Among the dozens of flower markets in Beijing, Yuquanying flower market may be the oldest and largest one.

Known as the "south garden" of Beijing since the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Yuquanying flower market has enjoyed booming business for a long time.

Located at Yuquanying Overpass on the South Third Ring Road, the market now has a lot more than just flowers -- it is turning into a heaven of china pottery, tea sets, paintings, lamps, books, potted landscapes, outdoor furniture, and various handicrafts and ornaments.

Colourful china may be the first eye-catching thing you notice in the market. In this open plaza of 10,000 square metres stands a forest of huge china vases, fish bowls, and various china sculptures. You can buy authentic Jingdezhen porcelain, the most famed china here, at much lower prices, as it is sold direct from the ceramic factories in Jingdezhen of Jiangxi Province.

The market also includes several big shops selling tree root carving handicrafts. Handmade in Fujian Province, the root carving artworks are mostly made of precious scented rosewood and red sandalwood. There are some unique pieces, in which root and rock naturally stick to each other to make a special effect in the traditional Chinese style.

Tea sets made of boccaro ware (purple clay) in Yixing, Jiangsu Province are another highlight. Gong Chong Xuan, located on the fifth pathway, even sells an authentic tea set made by Xu Hantang, the most famous purple clay tea set making master in China. The market will also offer free tea art service training classes in September.

Other unique handicrafts in the market include wall decors made of coloured glaze and stone basso-relief adornments.