The Hidden Markets of China

     Here recently, we have discovered some random markets that are quickly becoming some of our favorite spots. Actually, it’s not fair to say we discovered them, as we were actually first taken by coworkers who have been here for a while now. Finding them on our own would have been tricky and navigating them successfully would have been nearly impossible without guidance the first time. The first of which is the street food market. Tucked away in a back alley a few blocks from the school, we must have passed by it dozens of times before anyone actually told us it was there. Homemade dumplings, noodles, and soups, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables can be bought in the market for mere pocket change. The noodle lady I go to will make a heaping pile of home-made, stir fried noodles for only 6 RMB (about a buck). You start by picking from a variety of noodle types, then choose from about a dozen additional ingredients you want to go in. She fries them up right in front of you and ties it up in a neat container to take home. Right next to her is my new best friend in China, the dumpling lady. She makes all the dough from scratch and you choose either pork or veggies to go in the dumplings. She boils them up and gives you a massive bowl for 8 RMB. There are lots of other vendors making other dishes, some of which look pretty good but others not so much. I’ve just stuck with the noodles and dumplings so far and have been visiting the street market about twice a week recently.

     Another shop we’ve been frequenting lately is the DVD store in town. It’s not really hidden per-say, but it is just a tiny little store that is easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. They have a wide selection of western movies, including ones that are still in theatres. After a movie comes out in theatres in the US, it is usually only a week or so before you can get it on DVD in China. The cost is 6 RMB a disc and you can pretty much find any movie or TV series you want. On our latest trip, we picked up Captain Phillips, Gravity, Thor 2, The Hangover 3, Elysium, and the last season of Breaking Bad (yes, the one that ended only like a month ago). I have no idea how they get on DVD so fast here but the quality has been excellent on all of them. You just have to be willing to ignore the Chinese subtitles on the bottom. For $1 a disc, I’m ok with it.

     Lastly, we have to get out of Kunshan and into Shanghai for the “fake” markets.  Hidden away at random subway stops, there is a huge network of shops selling all kinds of products that are complete knock-offs. Rolex and Tag Heuer watches, Prada purses, and Ray Ban sunglasses are a few of the items you can get a the market...again, all 100% fake. I actually saw a woman sewing an “Ugg” logo onto a pair of boots once. On our last trip, I picked up a couple Under Armour and Titleist dry-fit polos for 50 RMB each, as well as some silk ties for 20 RMB each. There are also a lot of souvenir-ish type products like chopsticks, tea-sets, and traditional Chinese dresses. The most fun part about the fake market is that all prices are negotiable. There is a great deal of haggling going on and if you don’t barter correctly you will end up paying 3x higher or more than you should. The general rule of thumb is to knock off 50% of the asking price right off the bat. If you can’t get them to agree to a price you want, just walk away and chances are they will chase you down and finally agree to the price. It’s a lot of fun haggling with them.

     But our favorite part of the fake market is the custom tailor shop. Unlike the products in the rest of the market, the tailor will take measurements and sew custom clothes that are of great quality. I had three button down shirts made for 100 RMB (about $17) each. They have a huge book of fabric samples and you just choose the fabric and pattern you want your shirts to be. I also took my suit coat and Chelsea took a dress to be taken in. They will also make some top notch 3 piece suits for around $150-$200, depending on the style you want. We will definitely be going back to have more clothes made in the future. The even deliver them back to the school in Kunshan for a minimum fee.

     Like I mentioned before, all of these markets can be really hard to find on your own. And even if we had happened to stumble upon them on our own, we would have been lost on what to do. It makes me wonder what other kinds of hidden markets are out there for us to find!

Hunter