Looking for a calligraphy shop in Beijing

[Tomsima]

Did a quick search on the forums and couldn't find anything specific, was hoping someone might be able to help out.

 

I'm in Beijing for the next few days and was wondering if anyone knows any good shops for buying calligraphy supplies. To be specific, I am looking to get a good 硯台, and there's no better substitute for going to a good professional store and taking a look personally. Any recommendations would be appreciated, thank you!

[Publius]

Emm, 榮寶齋? Or other stores at 琉璃廠. Or 王府井工藝美術大廈. Or the stores around 美術館. They are all relatively high-end. Be prepared for a sticker shock...

[Tomsima]

Thanks! No worries, the price tag is always gonna be killer, want to have a look around anyway for reference

[Publius]

Yes, have a walk around 琉璃廠. Just don't buy anything rashly.

[889]

There are also some shops at 潘家园, if you're in Beijing over a weekend.

 

At 琉璃厂 there seem to be two kinds of shops: those with vastly inflated prices that expect you to negotiate down, and those with somewhat high but relatively fixed prices. The traditional shops that look state-owned tend to be more reliable, but sometimes they let out counter space to private dealers, so you can never be sure.

 

But as said, there's no substitute for spending a day or two browsing. (I've been browsing for years, and've never found an inkstone I like at the right price.)

[Tomsima]

Small update: had a great day trooping around the calligraphy stores at 琉璃廠, 榮寶齋 is huge, it seemed to go on for a whole street. Didn't buy anything in the end, as the choice is never ending and I never settled, that and many of the 硯台 were way too over the top, no practical ones that were good quality 荖坑, gonna go back home and get the one that my teacher had previously offered me.

 

As an additional, the 中國書店 was absolutely fantastic, I already went to one yesterday, but the one at 琉璃廠 is just something else. I'm a big fan of 線裝書 and there were loads of (incredibly expensive) old ones everywhere to look at. Just got back after a walk through the small hutongs by 永和宮 and a great meal at a Japanese restaurant (提香).

 

First time to Beijing and today has been a great day. Thank you!

[Lu]

I love Liulichang even if it's just for browsing. It's like a huge free museum where you can touch the exhibits. I bought a Tang sancai horse there a few years ago, excavated near Xi'an a few years before that. After being buried near Xi'an for ten years. All those shops are modestly sized on street level, but have a big basement with any pottery and art you can think of. All of it fake, but to my untrained eyes it was as pretty as the real thing. And the calligraphy shops are great too, all those art books and example books, beautiful.