The largest kind of market in China is closed most days. It opens on dates that repeat, such as every date ending in 2, 5 or 8, and stands empty the rest of the week. Turning up on the wrong day is the single most common way a visit to one of these goes wrong, so the tables below lead with the opening pattern.
There are 505 markets here across 31 provinces and 182 cities. For what these markets are and how they work, see the six kinds of market; the tables below lead with the opening pattern.
What the Labels Mean
| Kind | Markets | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Country market (赶集/大集) | 112 | opens on fixed dates that repeat, closed in between |
| Everyday market (菜市场) | 95 | where a neighbourhood shops, open all day |
| Morning market (早市) | 94 | breakfast and the day’s produce, over before mid-morning |
| Night market (夜市) | 89 | a food route, and the larger ones sell goods as well |
| Fishing port (海鲜/渔港) | 60 | the catch sold where it lands |
| Border market (边境互市) | 20 | trade across a land border |
| Seasonal fair (产地/季节) | 14 | runs while one crop is in |
| Minority and craft market (民族/文创) | 9 | minority goods and craft stalls |
| Old-street market (古街市集) | 5 | stalls along an old street |
| Flower market (花市) | 4 | cut flowers and potted plants, busiest before New Year |
| Bazaar (大巴扎) | 3 | the Central Asian form, goods more than food |
North China (华北)
| Province | Markets | Most common kind |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing (北京市) | 9 | Country market, 5 |
| Hebei (河北省) | 13 | Country market, 9 |
| Inner Mongolia (内蒙古自治区) | 15 | Morning market, 8 |
| Shanxi (山西省) | 9 | Country market, 7 |
| Tianjin (天津市) | 5 | Fishing port, 3 |
Northeast China (东北)
| Province | Markets | Most common kind |
|---|---|---|
| Heilongjiang (黑龙江省) | 14 | Border market, 6 |
| Jilin (吉林省) | 14 | Morning market, 4 |
| Liaoning (辽宁省) | 27 | Fishing port, 10 |
East China (华东)
Central China (华中)
South China (华南)
Southwest China (西南)
Northwest China (西北)
Going on the Right Day
Market dates move, and the ones that run on the lunar calendar move against the calendar on your phone. Tell our local team where you will be and on which dates, and they will say which of these are open while you are there and which are worth the detour.