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: During the invasion of Beijing by the Eight-Nation Alliance, Qianmen Street
Beijing Railway Station was first built in 1901 (the 27th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty), originally located on the east side of the Zhengyangmen barbican (now the site of the Old Station Mall and the Shou Tie Cultural Palace), and was formerly known as the Zhengyangmen East Station of the Peking–Fengtian Railway. Over time, it has also been called Qianmen Station, Beijing Station, Beiping Station, and Beiping East Station. In 1949
Juer Hutong is located in the northwest of Dongcheng District, Beijing. It stretches from Jiaodaokou South Street in the east to Nanluoguxiang in the west, neighbors Houyuan’ensi Hutong to the south, and connects to Shoubi Hutong to the north. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Jiaodaokou Subdistrict Office. The hutong is 438 meters long and 6 meters wide, with an asphalt road surface. Currently, most of the northern side of the hutong has been demolished and rebuilt into buildings and courtyard houses. Juer Hutong,
Beierhuan City Park is located along the southern section of Beijing’s Second Ring Road from Jiugulou Street to Yonghegong Bridge on the northern stretch, covering an area of approximately 54,000 square meters. It is the narrowest city park in Beijing. This is an east-west oriented linear landscape green space. The most prominent design concept of this urban park is the cultural restoration of the ancient city. Beierhuan City Park is
Guozijian Street, located within Andingmen in Dongcheng District, Beijing, is an east-west alley. During the Qing Dynasty, it was called “Chengxian Street” (Street of the Accomplished Scholars) because the Confucius Temple and the Imperial College (Guozijian) were situated there, and it was also known as Guozijian Hutong. It is one of the few well-preserved ancient streets in Beijing. The imposing memorial archways, the old locust trees lining the street, and the lush green canopies sheltering the ancient buildings all reflect the traditional character of old Beijing streets.
Beijing Qianding Old Liquor Museum is a museum that has undergone strict approval by relevant national authorities. It is located at No. 69 Zhaofu Street, north of the Bell and Drum Towers on Beijing’s central axis. The two-story museum features understated decor, and its rich collection and exhibits showcase the 5,000-year-old civilization and history of liquor in the Chinese nation. It is China’s first comprehensive old liquor museum.
Dongsi Olympic Community Park covers a total area of approximately 10,800 square meters. It features a natural and vibrant green space created through the use of large-scale trees and shrubs, along with seasonally varied plantings. A series of Olympic-themed sculptures are integrated throughout the park, immersing visitors in the dynamic spirit of the Olympics and making it a standout green space along the East Second Ring Road.
The museum has an exhibition area of 2,000 square meters. It currently houses a collection of over 7,000 items (ranging from Ming Dynasty to present-day domestic and international police-related artifacts), with more than 1,500 items on display (a significant portion of which are being shown to the public for the first time). The exhibits primarily consist of physical objects, supplemented by photographs, texts, and models. Additionally, the museum also employs
The Hall of Vast Righteousness, located on the west side of the square in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, stands opposite the Hall of Literary Glory. Originally built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420), it was called the Martial Tower in the early Ming period and renamed the Hall of Vast Righteousness in the early Qing Dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty, it served as the silver treasury of the Imperial Household Department, storing gold, silver, copper coins, jewels, jade artifacts, and gold and silver utensils. The gold and silver tableware used for imperial banquets was prepared by this treasury.
Yuting Park was originally the largest flower, bird, fish, and insect market in Beijing. To comprehensively improve the environment along the railway and create a positive “first impression of Beijing,” the Chongwen District Party Committee and District Government invested over ten million yuan to demolish the Yuting Flower and Bird Market and build a large cultural activity plaza and green space park that integrates leisure, entertainment, and fitness.
Ren'ai Pavilion, located on the eastern side of the square in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, was first built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420). In the early Ming period, it was called the Wenyuan Tower; in the early Qing period, it was renamed Ren'ai Pavilion. In June of the 48th year of the Qianlong reign (1783), it was destroyed by fire and rebuilt the same year. Emperor Kangxi once held the examination for the Broad Learning and Eminent Scholars (Boxue Hongci) at Ren'ai Pavilion to recruit renowned scholars and talented individuals. During the Qianlong reign...
The Beijing Imperial City Art Museum, as a key project of the Beijing Municipal Government and an important part of the preservation work of the Ming and Qing Dynasties' Imperial City of Beijing, began preparation in early 2002, with its main building completed in September of the same year. In October 2002, Comrade [Name Redacted], then General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State, and Chairman of the [Redacted], inspected the museum under preparation.
Chang—(Chang Palace)—was one of the Western Six Palaces and served as the residence for imperial concubines during the Ming and Qing dynasties. A plaque inscribed with the characters “Cultivate Inner Virtue” (敬修内则), personally written by Emperor Qianlong, was hung in the front hall. During the Ming dynasty, Noble Consort Shangshou of Emperor Jiajing and Consort Li of Emperor Tianqi once lived here. In the Qing dynasty, Empress Xiaoxianchun, wife of Emperor Qianlong, resided in this palace.
Tongjiao Temple is located at No. 19, Zhenxian Hutong, Beixiaojie, Dongzhimennei, covering an area of over 2,500 square meters. Originally built during the Ming Dynasty by an imperial eunuch, it was converted into a nunnery during the Qing Dynasty and renamed "Tongjiao Chanlin." In 1942, nuns Kaihui and Shengyu from Fujian took charge of the temple and expanded it, renaming it "Tongjiao Temple."
One of the most frequently asked questions by tourists visiting Beijing is: where are the hutongs in Beijing? The hutongs of Beijing originated in the Yuan Dynasty, with as many as over 6,000 at their peak. The oldest ones are found between Chaoyangmennei Street and Dongsi, where they were laid out quite systematically—with fairly consistent distances between each hutong. Most run from north to south.
The Wenyuan Pavilion, a Qing imperial library, was completed in the 41st year of the Qianlong reign (1776). In the 38th year of Qianlong’s reign (1773), the emperor issued an edict to establish the “Complete Library of the Four Treasuries Bureau” to compile the Siku Quanshu (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries). In the 39th year, he decreed the construction of a library building, ordering it to be built behind the Hall of Literary Glory (Wenhua Dian) in a location deemed suitable, creating the Wenyuan Pavilion specifically to house the Siku Quanshu.
Located in Beijing's Chongwen District, the Red Theater is quite well-known among foreign tourists visiting the city. The nightly performance of "The Legend of Kung Fu" is always sold out. Tailored specifically for tourists, "The Legend of Kung Fu" draws on successful international experiences and follows a management model of "one show, one company, one team." This large-scale stage
The Hall of Literary Glory, a structure within the Forbidden City in Beijing, is located east of the Xiehe Gate in the Outer Court, facing the Hall of Martial Valor from afar. Situated in the eastern part of the Forbidden City, it once served as the "working place of the crown prince." According to the theory of the Five Elements, the east corresponds to wood and the color green, symbolizing growth—hence its use as the crown prince’s palace. The Hall of Literary Glory was first built in the early Ming Dynasty, positioned east of the Xiehe Gate in the Outer Court...
The Beijing Tap Water Museum was established in 2000 and is located within the Qingshuiyuan Community on Dongzhimen Beidajie. The museum currently has three exhibition halls: the first section focuses on "Pioneering Efforts and Ambitious Development"; the second on "Crystal Clear Springs Reflecting History"; and the third on "Vigorous Growth Since Reform and Opening-Up."
The Snow Pond Ice Cellar is located in Xuechi Hutong, Xicheng District, and is listed as one of the seventh batch of municipal-level cultural heritage protection units in Beijing. It was an ice cellar exclusively used by the imperial palace. Every lunar December, ice was harvested from Taiye Pool, Shichahai, the Imperial Moat, and the city’s surrounding moats and stored for use in the summer. Originally there were six ice cellars; now only two buildings remain, with a total floor area of 497.50 square meters.