Yabao Road is known for its bargains and the Russian Market, which is situated to its north. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]

The Ritan is a five-star hotel opened in 1984 and one of few hotels in those days, shortly after China's reform and opening-up began, that gave accommodation to foreign visitors.

The shopping mecca, whose annual turnover is said to be as high as $10 billion, has a total surface area of 465,000 square meters and consists of 15 shopping buildings including Ritan International Trade Center, Tianya Plaza and Yabao Plaza. Their wares include all kinds of clothing, from hats and gloves to down jackets, fur jackets and shoes－in fact the kinds of clothes anyone from anywhere could wear.

Yet so steeped in Russia is this area that its language is that of Tolstoy rather than Confucius or Shakespeare, and any Anglophone expecting an easy day's bargaining is likely to be in for a rude shock.

But lest we forget that we are indeed in China, just take a look at the facade of Tianya Plaza and you will see dangling down, over five stories, three red scrolls emblazoned with giant yellow Chinese characters. The essence of its message, that businesspeople need to put in a greater effort and innovate if they are to survive, would not be lost on any Russians doing business here who have learned Chinese.

For just as the Chinese economy is now grappling with slowing production after years of growth at breakneck speed, Yabao Road's traders have been struggling with a malaise that seems to have been slightly longer in the making. The signs of that malaise are there for all to see, whether it be the missing Russian letter in a logo on a building or tattered posters on shopping mall facades.

Talk to many businesspeople here and they will wistfully recall the zest that was palpable in this place 10 or 15 years ago, but that is now well and truly gone.