The Missing Piece: Renoir Puzzle Lands in Beijing

China’s most famous puzzle, the tangram, was all the rage in 19th century parlors from Boston to Paris. A couple hundred years later, despite mobile games and digital distractions, old-fashioned puzzles still have their devotees in modern Beijing.

Renoir Puzzle, a Taiwanese chain, offers jigsaws of everything from Anne Geddes babies to Japanese ukiyo-e prints to supernatural Victorian fantasy babes. Most are 800-2,000 pieces, but imagine what a hit you'll be on your next train trip to Hong Kong when you dump the 8,000 pieces of Raphael’s The School of Athens all over your bunk.

In addition to the classic 2-D variety, Renoir sells 500+ piece spherical puzzles in tin globe and merry-go-round designs (RMB 550), ball-shaped puzzles that double as Christmas tree ornaments, and jigsaws that interlock to form working clocks. They also stock frames for those extra tough ones you just can’t bear to take apart once finished.

You'll find the packaging has come a long way from the bulky cardboard boxes you remember from your elementary school days. At Renoir, you can find puzzles packed into whimsical hat boxes and tidy, modern cubes – well-suited for gift-giving.

Get there: Daily 10am-10pm. U-Town Shopping Center, 2 Sanfeng Beili, Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District (138 1162 0917)
朝阳区三丰北里2号悠唐生活广场4楼019C号(近朝阳门)