Qianmen Street

　　The five historical renovations of Qianmen Street

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

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

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

　　　　The fourth — 1970s, reason for renovation: After commercial development, many large commercial buildings were erected on the street, such as Yilong Building, O’Neil Shop, and Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant. With billboards everywhere, the original appearance of Qianmen Street was almost invisible, and although the old houses were dilapidated, they were not repaired in time.

　　　　The fifth — began in May 2007.

　　　　With enthusiasm and anticipation, just 28 days away — 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 visiting Beijing, one simply must see Qianmen. To present a brand-new image of cultural Beijing, since April last year, Qianmen Street has been closed for renovation 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 kind of appearance and charm will it show to display the cultural allure of ancient Beijing? With these questions in mind, reporters recently visited the newly renovated Qianmen Street with relevant experts to explore the ancient charm and new vibes of Beijing, as well as the cultural spirit where the ancient and modern blend.

　　　　Tianjie (Heavenly Street), an inseparable cultural memory for Beijingers

　　　　On the central south axis of Beijing, Qianmen Street has a history of over 570 years and is known as the “Heavenly Street.” In the hearts of Beijingers, “Qianmen” is both a colloquial name for a city gate and a representative of an area, symbolizing the city of Beijing. People often believe that you haven’t truly entered the capital until you reach Qianmen.

　　　　According to historical records, stretching 840 meters from Moon Bay in the north to Zhushikou in the south, Qianmen Street has been the imperial route for emperors traveling to the Temple of Heaven and the Altar of Agriculture (the origin of the name “Heavenly Street”) since the Ming Dynasty's Yongle Emperor Zhu Di moved the capital to Beijing. Over the past 600 years from the Ming Dynasty to today, although Qianmen Street has suffered damage and undergone multiple renovations, it has always been a vital commercial district in the capital, bustling with famous shops, lively markets, and a constant flow of pedestrians.

　　　　The bond between Beijingers and Qianmen is hard to put into words, as it is reflected in every aspect of daily life. In the past, nearly every aspect of a Beijinger’s life — food, clothing, housing, and transportation — was connected to Qianmen: Quanjude’s roast duck, Duyichu’s shaomai, Hengdeli’s watches, Zhangyiyuan’s tea... Though these time-honored brands now have branches all over the capital, for the discerning “old Beijingers,” only the flagship stores at Qianmen can truly put their minds at ease. Qianmen is also the birthplace of Beijing-style culture: crosstalk, Beijing qinshu, Jingyun dagu... Many classic segments of these native Beijing performing arts mention 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 in old Beijing through various historical periods. Qianmen Street attracts a large number of domestic and international tourists each year and plays an important role in cultural and economic exchanges between China and other countries.

　　　　The Qianmen area is also one of the regions in old Beijing where the traditional street scene and historical relics are best preserved. Experts note that since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it has been a distinctive neighborhood where Beijing’s architectural culture, merchant culture, guild culture, folk culture, and opera culture were most developed and thriving, serving as a living museum of Beijing’s traditional and modern folklore.

　　　　The Qianmen area boasts a profound and extensive cultural foundation and a unique, far-reaching cultural charm. Numerous historical relics coexist with the daily life of old Beijing, together with surrounding historical sites forming the area’s unique historical landscape, which has become one of the most vivid cultural memories for Beijingers.

　　　　Beijing’s first historically renovated district to use heritage conservation 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 original charm in recent years.

　　　　Speaking about the reasons for reconstructing Tianjie, Wang Shiren, researcher at the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics and member of the expert advisory group for the protection of the old city’s character and the renovation of dilapidated houses, explained that the renovation of Qianmen Street is extremely necessary. First, from the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty to the present, it has a history of nearly 600 years. Although there have been several renovations throughout history, the current structures have suffered severe damage, with nearly 70% of shops and buildings being classified as dangerous. Conducting business or living in such dilapidated buildings is very hazardous. This renovation is also aimed at rescuing many historically valuable structures that have survived. Second, Qianmen Street is a crucial section of Beijing’s central axis. The 7.8-kilometer central axis stretching from Yongdingmen to the Bell and Drum Towers is the central landmark of the ancient capital and the longest existing urban central axis in the world, even referred to as the “lifeblood of Beijing.” Qianmen Street is the section of the central axis closest to the Forbidden City and holds an extremely important location. However, before renovation, the appearance of Qianmen Street was extremely chaotic and even run-down, with very low artistic quality. Furthermore, due to historical reasons, outdated municipal facilities have caused many inconveniences for residents and businesses in the area.

　　　　In May 2007, the Chongwen District of Beijing officially launched the Qianmen Street Renovation and Conservation Project. According to the head of the Chongwen District Construction Commission, the Qianmen Street 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 hardware planning such as renovation, reconstruction, and relocation, or software planning such as future functional positioning and business recruitment, it has captured the attention of all Beijingers.

　　　　According to officials from the Cultural Relics Protection Department of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics, to adhere to the core principle of “recreating the historical character of old Beijing,” Beijing has, for the first time, applied heritage conservation standards to the renovation and reconstruction of buildings along Qianmen Street, strictly preserving traditional architecture during the project. It is understood that treating the buildings along Qianmen Street as “cultural relics” is not just conceptual — the original forms of the buildings will be faithfully restored using authentic materials. The restoration of the buildings along the central axis of Qianmen Street will not only retain the late Qing Dynasty buildings that still exist but will also restore other structures to their Republican-era appearances.

　　　　To leave no regrets, the Beijing and Chongwen District governments conducted repeated and careful research on the renovation, restoration, and protection 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, who spent four years conducting 32 rounds of evaluation, deliberation, and revision on the proposals. Through resident forums, proposal exhibitions, and voting, they extensively sought public opinions to further refine the plans, giving them a broad consensus. During the project, protecting the ancient capital’s character was given top priority, with the “three 100%” principles established: striving 100% to implement the overall preservation plan for the ancient character of the Qianmen area; 100% rescuing and protecting existing cultural relics, cultural relic survey units, listed courtyards, and valuable buildings; and 100% rescuing and protecting the hutong layout and time-honored brands of the Qianmen area.

　　　　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 the Qianmen Street formed during that period had been completely destroyed by the invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1900, leaving little impression among old Beijingers. The Qianmen Street familiar to old Beijingers was formed in the late Qing and early Republican periods, reaching its peak in the 1920s and 1930s, so 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 photos from that time.

　　　　Experts explain that the new Qianmen Street highlights a combination of modern commercial functionality and the character of the ancient capital, and thus is not entirely the style of the 1920s and 1930s as previously publicized. The northern section mainly preserves historical buildings, keeping nine structures from the 1920s and 1930s; the middle section focuses on restoring iconic historical facades and landscapes, featuring 41 historic storefronts; the southern section retains mostly existing 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, “business recruitment” has also become a highly anticipated aspect of the new Qianmen Street. As early as July 2007, the Chongwen District launched the Qianmen Street business 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 targeted national ethnic commercial brands and historic time-honored businesses from across the country.

　　　　At the same time, leveraging the historical “East-meets-West” architectural style and commercial format of Qianmen Street, efforts were made to attract international brands to establish and root themselves here. The recruitment focused on approximately 180 merchants covering around 66,000 square meters on both sides of Qianmen Street, with key targets in the catering, retail, and service sectors.

　　　　Currently, in addition to the 13 “time-honored brands” originally native to the street — 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 Store — all having returned, 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 corporate cost pressures.

　　　　In addition, more than 20 internationally renowned brands, including Apple, Starbucks, Piaget, Rolex, Adidas, Nike, Prada, Paris Baguette, and M on the Bund, have also signed contracts to establish a presence. To align with the overall design of Qianmen Street, these international brands will present a “Chinese face,” while their interior designs and decorations will use 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 concentration of premium domestic businesses, time-honored brands, and internationally renowned labels.

　　　　How to inherit and promote Beijing culture in the new Qianmen

　　　　The renovated Qianmen Street, along with its adjacent four north-south streets and 22 east-west hutongs, will be developed into 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 premium courtyard experience zone, and an entertainment and leisure zone—making up a total of five zones. Within these uniquely characterized functional areas, the focus will be on the aggregation of traditional commerce and historical culture, reflecting the intersection of history and modernity, tradition and fashion, highlighting Beijing’s identity as a renowned cultural city and an international metropolis.

　　　　Some members of the political consultative conference, after visiting Qianmen Street, suggested that to promote Beijing culture, one must first understand its essence. Some also offered personal opinions: the new Qianmen Street is very well built, but there are still some minor flaws. For instance, more attention should be given to traditional Beijing folk customs. The trash bins on Qianmen Street, designed to resemble imitation “city gate piers,” do not quite fit the character of Beijing.

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

　　　　A closer look at the overall planning layout of the Qianmen area reveals that over the past century, as dilapidated housing has been redeveloped and some residences in the Qianmen area have been demolished, the street culture that has accompanied the development of Qianmen Street for generations is gradually weakening. 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, align with the psychology of contemporary people, showcase cultural highlights, and provide spiritual enjoyment. Inclusiveness, regional character, and fashion are also inherent aspects of Beijing culture, so it should not reject the entry of top-tier international brands into Qianmen Street. Wang Shiren 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 very prosperous commercial street, 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 not high, and the overall commercial atmosphere was rather chaotic. The entry of some foreign brands into the renovated Qianmen Street can enhance its commercial quality, which is quite similar to the commercial atmosphere 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 for all stores, promoting inscriptions by renowned calligraphers, and carrying out distinctive commercial promotions.

　　　　The Qianmen Railway Station has long been closed, folk artists are rarely seen on the streets, and shopping has become much more convenient for people nowadays. The historical conditions that once contributed to the commercial development of Qianmen Street are changing. To fully showcase the charm that the new Qianmen Street deserves, it is necessary to develop its cultural connotations in step with the times. To further promote the status of the “Heavenly Street” in Beijing culture, it is also essential to seek its unique historical opportunities based on the characteristics of the era and continuously enhance public recognition.

Qianmen Street is aAAA-level tourist attraction