The Panjiayuan antique market (), sometimes known as the dirt market, is an open-air market in Panjiayuan Subdistrict, Beijing. It is the largest flea market in Beijing, and one of the largest in China. Vendors sell objects such as books, paintings, and handicrafts, many of which are antiques.
It is located in southeast Beijing, near the Panjiayuan Bridge, East 3rd Ring Road South, Chaoyang District. It covers an area of , of which are for business. There are about 4,000 stalls in the market.
The market is large and open-air. Markets like the Panjiayuan market are often visited by historians and collectors seeking MaoâÂÂera art and literature. Many objects at the market are counterfeits or replicas, though older documents are often authentic.
The market is divided into five parts:
Middle Area has four zones:
Products sold at the market include: snuff bottles made in Hengshui, Yangliuqing New Year paintings, embroidery made in Jiangsu, wood carvings from Dongyang, stone carvings from Quyang, shadow play paraphernalia from Shandong, porcelain and crystal ornaments from Jiangxi, boccaro wares from Yixing, bronze wares from Shaanxi, costumes from Yunnan, Tibetan Buddhist articles, white jade from Xinjiang, and Jiaozhi pottery from Taiwan. These folk handicrafts are gathered in the market before being distributed all over the world.
The market was officially established in 1992, having begun informally as an early-morning "ghost market" in the early 1980s. Over time, it became more popular than Liulichang shops.
In preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics, the market was redeveloped in the mid-2000s.
As trade in folk antiques and handiwork grew, it had become a large antique and handiwork market spreading folk culture in 2002. Many Chinese antique collectors believe that they started their career in Panjiayuan.
The market is often visited by international tourists, and has been visited by foreign leaders such as Hillary Clinton, Chandrika Kumaratunga, and Costas Simitis.