Beijing Longfu Temple

　　 Beijing Charm: Savoring the Capital’s Famous Eats

　　 Age: 550 years

　　 Past Life: Longfu Temple is located west of Dongsi Beidajie, originally built in the third year of the Jingtai era during the Ming Dynasty (1425), and was renovated in the ninth year of the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty (1731). Situated in the eastern part of Beijing and facing Huguo Temple, it was commonly known as the “East Temple.” From the mid-Ming Dynasty onward, the Longfu Temple fair had long been a renowned “money-burning” destination in the capital. By the late Qing Dynasty, temple fair days drew massive crowds, attracting nobles from nearby royal mansions, foreigners from the Dongjiaominxiang legation quarter, poor city dwellers, and farmers from the suburbs. After the Xinhai Revolution, commodity exchanges among residents of the four city districts became even more frequent, and this temple fair came to be known as Beijing’s largest. A wide variety of local specialties could be bought here, along with numerous Beijing-style snacks, and folk operas could be enjoyed. As noted in the "Beijing Bamboo Branch Lyrics," during the temple fair’s heyday, “a million coins could be spent in a single day.”

　　 Present Day: Today’s Longfu Temple Street is divided into eastern and western sections. The eastern section mainly consists of small clothing shops, while the western section features both snacks and clothing stores. Century-old establishments such as the Muslim-owned Bai Kui Restaurant, the time-honored Dumpling Hut, and the long-standing Fengnian Stuffed Intestine Shop are all located close together. Remember not to fill up at one place—save room to eat your way through all three, one after another. One characteristic of Beijing snacks is that each comes with different accompaniments: you must pair douzhi (fermented mung bean drink) with spicy pickled vegetable strips; fried stuffed intestine must be eaten with garlic sauce; and stir-fried tripe should be enjoyed with sesame paste and chili oil… In truth, eating authentic Beijing snacks is a way of reminiscing about old Beijing culture. Here, you can miss the old Beijing culture while also feeling the impact of modern trends…

　　 How to Find It: 100 meters north of the intersection of Wusi Street and the East Road of the Art Museum, on the east side of the road

　　 Highlight: Longfu Temple Snacks