Xinjiekou Zhongshan Road Shopping District

Xinjiekou is the commercial heart of Nanjing, centered on the Xinjiekou roundabout along Zhongshan Road in Xuanwu District, Jiangsu province, China. Unlike the market and craft streets elsewhere in the city, it is a modern mall district: department stores, fashion, electronics, cosmetics and international and domestic brands, rather than local handicrafts. Anchor stores include Deji Plaza and the Central Emporium (Nanjing Central Department Store), and underground shopping malls link the buildings and connect to Metro Lines 1 and 2, which makes the district easy to reach and convenient in hot or wet weather. The brand mix ranges from mainstream Chinese fashion labels and electronics retailers to international luxury and cosmetics counters, and goods sold in the major department stores are authentic, with fixed prices and receipts. Counterfeit goods are a concern mainly at small underground stalls and unauthorized sellers, so buyers of branded items should stay with the major stores. Prices are fixed in the department stores and malls and bargaining is not customary, although the smaller underground shops sometimes discount. Typical purchases run from about CNY 30 for inexpensive goods to several thousand yuan for electronics and designer items. Payment is by Alipay and WeChat Pay, bank cards and cash, and major stores are the most likely to accept foreign cards. Tax refunds are available at designated stores when a minimum spend is met, so visitors with a passport should ask at the till and request the required form. The atmosphere is busy and urban, with heavy foot traffic in the evening and at weekends, while weekday mornings are quieter. The layout is built around the roundabout, with major stores at the surrounding corners and pedestrian underpasses joining them, so the must-visit corners are the anchor department stores. Food options are extensive, including food courts, restaurants, bakeries, bubble tea and fast-food outlets inside the malls, plus restaurants on the surrounding streets. Hours are generally 10AM to 10PM daily.