less strict rules for another user account, please see this post.
5. If you are blocking a torrent application such as uTorrent, you'll want to disable uTP, DHT, UPnP, Local Peer Discovery and IPv6.
Steps:
1. Connect to your VPN as you normally would.
2. Open the Network and Sharing Center - right-click on the Internet connection icon in the taskbar and choose "Open Network and Sharing Center" (see below)
3. You should see (at least) two networks listed under "View Your Active Networks" - your VPN connection and one called "Network" - a.k.a. your ISP Connection. Ensure that your VPN is a "Public Network", and your ISP connection is "Home Network". If you need to change either connection, click it and an option window will appear (see below).
4. Go to the Control Panel and click System and Security (see below).
5. In the resulting window, click Windows Firewall (see below).
6. In the Windows Firewall window, click Advanced Settings on the left pane (see below).
Note: You must be logged in as an Adminstrator to make changes to the Firewall Settings.
7. You should see a window titled Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. In this window, click Inbound Rules (see below).
8. On the right pane, you will see an option for a New Rule. Click it (see below).
9. In the New Inbound Rule Wizard (which should appear), do the following:
Choose Program and click Next.
Choose the program you wish to block all traffic to except on the VPN connection, and click next.
Choose Block the Connection.
Tick Domain and Private. Make sure Public is left unticked.
10. Repeat Step 9 for Outbound Rules.
When all of the above steps are complete, you should test the configuration. Run the application you made the rule for, and test that it is working when the VPN is connected. Start a download, and then disconnect from the VPN. If all is configured properly, the download should die immediately as the firewall will immediately block it from using your ISP-assigned IP address. If you wish to monitor traffic closely, use TCPView.
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How to Disable IPv6 and Teredo in Windows 7
Steps to Disable IPv6 stack and Teredo Tunnelling Protocol in Windows 7
There are privacy issues abounds related to the Windows 7 implementation of IPv6. I won't get into them here, I'm assuming if you're reading this page, you are aware of these issues and wish to disable it.
If you need a desk reference for tweaking Windows 7, consider Windows 7 Tweaks: A Comprehensive Guide. It's a lot better than the O'Reilly Windows 7 book, and it's cheaper too.
(NOTE: You must be logged in as a Administrator to make these changes.)
To Disable IPv6 stack:
1. Open the Registry Editor. (Start -> type "regedit" in search box)
2. Find the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters\
3. Right-click on "Parameters", and select "New", and then "DWORD (32-bit) value"
4. Enter the following in the resulting window:
DisabledComponents
5. Modify the DisabledComponents key by right-clicking it. Enter the following hexadecimal value:
0xffffffff
Upon entering this value, it may display as "0x41ffffff".
Some web pages say you should enter a "0" here, but that actually will enable IPv6.
To Disable Teredo Tunneling Protocol:
1. Click Start -> Control Panel
2. Click System and Security
3. Click Device Manager (the UAC prompt will appear, click OK)
4. In the Device Manager Windows, click View -> Show Hidden Devices
5. Find the Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface in Network Adapters
6. Right-click Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface, and select Disable.
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There are privacy issues abounds related to the Windows 7 implementation of IPv6. I won't get into them here, I'm assuming if you're reading this page, you are aware of these issues and wish to disable it.
If you need a desk reference for tweaking Windows 7, consider Windows 7 Tweaks: A Comprehensive Guide. It's a lot better than the O'Reilly Windows 7 book, and it's cheaper too.
(NOTE: You must be logged in as a Administrator to make these changes.)
To Disable IPv6 stack:
1. Open the Registry Editor. (Start -> type "regedit" in search box)
2. Find the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters\
3. Right-click on "Parameters", and select "New", and then "DWORD (32-bit) value"
4. Enter the following in the resulting window:
DisabledComponents
5. Modify the DisabledComponents key by right-clicking it. Enter the following hexadecimal value:
0xffffffff
Upon entering this value, it may display as "0x41ffffff".
Some web pages say you should enter a "0" here, but that actually will enable IPv6.
To Disable Teredo Tunneling Protocol:
1. Click Start -> Control Panel
2. Click System and Security
3. Click Device Manager (the UAC prompt will appear, click OK)
4. In the Device Manager Windows, click View -> Show Hidden Devices
5. Find the Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface in Network Adapters
6. Right-click Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface, and select Disable.
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Check VPN & Proxy Torrent Ip Address Bittorrent Service
How does CheckMyTorrentIP work?
CheckMyTorrentIP is a torrent tracker that lets you download a legal torrent file created uniquely for you. Because no one other than you has this torrent and since there are no seeders, the torrent will not download and never complete and will remain active in your queue as long as you wish. You'll see your torrent IP within your torrent client and you can come back here to see your torrent IP history. I created this site after a friend found it difficult to constantly monitor his setup and kept asking me for help. The site is a free service and there are no gimmicks, just pay it forward.But I'm using a VPN or Proxy, isn't my privacy 100% safe guarded?
Maybe, maybe not. This FAQ details many ways your IP address can leak and explain what steps you can take to prevent it. By checking your torrent IP address over a period of time, you can verify if there are any holes in your security practices. If you're not a techie, have a friend help diagnose your connection.Why can't I just use a web browser or other program to check my IP?
See the next question that gives examples where a web browser fails to help you. Also keep in mind that you can't manually check your IP with a browser 24x7 and your torrent client may be setup to use a different IP address.How can my IP address be exposed if I'm using a VPN or Proxy?
There are many ways, here are some different scenarios, feel free to send in any others you know about and suggestions.VPNs - There are many types of VPNs, the two most prevalent types are PPTP and OpenVPN. While each has their advantages and drawbacks, all suffer from the same weakness, at one point or another the connection will drop and this may expose your personal IP address (Note: VPNs enjoy dropping while you're tucked in bed catching up on ZZZzzzs). To completely prevent exposing your IP address you'll need to modify your routes or use a firewall program to do this for you. See below in another question for more details on securing a VPN.
Proxies - Again there are many variations but the most popular by far is a socks proxy. The proxy can be a remote host or exist locally via an ssh tunnel. If your proxy is incorrectly configured or unknowingly unset you may expose your IP address. Also always be sure to disable DHT, uTP, udp trakers, udp peers, and UPnP in your client otherwise you will mostly likely leak your IP address even if your proxy is configured correctly. Please see below in another question for more details on securing your proxy and DHT/UPnP.
Firewall - Some users use a software or hardware firewall to route torrent traffic through a secure connection and other traffic (like web) through the local connection. The configuration can be incorrect or become undone.
Relative or Friend - You may have the most secure setup but all it takes is a lovely relative or friend to misunderstand/forget your clear simple instructions and expose your IP address.
Torrent client software bug - There are plenty of torrent clients, and new ones coming out all the time, some are specialized or experimental, others tout better performance. As long as you stick to established mature software, this shouldn't affect you. But for the bold and daring, make sure to always test the proxy/forwarding/hider feature.
Being an exit node on private P2P - There is a new wave of public/private P2P networks (not Tor) that anonymize your traffic in return for you anonymizing other user's traffic. There have been and currently exists bugs that incorrectly route your traffic to the point of making you the exit node of your own traffic!
Unknowingly using employer's VPN - Some computers have multiple VPN configurations installed and you could inadvertently be using the wrong VPN.
Please share your other scenarios at email: mytorrentip at gmail dot com.
By monitoring your torrent IP address, you can definitely improve your setup and curb poor habits.
What do you do with my IP information?
Your IP records are deleted as soon as you select delete from the "Check IP" tab, or if there is no activity on that passkey after 30 days. Please don't ask to have your IP data back, I can't get to it.My browser IP was detected by UDP?
As long as your browser IP shown is not your personal IP you are okay. If the browser IP is yours and it was detected on UDP then your torrent client is not configured properly or leaking your personal IP. To disable UDP look in your client settings and disable udp trackers, uTP, or DHT. Because UDP packets are not tied to a passkey, someone else on your IP address may be triggering this alert. UDP logs are deleted every 2 hours so after you've reset your settings check again after 2 hours. See below for more details on UDP.What do the YES/NO in the UDP column mean?
Torrent clients use UDP for DHT, udp trackers, and client connections. These udp packets may not be protected. For example some versions of Utorrent will send UDP packets using your own IP even if you set it to use another IP by using a proxy. Clients based on libtorrent from Rasterbar such as Deluge are safer since UDP support is very mature. Even if on the latest version of uTorrent or Rasterbar based clients, sometimes the proxy can have UDP security holes (like with SS5 proxies).If the UDP column shows NO, then you are good because we did NOT detect UDP packets with that IP address in the past 2 hours.
If the UDP column shows YES, then you need to decide if that is good or bad because we detected UDP packets with that IP address in the past 2 hours. As long as the IP address on that column is not yours then that is good.
To disable UDP look in your client settings and disable udp trackers, uTP, and DHT. Because UDP packets are not tied to a passkey, someone else on your IP address may be triggering this alert. Our UDP tracker and DHT node will deleted the UDP logs every 2 hours so after you've reset your settings check the website again after 2 hours.
Why is the udp tracker not responding and timing out with "Connection timed out."?
In the current implementation the server is acting as a DHT node and a udp tracker at the same time (and on the same port) and for this reason it only listens to your packets and doesn't send anything back to you. This is why it is timing out and that is okay. Your client will attempt to reconnect again after about 20 minutes.I am an uploader, may I add this site to my torrent announce?
Yes, you can add http://checkmytorrentip.com/announce.php as one of your announce trackers and your torrent users will see their IP in their client. Note that since no passkey is being used, no logs will be kept. Do not use a passkey otherwise once we detect more than 50 IPs the passkey will be nullified, all logs will be deleted so that wide spread tracking is not possible, and all users using that passkey will get an error.How do I find my passkey?
Normally you don't need to know your passkey as it'll automatically be found for you each time you visit this site (it's saved in your browser cookies). If you've deleted your cookies, you can find the 32 character passkey in your torrent client's properties. Usually it'll be under a setting similar to below. Right click to copy & paste rather than typing it out
Where do I find my IP within my torrent application?
Usually it'll be under a tracker property called "Status". Some clients constantly show the Status (utorrent), others show a popup (Vuze / Azureus), and others don't show it at all (Bitcomet). To be tested: Transmission Mac, Xunlei (Thunder). The message will start with "Warning", but ignore the warning, it's just a note. The full message is "Warning your torrent client ip is".
How can I secure my VPN?
There are 4 good ways.1. Use VPN Netmon to close your app when your connection drops.
2. You can use a firewall. See tutorial using Comodo http://tinyurl.com/624ot2
3. Try a well configured OpenVPN client over PPTP. There are 2 reasons for this. Some OpenVPN configs won't drop your routes while reconnecting where as PPTP always drops your routes while reconnecting. This is an extra layer but I have seen OpenVPN eventually give up/crash and then you're still exposed. Next, DNS request go through your main connection and not PPTP.
4. Use the route command. Here's a tutorial I wrote for XP / VISTA / Windows 7:
How can I secure my proxy?
There are various types of proxies and the discussion here is limited to the socks proxy. Follow these 3 steps:1. To achieve maximum privacy, disable DHT, uTP, UDP peers, and UPnP/NAT-PMP unless you know what you are doing. DHT in non-recent versions of uTorrent can bypass your proxy settings and will advertise your local IP address. Clients based on libtorrent from Rasterbar such as Deluge are safer since UDP support is very mature. Even if on the latest version of uTorrent or Rasterbar based clients, sometimes the proxy can have UDP security holes (like with SS5 proxies). UPnP/NAT-PMP will open the ports on your router/firewall automatically and allow peers to connect to you directly. It is suggested to disable UPnP/NAT-PMP in your torrent client and also on your router.
2. Use a proxy that handles both tracker and peer communication. Some proxies offer a "basic" service that only proxifies tracker communication. Don't subscribe to this as the peers will contact your personal IP address.
3. Ensure that you've enabled and configured your proxy in your bitorrent client as per the instructions provided by your provider, and that it hasn't been unset by another user or reinstallation/updates.
How secure is my passkey?
It's so secure that it is the method employed be all private trackers. There are 16^32 combinations, in decimal that is the same number as IPv6 addresses: 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456. That is more than all the atoms on the surface of one hundred earths. In english, it is 340 undecillion, 282 decillion, 366 nonillion, 920 octillion, 938 septillion, 463 sextillion, 463 quintillion, 374 quadrillion, 607 trillion, 431 billion, 768 million, 211 thousand and 456...try saying that out loud three times!I get a "Passkey deleted" error in my client. What does this mean?
If you're the average user you'll never get this error. If we detect you've used more than 50 IP addresses the passkey is nullified, all history is deleted, and you'll get this error. You'll need to generate a new passkey. We do this to prevent widespread tracking. We do not provide an option to disable this feature.What does the "Test xxx times" dynamic number represent?
Every time the server gets a request for an IP check (TCP announce only, not UDP) from any torrent client it increments the counter by one. This number is then updated on the website every 20 minutes. The old server could only handle a few connections and had to throttle connections. On Dec 12th 2010 we moved to a newer better server and now has no connection throttling, hence the higher counter rate.Credits
I leveraged several tools and tutorials to create this site and I'd like to give them credit:Geolocation
Tabs
Shield & background
Button
Tables
Badge
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