Qianmen Street

Qianmen Street

Qianmen Street is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a patriotic education base.

The Five Historic Renovations of Qianmen Street

The first — in 1679 (the 18th year of the Kangxi reign in the Qing Dynasty), reason for renovation: A major earthquake struck the capital, collapsing 70%–80% of residences including Qianmen Street and the city gate towers.

The second — in 1900, reason for renovation: Qianmen Street was burned down during the invasion of Beijing by the Eight-Nation Alliance.

The third — in the 1920s, reason for renovation: After World War I, national industry and commerce flourished while the West was in the Great Depression. (The Qianmen Street that people are familiar with was formed during this period.)

The fourth — in the 1970s, reason for renovation: As commerce developed, many large commercial buildings were built on the street, such as Yilong Building, O’Neill Store, and Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant. With billboards everywhere, the original appearance of Qianmen Street was almost invisible. At that time, the old houses were dilapidated but had not been repaired in time.

The fifth — began in May 2007.

Filled with enthusiasm and anticipation, in just 28 days, it will officially open. Beijing, this international metropolis, is also carefully putting on its best face to welcome friends from all over the world. Many native Beijingers say that when you come to Beijing, you simply must visit Qianmen. In order to showcase the cultural essence of Beijing in a brand-new light, Qianmen Street began a closed renovation last April and will unveil its mystery to the world before the Olympics. What will the new Qianmen Street look like? As an ancient calling card of the capital, what appearance and charm will it present to showcase the cultural allure of old Beijing? With these questions in mind, reporters recently visited the newly renovated Qianmen Street with relevant experts to explore the old charm and new flair of Beijing, as well as the cultural spirit where ancient and modern elements blend.

Tianjie (Heavenly Street), an Unforgettable Cultural Memory for Beijingers

On the southern axis of Beijing, Qianmen Street has a history of over 570 years and is known as the “Tianjie.” In the hearts of Beijingers, “Qianmen” is both the colloquial name for a city gate and a representative of a district, symbolizing Beijing itself. People often feel that they have truly entered the capital only after reaching Qianmen.

Historical records show that stretching 840 meters from Moon Bay in the north to Zhushikou in the south, Qianmen Street has served as the imperial route for emperors traveling to the Temple of Heaven and the Altar of Agriculture since the Ming Dynasty when Emperor Yongle relocated the capital to Beijing (hence the name “Tianjie”). Over the past 600 years from the Ming Dynasty to the present, although Qianmen Street has suffered damage and undergone multiple renovations, it has always remained a vital commercial hub in the capital, bustling with famous shops, lively market noise, and throngs of pedestrians.

The emotional bond between Beijingers and Qianmen is hard to put into words; it is reflected in every aspect of daily life. In the past, nearly everything related to the food, clothing, housing, and transportation of Beijingers was connected to Qianmen: Quanjude’s roast duck, Du Yifu’s shaomai, Hengdeli’s watches, Zhang Yiyuan’s tea… Although these time-honored brands now have numerous branches across the city, for the detail-oriented “old Beijingers,” only shopping at the flagship stores on Qianmen can truly put their minds at ease. Qianmen is also the birthplace of Beijing’s local culture: crosstalk, Beijing qinshu, Jingyun dagu… among the native Beijing folk art forms, many lyrics and segments reference Qianmen and its local customs.

Zhao Shu, Vice Chairman of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles and a folklorist, said that Qianmen Street encapsulates Beijing’s culture and character, and has witnessed the profound changes that old Beijing underwent in various historical periods. Qianmen Street attracts a large number of domestic and international tourists every year and plays an important role in economic and cultural exchanges between China and other countries.

The Qianmen area is also one of the regions in old Beijing that best preserves the urban vibe, historical relics, and cultural artifacts. Experts note that since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, this area has been the most developed and bustling district for Beijing’s architectural culture, merchant culture, guild culture, folk culture, and opera culture, serving as a living museum of the city’s ancient and modern folklore.

The Qianmen area boasts a profound and extensive cultural heritage, with a unique and far-reaching cultural charm. Numerous historical relics coexist with the everyday life of old Beijing, and together with the surrounding historical sites, they form the distinctive historical landscape of the Qianmen area, becoming the most vivid cultural memory for Beijingers.

Beijing’s First Historical District Renovated to Cultural Relic Standards

Although Qianmen Street possesses unique cultural significance and an important geographic location, due to historical reasons as well as economic, social, and urban development, it has gradually lost its former charm in recent years.

Speaking about the reasons for renovating Tianjie, Wang Shiren, a researcher at the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage and a member of the expert advisory group for the preservation of the old city’s character and the renovation of dilapidated housing, explained that the renovation of Qianmen Street is absolutely necessary. First, dating back to the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty, it has a history of nearly 600 years. Although there have been several renovations throughout history, the existing buildings have suffered severe damage, with nearly 70% of shops and houses classified as dangerous structures. Conducting business or living in such dilapidated buildings is extremely hazardous. This renovation is also aimed at rescuing many historically valuable structures that have survived. Second, Qianmen Street is a very important section of Beijing’s central axis. The 7.8-kilometer axis stretching from Yongdingmen to the Bell and Drum Towers is the central landmark of the ancient capital and the longest surviving urban central axis in the world. It is even referred to as the “lifeline of Beijing.” Qianmen Street is the section of the axis closest to the Forbidden City and holds a highly significant location. However, before the renovation, the street’s appearance was extremely chaotic and even run-down, with very low artistic quality. Additionally, due to historical factors, outdated municipal facilities have caused considerable inconvenience to those living and working here.

In May 2007, the Chongwen District of Beijing officially launched the Qianmen Street Renovation and Preservation Project. According to the head of the Chongwen District Construction Commission, this project is the most extensive in the district’s history in terms of the number of households involved, the difficulty of the tasks, and the number of beneficiaries. Whether in terms of hardware such as renovation, reconstruction, and relocation, or software such as future functional positioning and merchant recruitment, it has captured the attention of all Beijingers.

According to officials from the Cultural Relics Protection Division of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage, in order to adhere to the core principle of “recreating the historical character of old Beijing,” Beijing has, for the first time, applied cultural relic standards to the renovation and construction of buildings along Qianmen Street, strictly preserving traditional architecture throughout the project. It is understood that treating the protection and restoration of buildings along Qianmen Street as “cultural relics” goes beyond mere concept — the original form of the buildings will be faithfully restored using traditional materials. For the restoration of buildings along the central axis of Qianmen Street, apart from retaining the late Qing Dynasty structures that still exist, others will be restored to their Republican-era appearance.

To leave no regrets, the Beijing and Chongwen district governments conducted repeated and careful studies on the renovation, restoration, and preservation of the Qianmen area, soliciting planning proposals from both domestic and international sources. They invited 16 renowned experts including Xie Chensheng, Xuan Xiangliu, and Wang Shiren to conduct 32 rounds of evaluation, deliberation, and revision over four years. Through resident forums, proposal exhibitions, and voting, they extensively gathered public feedback to further refine the plans, ensuring broad consensus. Throughout the project, the protection of the capital’s historical character was given top priority, and the “Three 100 Percent” principles were established: striving 100% to implement the overall preservation plan for the historical character of the Qianmen area; 100% rescuing and protecting existing cultural relics, registered cultural relic units, listed courtyards, and valuable buildings; and 100% rescuing and preserving the hutong layout and time-honored brands of the Qianmen area.

The New Qianmen Street, Positioned as a Historical and Cultural Commercial District

Wang Shiren told reporters that Qianmen Street stretches 840 meters from Zhengyang Bridge’s Five-Arch Gate in the north to Zhushikou in the south. Initially, the earliest renovation plan aimed to restore the ancient charm of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, but since the Qianmen Street from that period had been completely destroyed by the Eight-Nation Alliance invasion in 1900, the impression held by old Beijingers of that era was already vague. The Qianmen Street familiar to old Beijingers was formed in the late Qing and early Republican periods, flourishing in the 1920s and 1930s. After careful consideration, the renovation plan was set to restore the style of the early Republican period. The final renovation plan was based on a set of old photographs from that time.

Experts explain that the new Qianmen Street emphasizes a combination of modern commercial functionality and the character of the ancient capital, so it is not a complete recreation of the 1920s and 1930s style previously shown. The northern section focuses on preserving historical structures, maintaining nine buildings from the 1920s and 1930s; the middle section emphasizes restoring iconic historical facades and landscapes, featuring 41 historic storefronts; the southern section retains the original modern buildings. Modern commercial elements have also been integrated into the restoration of old buildings. For the arched Zhengyang Bridge, which could not be restored due to traffic issues, a ground-level “flat bridge” was built on its original site.

To recreate the charm and vibrancy of old Beijing, in addition to architectural restoration, “merchant recruitment” has become a highly anticipated aspect of the new Qianmen Street. As early as July 2007, the Chongwen District launched the Qianmen Street Merchant Recruitment Project. To reflect the guiding principle of inheriting the deep historical and cultural essence of the Qianmen area and showcasing the unique charm of Chinese commercial brands, this recruitment drive targeted national ethnic commercial brands and time-honored businesses from across the country.

At the same time, leveraging the historical “East-meets-West” architectural style and commercial diversity of Qianmen Street, efforts were made to attract international brands to establish and root themselves here. The recruitment focused on approximately 180 merchants spanning around 66,000 square meters on both sides of Qianmen Street, with the main categories being dining, retail, and services.

Currently, in addition to the 13 “time-honored brands” that originated on the street — such as Yu Sheng Zhai, Yi Tiao Long, Qing Lin Chun Tea House, Quanjude, Du Yifu, Da Bei Photo Studio, China Bookstore, Yi Zhao Mall, and Tong San Yi Dried Fruits and Seafood — all returning to their original locations, the Chongwen District has also established a “Qianmen Time-Honored Brand Development Fund.” The government allocates 10 million yuan annually to support Qianmen’s commercial time-honored brands, used for rental subsidies, loan interest discounts, intellectual property certification, and cultural creativity activities, to alleviate the cost pressures on businesses.

In addition, more than 20 internationally renowned brands, including Apple, Starbucks, Bulgari, Rolex, Adidas, Nike, Prada, Paris Baguette, and T.G.I. Friday’s, have also signed contracts to establish their presence. To maintain a unified exterior design that aligns with the overall architectural style of Qianmen Street, these international brands will present a “Chinese face,” while the interior decoration and design of the stores will utilize modern techniques and materials as needed to enhance functionality.

The newly unveiled Qianmen Street has become a historic and cultural commercial district that showcases a collection of premium domestic businesses, time-honored brands, and internationally famous labels.

How can Beijing culture be inherited and promoted in the new Qianmen?

After renovation, Qianmen Street, together with the four north-south streets and the 22 east-west hutongs surrounding it, will form five functional zones: Qianmen Street itself as a pedestrian commercial street, and the eastern area divided into a traditional Chinese time-honored brand commercial and tourism goods zone, a boutique hotel zone, a boutique courtyard experience zone, and an entertainment and leisure zone—making a total of five zones. Within these uniquely characterized functional areas, traditional commerce and historical culture will serve as highlights, reflecting the convergence of history and modernity, tradition and fashion throughout the street, thereby highlighting Beijing’s identity as a cultural capital and international city.

Some members of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, after visiting Qianmen Street, suggested that to promote Beijing culture, one must first understand its essence. Some also shared personal views: while the new Qianmen Street is very well built, there are still some minor flaws. For example, more attention should be paid to traditional Beijing folk customs. The trash bins on Qianmen Street, designed to resemble imitation “city gate piers,” do not quite match the character of Beijing as a city.

Zhao Shu pointed out that after the necessary hardware conditions such as cultural spaces are in place, districts like Qianmen Street should choose appropriate cultural forms to inject a “soul” into the historical area in order to inherit and promote Beijing’s culture.

A closer look at the overall planning layout of the Qianmen area reveals that over the past century, as dilapidated housing has been renovated and some residences in the Qianmen area have been demolished, the street culture that has accompanied the development of Qianmen Street for generations has gradually weakened. How the new Qianmen Street can attract crowds has become a common concern among experts and scholars. In response, Zhao Shu believes that Qianmen Street should become a grand stage reflecting Beijing’s ethnic culture. He further explained that the state now places great emphasis on traditional Chinese festivals, and Qianmen Street should have the function of showcasing these national traditional festivals. It should host temple fairs that reflect the cultural attributes of different traditional holidays, thereby establishing the cultural brand of the “Heavenly Street.”

Regarding the debate sparked by the entry of foreign brands into the “Heavenly Street,” some experts pointed out that the new Qianmen Street should exude a modern vibe, cater to the psychology of contemporary people, showcase cultural highlights, and provide spiritual enjoyment. Meanwhile, inclusiveness, regional characteristics, and fashion are inherent aspects of Beijing culture, so international top-tier brands should not be excluded from Qianmen Street. Wang Shirren stated that the presence of foreign brands in Qianmen Street is a result of market forces. As is well known, Qianmen Street in the 1920s and 1930s was a highly prosperous commercial area, where several well-known foreign brands were already operating, indicating a very high level of commercial quality. By the 1970s and 1980s, many merchants entered, but the quality of their goods was low, and the overall commercial atmosphere was chaotic. The entry of some foreign brands into the renovated Qianmen Street can elevate its commercial quality, which closely resembles the commercial environment of Qianmen Street in the 1920s and 1930s.

Some experts also suggest establishing a “Heavenly Street Chamber of Commerce” to study cultural forms suitable for Qianmen Street, such as restoring shop signs across all storefronts, promoting inscriptions by renowned calligraphers, and conducting distinctive commercial promotions.

“The Qianmen Railway Station has long been closed, it’s rare to see folk artists on the streets anymore, and nowadays people can shop conveniently—the historical conditions that once contributed to the commercial growth of Qianmen Street are changing. To fully showcase the charm that the new Qianmen Street ought to have, its cultural essence needs to evolve with the times. To further promote the status of the ‘Heavenly Street’ in Beijing culture, it is also necessary to identify its unique historical opportunities based on the characteristics of the era and continuously enhance public recognition.”

Time Needed

2–3 hours

Transportation

Qianmen Station on Line 2 of the Beijing Subway

Admission

Free

Opening Hours

Open all day; store hours vary, generally around 8:00–22:00.

Location

Qianmen Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing