Chengxian Street in Beijing

Chengxian Street in Beijing

Guozijian Street, located within Andingmen in Dongcheng District, Beijing, is an east-west alley. During the Qing Dynasty, it was called “Chengxian Street” because the Confucius Temple and the Imperial College were located here, and it was also known as Guozijian Hutong. It is one of the few well-preserved ancient streets in Beijing. The towering memorial archways, the old locust trees along the street, and the verdant canopies shading the historic houses all embody the classic look of old Beijing neighborhoods. Moreover, Chengxian Street is a street rich in cultural heritage, imbued with the “scholarly spirit” of ancient Jinling. During the Six Dynasties period, this area was home to imperial gardens. In an effort to cater to the emperor’s tastes, scholars and literati spent their days in decadent indulgence with palace women honored as “Grand Secretaries,” prompting the great Tang poet Li Shangyin to mock them with the line, “All the court scholars are mere beauties; the Minister Jiang of those days was nothing but wasted talent,” leaving behind a laughable legacy for eternity.

Chengxian Street

There are four memorial archways spanning the street—two at each end, east and west, inscribed with “Chengxian Street,” and two on either side of the Guozijian, labeled “Guozijian.” On the north side of both roads are stone tablets inscribed in both Manchu and Chinese, reading “All civil and military officials must dismount here.”

Source: Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development