A night market in Beijing that’s not for the faint hearted

Every time I visit a city, I always make sure I visit the main sights and leave time to simply wander, hoping to stumble upon a ‘hidden treasure’ of sorts.

Although I discovered Dong Hua Men night market in Beijing by chance, it is actually one of the city’s key attractions. I had just somehow managed to omit it when scribbling down my lengthy list of ‘must-sees’.

What makes this market one of the most memorable is the food they sell and how they sell it. There are things here that you probably never thought you’d see for sale at a night market - or as a snack on a stick for that matter. They include sheep testicles, deep fried scorpions, crispy lizards, salty starfish and more. Be warned – this is not a place for the faint hearted.

I have to admit, I wasn’t the most adventurous in what I let cross my lips that evening. As much as I wanted to return home and boast about about dining on creatures you wouldn’t imagine were edible, I couldn’t bring myself to sample anything too outrageous. Instead I opted for the squid. Safe? Yes. Sick afterwards? No. I wasn’t prepared to take the chance.

However, it isn’t only the food that will grab your attention as you stroll past stall after stall decorated with all kinds of creepy crawlies on a stick. It’s also the people who are selling them that will catch your eye. Make no mistake about it – the Dong Hua Men night market is a tourist attraction. I remember being one of thousands of westerners there that evening. It’s not a place frequented by the locals and the hawkers on the stalls know it; hence their selling tactics. To say they scream would be a bit of an exaggeration…but only a bit. They shout and roar and wave certain foods to grab your attention, making the entire experience slightly overwhelming, but one I’d recommend nonetheless.

If you’re planning a visit to Beijing and thinking you’d like to check it out for yourself, you need to know how to get there. It isn’t far from Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City – the focal point for most Beijing visitors. You’ll find it on Dong Hua Men Avenue, just off Wang Fu Jing Avenue, east of Tiananmen Square.

I won’t tell you how much a portion of food costs as I’ll likely be wrong. Prices will probably have gone up since I visited and they’ll go up again by the time you get there. But do keep in mind that if you’ve ever been to a market selling similar foods in other parts of Asia, Dong Hua Men is more expensive. You have been warned.

I didn’t know about this market before visiting Beijing, I literally stumbled upon it. I’m not sure how as it’s clearly popular with people coming to Beijing. Even if I had known about it I’m not sure I’d have visited. It wouldn’t have been top of my priorities, but I wouldn’t have disregarded it either. Either way I’m glad I discovered it despite its touristy, loud and almost intimidating atmosphere as it’s unlike any other night market I’ve ever visited in Asia.

Photo courtesy of Kit Logan and used under the Creative Commons license.

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