Post Offices

Part of A Better Guide to Běijīng’s Practical A–Z

In 1977, even with the Cultural Revolution over, postal workers in the largest post office in downtown Hefei didn’t know how to send a letter outside the country. People who asked about doing such a thing were met with stares of startled disbelief. It was as if the post office were using maps from the Great Ming. Foreign countries? What?

Fāng Lìzhī, The Most Wanted Man in China (trans Perry Link), New York, 2016

If you’re a traditionalist who still sends postcards (mostly only found in hotel gift shops and at major sights, and only in packets of ten or so), or if you have parcel of souvenirs to despatch, glue the stamps on with the adhesive provided in pots or on a roller, rather then licking them. Take parcels unwrapped, so the contents can be checked, and then wrap them in front of the clerk. Some clerks will assume that you want EMS, the equivalent of a courier service, because you are a foreigner. There are considerably lower rates for regular airmail, surface mail, and for mail that contains only printed matter. Occasionally post offices may insist that you buy a tailor-made box from them, and very occasionally that you sew up your parcel in white cloth. Registration can be added for a small fee, is computerized and efficient, and requires you to fill out a small form which is in Chinese and French only. Adding the name of the destination country in Chinese characters may speed things up.

In theory EMS is the only service that can handle private letters, and the only one which operates within China itself. FedEx, DHL, and other couriers are in Běijīng, but don’t expect things to run as smoothly with either as they do at home. There can be problems with using foreign account numbers and with packaging.

There are over 700 post offices in Běijīng, so simply ask your hotel reception where the nearest one is, if it doesn’t offer postage services itself.

The lastest postage rates can be found on China Post’s English-language page, english.chinapost.com.cn, along with tracking services and details of recent stamp issues. Many post offices have a separate counter for philatelists, and there are at least two postal museums in Běijīng.

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