Dashilan Street

Route: Qianmen Street - Zhubaoshi Street - Dashilan Hutong - Liu Bi Ju - Bu Ying Zhai - Tong Ren Tang Drug Store - Goubuli Dumpling Restaurant - Rui Fu Xiang Drapery Stores - Da Guan Lou Cinema

You can start at the crossings of Qianmen Xiheyan Street and Qianmen Street; then find the Zhubaoshi Street which is just a little west and parallels the Qianmen Street. Riding south for about 250 meters, the Dashilan Hutong is to the west side of the road.

The first store right around the corner is Liu Bi Ju. It is said that the store was founded over 450 years ago. And the name came from the six daily necessities including “firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce and vinegar” they sold in the old times. But nowadays their most famous production is pickle, a requisite cole on local people's dining table.

Tong Ren Tang Medicine Store

Continue riding west, the Bu Ying Zhai Shoe Store is on your left. In the past 150 years, they produce high-quality handmade cloth shoes and enjoy high reputation all over the country. Now they have expanded their business scope and you can find almost every kind of shoes here, all are comfortable and classic.

The next stop on your way is Tong Ren Tang Medicine Store, a reputed Chinese medicine store which had served 8 Chinese emperors. For over 300 years, the doctors and pharmacists in Tong Ren Tang stick their benevolent and precise idea of treating patients and producing medicine. Now they help patients from all over the world with their traditional medicine formulas, exquisite leechcraft, and rich clinic experience everyday.

Then on your right, there stands a restaurant of one famous local Chinese refreshments, Goubuli steamed dumpling. Dumpling is actually a common food in China. The reason why Goubuli dumplings have stood out for more than 100 years is because of its dainty ingredients and special making skills. So no matter you are hungry or not, you may want to try some.

Da Guan Lou Cinema

After a short snack, we hope you are full of energy again. Ride your bicycle and we get to another old-brand store, Rui Fu Xiang Drapery Stores, which is located on No. 5, Dashilan Hutong. From the very beginning in 1893, they provide beautifully designed and superiorly waved silk and they even produced the first national flag of the People's Republic of China. Many people have their dress customized here and the cheongsam made here are women's favorites.

The last site we introduce today is Da Guan Lou Cinema. The predecessor of the cinema is Da Heng Xuan Tea House where people could enjoy the opera with tea. In 1907, it became the first cinema in Beijing and showed a lot of movies which have made a great flutter at the time. Continuing its resplendence, now it is still a nice place to enjoy your leisure time.

Despite all the old stores you have visited, another interesting part of wandering around Dashilan Hutong is the view and the atmosphere. The street keeps the old styled buildings, steles and archways. Walking down the street, it is like you turn back the time. You can also ride around the hutongs nearby, observe the local residences, talk to the local people and feel their lives.