time-honored brands.doc

Beijing’s Time-honored Brands The iconic Rui Fu Xiang. Time-honored brands (laozihao 老字号) are as integral to Beijing culture as its many monuments, parks and temples. Dealing in goods as varied as paintings, medicine, hats and shoes, many of these stores are experiencing a renaissance as the spiffed up modern Beijing clings proudly to its roots. Below is a list of a few of the most famous ones. Rui Fu Xiang This iconic store in Qianmen’s Dashilan’r area has been open since 1893 and is famous for its high-quality colored cloth fabrics, Suzhou silk, leather, exquisite satins缎 and fine tailoring services. Walmart founder Sam Walton cited Rui Fu Xiang’s development as a key influence on his business, and the store still dominates the local silk market to this day.Daily 9.30am-6pm. 5 Dashila Jie, Xuanwu District. (6303 5313) 瑞蚨祥. 宣武区大栅栏街5号 Sheng Xi Fu The Wangfujing hat store opened in 1911 and is renowned for its high-quality materials and fine craftsmanship. Long line of famous customers include Mao Zedong himself. Today, in addition to its stock of traditional Chinese hats, Sheng Xi Fu also makes trendy and foreign-style hats, including everything from cowboy hats to Jewish yarmulkes圆顶小帽and Turkish fezzes毡帽. Fine fur hats for winter are sold on the second level.Daily 8.30am-9pm. 196 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District. (6525 4752, 6513 0620) 盛锡福. 东城区王府井大街196号 Tong Ren TangTong Ren Tang was established in 1669 under the reign of the Kangxi emperor and is one of China’s most famous laozihao brands – synonymous with traditional Chinese medicine. Today one of its major stakeholders is Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing and the business plans to develop modern wellness centers with spa-like温泉 facilities. The three-story Dashilan’r branch is Tong Ren Tang’s best-known Beijing outlet, selling traditional medicines of all sorts, patented pills for an assortment of ailments, and offers zhua yao (herb mixing 抓药) services.Daily 8am-7.30pm. 24 Dashilan’r Jie, Qianmen, X