A must-go walking-tour in Beijing in Qinming
By admin on 2014-12-29

Qianmen Street began to develop about 570 years ago. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) the street was dotted with guildhalls built by different localities, to provide housing to citizens intending to take the imperial exams or do official business with the Imperial Court, just north of the Zhengyangmen Tower.

It became even more prosperous during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) with the development of activities such as lantern fairs – many opera halls, teahouses and even a red-light district appeared. Places like the Guanghe Theater and the Quanjude roast duck restaurant are part of Beijing's history.

Qianmen Street reached its peak in the 1920s and 30s. The renovation effort was mainly directed to restoring its character of this period, a time from which many historical photos survive.

At its northern end, dozens of old buildings were recreated, along with many old name-brand shops of cultural and historic significance. First to catch the visitor's eye is the Dabei Photo Studio (大北照相馆) on the left, then comes Yue Sheng Zhai (月胜斋), a Muslim food store on the right. Further south visitors can see the Quanjude, the Roast Duck restaurant serving the famous Peking Duck, a must for any tourist.

 Lying on Beijing's historical central axis just south of Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City, the newly renovated Qianmen Street is fast becoming one of the most popular sites for a walking tour in the Chinese capital.

Business is booming at all of the restaurants along the street – all, including Quanjude, have long queues of customers waiting to eat. It was reported that 42 traditional shops, demolished during the socialist transformation campaign that began in 1956, have been restored. Understandably, the brothels are not included.

The green and white paving stones and bird-cage-like street lamps testify to the designers' efforts to evoke Chinese traditional culture in the minds of the visitors. Some of the paving stones have even been carved with beautiful Chinese patterns.

It's said that Qianmen Street was the path ancient Chinese Emperors took to visit the Temple of Heaven for annual ceremonies of prayers to Heaven for a good harvest, so the street is also known as the "Street of Heaven." As such, during the renovation, a special stone path for Chinese emperors, like today's red carpet for Heads of State, was recreated in the middle of the street.

Having just opened, the street is neat and clean and many shops are still empty and waiting for business entrepreneurs. Some 200 meters south, visitors can see an iron name plate crossing a narrow alley on the right side, reading(大栅栏). In pinyin this becomes Da Zha Lan while local Beijingers pronounce it as Dashilanr.

The 840-meter street and its nearby alleys were extremely crowded when I went there on the night of August 9, the day after its official reopening to welcome Olympic visitors. The re-erected sculptural archway at the entrance, just south of the gigantic military fortress of Zhengyangmen, offers itself as the pedestrian street's landmark and heralds its traditional flavor.

This street is busier, as more shops are open, including the Rui Fu Xiang (瑞蚨祥) silk shop and Nei Lian Sheng (内联升) shoe shop, both well-known for good quality. The Lao She Tea House is easy to find. It is a famous venue for overseas tourists to see wonderful performances of Peking Opera, while enjoying tea and palace snacks as well as traditional local food.

Qianmen also forms a link with the life of old Beijing, often associated with the old hutongs. To get the sights and sounds and smells of a communal life outside the courtyard walls, travel further to the west.

Qianmen Street presents a scene of friendly chaos. Old Beijing still exists, to my mind. Though the city may seem obscured by neon and scaffolding, there are still wonderful nooks and crannies all around us, and Qianmen Street is one of them.

Near Qianmen, a Beijing landmark for 600 years; An old person restores time-honoured brands, after working at it for 10 years; an old person is moving out, after living here for 60 years. The rise and fall of 1 100-year-old brand fondly remembered where these old people were born.

An old-fashioned tramway dating to 1924 has also been restored, after being decommissioned in the 1960s, adding a sense of modernism to the ancient shopping street. But the tram won't be operational until September 20, since the Olympic and Paralympics marathon runners were and are to pass along the street.

Travel tips:

How to get there:

Take subway line 2 and get off at Qianmen Station.

Where to live:

Ten years ago, I was a frequent patron of the budget hostels here when making a stopover visit to my college. Spending some 25-30 yuan (US$3-4), a Chinese traveler could spend the night at a traditional courtyard hostel hidden in the narrow alleys behind. However, foreigners are still not allowed to sleep at these hostels. Only authorized hotels can receive foreign travelers. For budget travelers from foreign countries, you may live in the Qianmen International Youth Hostel (0086-10-6313 2370) – prices ranging from 50 to 220 yuan (US$ 7-32). For those who prefer to travel in style, Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
(http://www.qianmenhotel.com/en/about/location.php; Tel: 86-10-6301 6688) at the south end of the Street is a good option, with prices starting at US$80.

What to see nearby:
* Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City to the north;
* The Temple of Heaven, some 2 km to the south.
* Liulichang Culture Street, some 2 km to the west.

Where to spend time in the evenings:
* Go to the Lao She Tea House to see the Peking Opera, sip Chinese tea and taste imperial and local snacks.
* Go to the Red Theater (010-67103671/72/73) to see its Kung Fu show, The Legend of Kung Fu, which starts at 7:30 PM every evening – prices from 280-880 yuan.
* Go to the Liyuan Theater (86-10-6301 6688) on the first floor of the Qianmen Jianguo Hotel to watch Peking Opera; Prices from 200-580 yuan; opens 7:30-8:40 PM daily.