With the highest living cost in China, Shanghainese developed several methods to get by. One of the most effective ways is to visit the flea market and make a bargain.

Permanent markets exist in Shanghai as well as the regular ones. Permanent markets could be classified into three main categories: book fairs; furniture and antique markets; electronic devices and grocery marts, the biggest scale above all.

Permanent markets

Book Fair

1.Wen Miao (Shanghai Confusion Temple )
Location: 215 Wenmiao Road, Huangpu District
Transportation: Bus No.541, 798 -- Laoximen Station
Metro line 8 and 10 -- Laoximen Station
Business Time: 7:30-16:00 on Sunday
Ticket Price: RMB1 for book fair only; RMB10 access to the temple visiting

The Wen Miao book fair might be the largest outdoor second-hand book fair in Shanghai, 50 stalls enable us to spend a whole day searching for cheap books. Apart from its size, books there various from traditional thread binding books from Ming Dynasty, the Quotation from Chairman Mao during the Cultural Revolution to the Kung Fu novels written by contemporary authors and etc. Besides books, we could find ancient maps, letters and photos as well. Books in foreign languages, such as English and Japanese, could also be found; Greek and Roman Mythology cost only 4 Yuan. However, books published before the establishment of People's Republic of China might be costly. For instance, a series of traditional Chinese comic books Shuo Yue Quan Zhuan (14 volumes) published in Republic of China regime costs 130 Yuan. If over-expenditure, bargain is encouraged.

2.Shanghai Foreign Book Company–second-hand book branch
Location: 36 South Shanxi Road, Huangpu District
Telephone: (021)63607713
Transportation: Bus No. 220–Middle Henan Road East Nanjing Road
No.167–Fuzhou Road Middle Fujian Road
Metro line 2 and 10–East Nanjing Road
Business Time: 9:00-18:30

Though limited by space, the store is abundant in stockage. At shop front, we could easily found piles of back issues, such as ''The Economist'', ''Newsweek'', ''Time'', ''PARIS'' ''MATCH'', ''National Geographic'' and etc., with 10 to 20 Yuan for sale. Looking up around the book shelves, books on business, advertisement, design and financial classified well with the prize labels. Picking a book named ''Why Do I Love These People?'' by Po Bronson, we surprisingly found it only takes 25 Yuan (the original retail price: 107 Yuan,). Bargains are forbiddened as almost all books there already have a 70% to 80% off.

Electronic Devices and grocery market

1. Qiujiang Road Electronic Market is the largest electronic flea market in Shanghai which is famous for its low price and superb collection. That is to say, if Qiujiang Road Market cannot meet our needs yet, nowhere in Shanghai will do. The market consists of three main fairs with colossal reserve: New Qiujiang Electronic Mart, Haizheng Digital Square and Shanghai Acoustic City.

(1) New Qiujiang Electronic Mart
Location: 500-526 Qiujiang Road, Hongkou District
Transportation: Bus No.65, 167, 854, 939, 21, 52
Metro Line 10-- North Sichuan Road
Business Time: 9:00-18:30

(2) Haizheng Digital Square
Location: 525 Qiujiang Road, Hongkou District
(Opposite to New Qiujiang Electronic Mart)
Transportation: Bus No.65, 167, 854, 939, 21, 52
Metro Line 10--North Sichuan Road
Business Time: 9:00-18:30

(3) Shanghai Acoustic City
Location: 702 Qiujiang Road
(on the west side of Haizheng Digital Square)
Transportation: Bus No.65, 167, 854, 939, 21, 52
Metro Line 10--North Sichuan Road
Characteristic: Composed of scattered stall and private stores
Selling all kinds of acoustic appliances, CD and DVD

2. Wanshang Second-hand products exchange Market
Location: 14 West Fangbang Road, Huangpu District
1028 Renming Road, Huangpu District
Transportation: Metro Line 10–Yu Yuan
Bus No.11, 18, 135, 220,304, 537, 736, 782, 911--Laoximen

With only one floor, Wanshang market is much smaller than Qiujiang Road market, but it meets the needs for people live in south of Shanghai. 2800 Yuan for a second-hand iPhone4 might be really tempting for people with a tight budget. Additionally, any bicycle spare parts could be found here.

3 The Underground Market at Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
Location：2002 Pudong Century Avenue,Pudong District

Telephone:021-68542230
Transportation:Metro line 2,4,and 6-Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
Business Time: 10:00-20:00(Monday to Thursday，10:00-20:30 Friday to Saturday)
This place is known as the“SciTech Fake Market”by the laowai and has all your basic“fake market”staples like knockoff shoes (UGGS, Converse and Vans galore, don't pay more than 60RMB), polo shirts, watches, bags, and DVDs that either“fell of the truck”or are counterfeit. But what makes SciTech stand out from other underground markets is it's one of the best places to buy inexpensive touristy gifts, cheap toys, winter clothing, and luggage. Yet another thing that stands out is that it seems to be one of the easiest places to bargain.

Furniture and Antique market

A piece of suitable furniture would surely improve our living standard. It must be wasteful to buy new ones for temporary residence in China. Where could we touch furniture of high quality and low price? And where could you detect precious antique supposing that you are fans of Chinese culture?

1.Stores along West Jianguo Road
There remain many mini stores on the street. West Jianguo Road is one of the typical.

(1) Shanghai Shenhui Tiaoji Center
Location: 604-608 West Jianguo Road, Xuhui District
Transportation: Metro Line1--Hengshan Road
Metro Line7 and 9--Zhaojiabang Road
Telephone: (021)64333653

The market is made up by two stores. One sold modern second-hand furniture, the other owns antique collection. A microwave will take only 210 Yuan while it costs 1800 Yuan for a traditional Chinese bookshelf. An old typewriter machine is also on display.

(2) Xieyuan Antique Shop
Location: 750 West Jianguo Road, Xuhui District
Transportation: Metro Line1--Hengshan Road
Metro Line7 and 9--Zhaojiabang Road
Telephone: (021)64370215

It is a delicate antique store fulfilled with Quartz watchs, model cars, tea pots and statuettes made during Cultural Revolution that lead us back to the Shanghai in early 20th century. The store offers service for both selling and retrieving. A quartz watch made by Shanghai Watch Factory in 1950s cost 180 Yuan nowadays. The middle-aged shop keeper tells us proudly that large percentage of frequent visitors are foreigners. All the ancient appliances there are still working and also high-valued as a hunting paradise for antique lovers.

2.Dongtai Road Antique Market
Location:The Market is located on two pedestrian blocks on Dongtai Road with the main gate at Xizang Road and Dongtai Road (confusing because most maps do not show these two streets crossing, but a taxi driver will get you there).
Transportation:Metro line 8 and 10-Laoximen
Adjectives to describe The Dongtai Road Antique Market include but are not limited to kitsch, touristy, local, genuine, fake, historical, dusty, strange, and wondrous.The market offers curious knick-knacks such as figurines of Mao and Buddha, buttons from the 1950s, old poster reprints, calligraphy brushes, antique (or antique-looking) porcelain dishes, jewelry, ashtrays, pipes, lanterns.Be aware that about half of what you are seeing are reproductions of real antiques. Still, they make for great gifts and home decorations.

Temporary markets

Last but not least, Charity Flea Market in Shanghai is something we might not miss. Meanwhile it's a great opportunity to bring goods set aside for sale in flea market or donation to migrant schools. Due to this sort of charity activities, some people get little benefits from objects they have no use which probably catch others' eyes. Conclusively, you will engage in the charity regardless of being buyers or sellers.

Possible Location: 10 Shajing Rd (near Zhoujiazui Rd and Liyang Rd.),1933ART
290 Songhu Rd, KIC Plaza . Website: http://www.gongyijia.com

By He Yiran, Zhang Qinglian

Source: english.eastday.com