Rubbing Shoulders with Monks at Beijing Temples
Rubbing Shoulders with Monks at Beijing Temples: Among the capital's temples that have once again become genuine places of worship as well as tourist attractions, the Yonghe Gong has an active and approachable community of Tibetan monks (although under careful scrutiny by the authorities), while leafy Fayuan Si houses amicable Chinese Buddhist monks in Beijing's most venerable temple. Baiyun Guan is the Daoist alternative, where blue-frocked monks wear their hair in the rarely seen traditional manner -- long and tied in a bun at the top of the head. Bargaining for Fakes: At Panjiayuan Jiuhuo Shichang, the first asking prices for foreigners are at least 10 to 15 times those asked of Chinese, but this weekend market has the city's best selection of bric-a-brac, including row upon crowded row of calligraphy, jewelry, ceramics, teapots, ethnic clothing, Buddha statues, paper lanterns, Cultural Revolution memorabilia, army belts, little wooden boxes, Ming- and Qing-style furniture, old pipes, opium scales, painted human skulls, and more conventional souvenirs. A similar, but more intimate market at Baoguo Si Wenhua Gongyipin Shichang is set in the grounds of an ancient temple, and is open all week long. Bargaining fun can also be had at Yaxiu Fuzhuang Shichang, a hunting ground for souvenirs and gifts including kites, calligraphy materials, army surplus gear, tea sets, and farmer's paintings from Xi'an. The basement and the first two floors house a predictable but comprehensive collection of imitation and pilfered brand-name clothing, shoes, and luggage. Starting prices are increasingly imaginative, however.
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