Dongzhimen Guijie Food Street

　　Guijie is situated within Dongzhimen, extending from the western section of the Dongzhimen Overpass on the Second Ring Road in the east to the eastern end of Jiaodaokou East Street in the west. On this over one-kilometer-long street, food and beverage establishments make up 90% of the over 150 commercial shops—such a high density of restaurants is hard to find anywhere else in Beijing. That’s why Guijie is also known as Beijing’s food street. Today, it remains a prime spot for showcasing the city’s culinary delights.

　　Surrounding Guijie are many embassies, making it convenient for foreign tourists and expatriates working in Beijing to enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine. The street generates tens of millions of yuan in profits from foreign visitors each year. On this over one-kilometer-long avenue, food and beverage services account for 90% of the more than 150 businesses—the concentration of restaurants is arguably unmatched elsewhere in Beijing. That’s why Guijie is also called Beijing’s food street. When you explore the area late at night, the bustling, brightly lit Guijie will surely let you experience another captivating side of Beijing.

　　Guijie is a street that always shines brilliantly amid the dimly lit city. Even today, it remains an excellent place to experience Beijing’s diverse food culture.

　　Guijie

　　Historical Background:

　　There are many versions of how Guijie got its name, which is often written as “Ghost Street.” As for the origin of the name, none of the various stories have official verification—perhaps only the longtime residents near Dongzhimen truly know how it came about.

　　Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, each of Beijing’s city gates had a specific purpose and could not be used indiscriminately. For example, troops would march out through Deshengmen, while executions were carried out at Xuanwumen. Dongzhimen, on the other hand, was reserved for transporting timber into the city and corpses out of it. Elderly residents who grew up near Dongzhimen still recall playing with friends atop the gate tower in their childhood. Looking down from the tower, they could see a straight road leading into the city, with the Drum Tower directly opposite. Outside the gate, meanwhile, lay an endless expanse of graves. At that time, Dongzhimen was considered part of the urban-rural fringe, and naturally, an early morning market formed inside the gate. Vendors selling odds and ends, vegetables, and fruits would start peddling their wares in the middle of the night, dispersing by dawn. These vendors relied on kerosene lamps for light, casting a hazy glow from a distance. Coupled with the numerous coffin shops and funeral parlors nearby, the atmosphere could be quite eerie. Hence, the place earned the nickname “Ghost Market.” Strangely enough, when the market economy began to take off, many shops along Dongzhimen Street ventured into various trades, but almost all went bankrupt—so much so that even the sole state-owned department store had to shut down. The bad luck of the area was utterly baffling. However, people soon noticed that only restaurants seemed to thrive here. Moreover, these eateries saw almost no customers during the day, but came alive at night, bustling with activity and prosperity. As to whether, as the elderly locals claimed, the ghosts of Beijing came into the city for a midnight feast—creating such vibrancy—no one can really say.

　　Thanks to its thriving nightlife, Ghost Street became widely known across Beijing. Naturally, many saw the immense business potential here, and even the local government shifted from initial resistance and strict control to later support. The district commerce commission even officially named the area “Dongnei Food Street.” But since the character “ghost” (鬼) had unsavory connotations, officials from Dongcheng District began brainstorming a new name. Most shop owners, however, strongly opposed the change, fearing it would ruin the area’s feng shui and drive away business. It was then that someone discovered the homophonous but more presentable character “簋” (pronounced guǐ as well), which is related to food. They launched a major promotional campaign and even erected a large bronze statue of the character at the base of the Dongzhimen Overpass, right by the entrance to Ghost Street. And thus, the now civilized name “Guijie (Dish Street)” was born.

　　Today, Guijie has become an iconic representation of Beijing’s food culture and a symbol of trendy dining. It’s a place people aspire to visit, a source of joy, and even a popular topic of conversation. Many visitors’ first “night tour” of Beijing starts here; on many exciting occasions in the city, people choose to celebrate here—whether it’s the successful bid for the Olympics, China’s football team making it onto the world stage, or the Asian Cup loss to Japan. On such significant or emotional milestones, people flock here to let loose, singing, drinking, shouting, hugging, and crying, as the whole street immerses itself in the atmosphere. This is the Guijie of today.

　　Beijing boasts many famous snacks, such as stewed pork tripe with bread, spicy stomach, and sheep spine hot pot. Over the years, Guijie has also given rise to a food trend centered around spicy crayfish. More recently, spicy frog and Chongqing-style grilled fish have once again taken center stage. For foreign visitors, Guijie is especially appealing due to its proximity to embassies, making it a great place to explore Chinese food culture. Here, it’s common to see groups of foreigners gathered around tables, interspersed with a few Chinese diners. Everyone chats together, perhaps with an extra-spicy hot pot or fragrant grilled fish steaming at the center. Foreign diners’ eating habits often get influenced by Chinese cuisine, and Guijie has played a significant role in introducing Chinese food to the world.