If we call Xinjiekou and Hunan Road the prime shopping centers in Nanjing, then Zhujiang Road is Nanjing’s IT product center. If you want to buy desktops, notebooks, digital cameras, MP3 players, or any and all kinds of IT products, head for Zhujiang Road. The prices here are around 1/3 lower than in stores such as Gold Eagle, Xinbai, etc. There are four main shopping centers on Zhujiang Road: Cyber Digital Products Square, Huahai Digital Square (华海电脑数码广场), Buynow (百脑汇), and Hong Tu San Bao. In each of these four shopping centers, there are many different small shops selling various digital products. Small stores found along the street are also dealers of different brands of e-products such as HP, IBM, Lenovo, Sony, Canon, Aigo and many more. It is rumored that some counterfeit products exist here, so use a keen eye and do a little research on the internet before going.  If you can, have an expert accompany you when buying. It should be mentioned that many after-sales service stations of e-products are also located on Zhujiang Road.  Next to the stores, the street is lined with individuals selling counterfeit DVDs and computer software.  If somehow you do not notice the small cardboard box of DVDs in front of the hawkers, they will reliably shout “DVD!” at you.

Huahai Digital Square

Hunan Road (湖南路)

Hunan Road is a great place to check out in the evening. It has great food, clothing stores, entertainment, and a public park attached at the end.  Perhaps most importantly, Hunan Road is home to one of the most jam-packed and diversified food streets in Nanjing: Lion’s Bridge.

In the evening on Hunan road, it easy to forget it the sun has set, as the street seems almost as bright as the daytime. There are neon lights on buildings, arches above the road, and in the “Light Art Tunnel”.  On Fridays and Saturdays the entire street is blocked off to cars in the evening.

Sunning Department Store

Hunan Road sign.

Night Market (湖南路夜市)

Update: In May 2007 the night market was shut down!

The night market on Matai Jie competes with the Confucius Temple market for the title of best market in Nanjing. The Hunan Road night market is ideal for finding all sorts of cheap crafts, toys, clothes, DVDs, etc. You will have to visit the market yourself to truly comprehend the wide variety of items and the fact that so many items go in and out of fashion so quickly.

Adjacent to the night market is a tiny street full of small vendors selling delicious treats. There is a small store that sells Meihua Gao (plum blossom cake) that is usually swamped by a crowd of ravenous, hungry patrons clawing for Meihua Gao. There are also many vendors selling various kinds of rou chuan (meat kebabs).

For the more adventurous types, try a taste of stinky toufu or some half-developed chicken embryos still inside the egg. Don’t worry, they taste better than they sound.

Selling food on the street in this manner is actually illegal, so the police will come by once every month or so to shut it down. The vendors, obviously undeterred by random police visits, will again setup shop by the end of the night or at least by the next day.

The night market is close to the west end and north side of Hunan Road.

Citizen’s Square

Citizen’s Square is set is right on the western edge of Hunan Road. You can also access the square through a small passageway that is connected to the night market on Matai Jie.

The square features fountains, small man-made lakes, a playground, and an immense TV screen on a building across the street.  Families come here to play with their kids and couples come here for some public displays of affection. To one side of the square is a McDonalds.

How To Get There

Hunan Road can be reached via the subway at Xuanwu Men station (玄武门, Xuanwu Gate). It is also within walking distance of the Nanjing University’s foreign students dorm (Xiyuan).

The night market is was on Matai Jie, which runs perpendicular to Hunan Road.  To be precise, on one side of Hunan Road the road is called Matai Jie and on the opposite side it is called Hubei Road.

Chain Convenience Stores

There are a few different convenience store chains in Nanjing. There is no real noticeable difference between them in terms of the products they carry. Here’s a list of some basic categories of items found at these convenience stores.

-Edibles such as beverages, treats, chips, etc.
-Some drug-store items such as pads and tampons.
-Beer, wine and baijiu. There are even some fairly expensive bottles of liquor there at times. Note that the beer is usually not kept cold.
-Some hot food such as meat balls on a stick and tea eggs.

Su Guo is the largest chain of convenience stores in Nanjing. They have stores that range from convenience store size to grocery store size.

A little known fact about Su Guo is that they will rent umbrellas for free! Give Su Guo a 10 yuan deposit to borrow the umbrella and they return to you the 10 yuan when you bring it back.

Holes in the Wall

Little “holes in the wall” sell beverages, alcohol, and assorted snacks and treats. A "hole in the wall’ is the often the smallest shop imaginable and are found everywhere. Most of these holes in the wall are not very busy, because Chinese people don’t trust them. However the ones next to the Nanjing University foreign students dormitory (Xiyuan) are always busy thanks to the reliable foreign customers.

There are other types of “holes in the wall” including ones that specialize in cigarettes and liquor.

It`s new in Nanjing, it was opened in Aguest 2008, and like other big shopping malls, it have many International Brand, like SEPHORA, C & A,  CK, H & M, UNIQLO.....
It`s not only a shopping heaven and also it have a nice Thearter inside.
Below is the link to each Category, it will make your shopping day easier.

• Women's Boutiques
• Men's Boutiques
• Sports & Outdoors
• Accessories
• Living
• Junior & Kids
• Entertainments
• Serving
• Chinese Restaurants
• Asian Restaurants
• Western Restaurants

Xinjiekou is the right in the heart of Nanjing city.  It is the center of commerce as well as the busiest shopping area in the city. 

View of Xinjiekou from Yuhuatai - No, that is not much more pollution than the average Chinese city.

Getting To, From and Around Xinjiekou

The main intersection and subway station of Xinjiekou is situated between Zhongshan Road (中山路) from the north, Zhongshan Nan Road (中山南路) from the south, Hankou Road (汉口路) from the west and Zhongshan Dong Road (中山东路) from the east.  The bulk of the activity in Xinjiekou takes place within 300 meters to the east and west of Zhongshan Nan Road.

A brand new market for Nanjing people opened at March 26th 2009. Located at the -2F of Aqua City.

BHG Market Place is more like a Grocery which supply thousands of imported goods which mainly from Italy, France and Japan and high quality international food. And the vegetables and fruit are Natural non-pesticide pollution which all from the local farm. Good wines too.

Photo took by BHGqh

The Foreign Languages Bookstore has a small collection of English language books including classics and travel guidebooks. Their selection of HSK books and other Chinese language textbooks is not bad either.

Upstairs is an immense collection of books for studying English and other foreign languages.

How to Get There

It is about a 15 minute walk straight east along Zhongshan Dong Lu from the center of Xinjiekou.  The center of Xinjiekou can be reached by subway or bus.

Links

Jiangsu Foreign Languages Bookstore (Chinese only)
 
HSK - Official Website

The conveniently located Ivy Food Store carries a variety of foreign foods, sweets and liquor.  Prices are accordingly higher than prices for foreign goods at larger supermarkets or grocery stores.

Other Ivy Food Store Locations in Nanjing

No. 389 Zhujiang Lu (珠江路389号)
+86 (0) 25 8322 8512

No. 1-5 Beimenqiao (北门桥1-5号)
+86 (0) 25 8471 8462

No. 48 Zhongshan Dong Lu (中山东路48号)
+86 (0) 25 8472 7027

No. 47 Guangzhou Lu (广州路47号)
+86 (0) 25 8330 6436

No. 10 Taiping Men (太平门10号)
+86 (0) 25 8466 4572

No. 59 Guanjiaqiao (管家桥59号)
+86 (0) 25 8473 2650

Carrefour’s selection of imported products is similar to that of Auchan.  There is a quality selection of meat and produce.

Some brand name products have more expensive foreign-produced versions in the imported products aisle and less expensive domestically produced versions spread throughout Carrefour.

How To Get There

A bit out of the way, it would be simplest to take a cab.

Second Location - Close to Xinjiekou Daxinggong Carrefour (大行宫家乐福)  +86 (0)25  8465 8588             13675126677      The second location is in the Da Xinggong (大行宫) People’s square two storeys underground.  This is next to the new Nanjing Library (南京图书馆) and on Zhongshan Dong Lu (中山东路).  It’s all underground so look for the entrance in the picture to the right.

Also See

Carrefour China’s website