Qianmen Street

Qianmen Street - Dashilan -Yangzhumei Xie Street - Liulichang

 
Beijing Qianmen Street is a famous business street with more than 600 years' history, which starts from Zhengyang Bridge and ends in Zhushikou, is the central axis of the city. The total length of the street is 845 meters with many China long-standing Well-known-brand stores. Among those on the street the Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant might be the most famous. Regarded as the "essence of Beijing," Qianmen Street depicts a vivid and prosperous picture of old Beijing. The street now is built as a pedestrian street and you can walk to visit all of stores by leisure. Choosing the trolley car is also a convenient way.

Walking to the south along the Qianmen Street and turn left when you see Xianyukou Street, and then turn right and enter Liangshidian Street, you need to go ahead to south until seeing the Liubiju Pickles Store. This store is good at making various kinds of pickles. The store started its business from 1530 and many super markets sell the pickles of Liubiju. Then continue to south for about 50 meters, you can see the 200-year-old Zhonghe Theater. Many famous actors made their stage here in ancient days, and now visitors can also appreciate some traditional theatrical pieces, such as Pecking Opera, storytelling and some other kinds of folk art performances. You may appreciate those performances by sitting around a Chinese Square Stable and ordering a pot of tea.

Dashilan Business Street

Then walk to north and turn left at the Dashilan Business Street to visit the long-standing stores one by one. The first we suggest is Ruifuxiang Silk Store. Being located at the No. 5, Dashilan Business Street, this store is more than 100 years old, and the materials of the first national flag of PRC came from Ruifuxiang, now it is an ideal place to choose good silk. Continue to west and you can find a very narrow Hutong stretches forwards north. This Hutong is called Qianshi Hutong and it is also the narrowest Hutong in Beijing with only 40-50 centimeters in width and only one person can pass it. It was side that this Hutong was the market for money exchange and jewelry trade in ancient days. The business men who lived here built this narrow Hutong to avoid being stolen. And in case they were stolen, the thieves can be easily blocked in this Hutong. Return to Dashilan Street and continue to west, No. 22 is the Zhangyiyuan Tea Store, you can find all kinds of tea here with high quality. No. 24 is the well-known medicine store Tongrentang. With a long history of 330 years, Tongrentang is still the first choice for buying traditional Chinese medicine due to its high quality and satisfying curative effect. No. 36 is Neiliansheng Cloth Shoe-sole Store, which was opened in 1853. Here you may choose a pair of shoes with traditional craft. No. 36 is the Daguanlou Cinema Theater, the memorial place of the naissance of China movie, and it is also a good place to recapture the course of China movie. Although Daguanlou can not compare with some other modern cinemas in Beijing, this remains unshakable for locals to review their childhood. Now, the Daguanlou Cinema Theater is also a well-known tourist resort.

At the west end of the Dashilan East Street, we suggest you turn right at the corner of Deguanglou Restaurant until you see the first Hutong towards west. This Hutong is called Yangmeizhu Xiejie (Bayberry Bamboo Street) and many sites of old stores and western-style buildings are well preserved here. This Hutong is worth visiting due to its tranquil environment and full of the characteristic of old Beijing.

Liulichang Street

Then turn right at the west end of Bayberry Bamboo Street and again turn left at the first street towards west. You are at the Liulichang East Street now. Liulichang Street is 800 meters long and it is the most famous cultural street in Beijing. The street smacks of antiquity and full of the sweet smell of ink. Stroll along the street and you may find all of these stores are with its own style. Among those stores, the most famous is Cuiwenge, a store specialized in studying and trading calligraphy, painting, seal cutting and the four treasures of the study. It is to be noted here that the motto on the Monument to the People's Heroes, written by Chinaman Mao and Premier Zhou, was inscribed on the stone tablet by Cuiwenge. Another famous store is Yidege, who is famous for its various kinds of high-quality ink.

At the west end of the Liulichang East Street, you can visit Huaxia Calligraphy and Paintings Society. Its construction style vividly demonstrates the architecture and painting arts of ancient China, and it becomes the landmark building of Liulichang gradually. Once finishing your visit, you may turn right and then turn left at the first street towards west, here you can visit the Liulichang West Street. The famous stores here are Rongbaozhai and Guyizhai. The most of the branches of the national famous China Bookstore are dotted along the streets of Liulichang.

Antique store in Liulichang Street

You may find a bus stop at the south direction of Huaxia Calligraphy and Paintings Society, and bus 7, 14, 15, 70 is available here. If you are still interested in experiencing more about old Beijing, we can suggest another Hutong complex for you, the Beijing Eight Grand Hutong, which used to be the red-light-district in old Beijing. The so-called Eight Grand Hutongs were brothels area which was composed of these eight Hutongs, they are Hanjia Hutong, Shaanxi Xiang, Shitou Hutong, Wangguanggu Street, Yanzhi Hutong, Baishun Hutong, Pitiaoying and Shamao Hutong. Walk along the Nanxinhua Street to south and you can find Tangzi Street stretches towards to east. Enter the Street and you may find that you are at the Hanjia Hutong. The bygone red-light-districts are already the historical pieces, now they are resident houses for common men, but you can still vaguely learn their flavor of past days. These eight Hutongs are all near to each other and you can choose one or two to visit.

Go out from Yanzhi Hutong, you can walk to the other side of Zhushikou West Street to take bus 5, 23, 34, 57, 48 and 715 to your next destination.