Houhai (Chinese:后海; pinyin: hòuhǎi 'Rear Lake') is a lake and its surrounding neighborhood in Xicheng District of central Beijing, China. Houhai is the largest of the three lakes, along with Qianhai 'Front Lake' and Xihai 'Western Lake', that comprise Shichahai, the collective name for the three northern-most lakes in central Beijing.It was exclusively for royal family in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and the surrounding area has been a prosperous commercial area since then. There were many wine shops, workshops, and opera stages in ancient times. Nowadays, it is open to all. People can go boating on the lake in summer; while in winter it is possibile to ski on the frozen lake. The area is dotted with bars, cafes, teahouses and restaurants, and is quite popular among foreign visitors and local young people. In addition, the neighboring Hutongs and courtyards of former court officials and celebrities are worth a visit. Since the early 2000s, the hutong neighborhood around Houhai has become known for its nightlife as many residences along the lake shore have been converted into restaurants, bars, and cafes. The area is especially popular with foreign tourists visiting Beijing and is also often visited by the expatriate
community and the younger generations of locals.
The Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling and Prince Gong Mansion are both located in the Houhai neighborhood.
The time-honored Houhai area is characterized by traditional buildings, especially Hutongs and courtyards. You can wander in the old and narrow Hutongs, such as Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street, Nanluoguxiang (South Gong and Drum Lane), and Ya'er Hutong; pay a visit to the former residences of celebrities, such as Prince Gong's Mansion, Prince Chun Mansion,
Former Residence of Guo Moruo, the great poet, and Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling, the wife of the eminent revolutionary Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Wandering around these old buildings, you will inevitably think of the old lifestyle, and the life experience of these people. Notably, you can ride a bike or take a rickshaw to tour the old Hutongs.
Famous Bar Street - a paradise for night life in Beijing
Other than the traditional Hutongs and old style residences, you can find some modern elements around Houhai - bars. These bars are not very large, but have distinctive features. Here are some popular ones:
Zoom:
It is a Britain-style football bar. On the walls hang the jerseys of great teams. The beer is quite cheap at around CNY 10 to 15 per bottle. The bar is brimmed with an exciting ambience. It will be great to watch Premier League at the bar with a lot of fans.
Houhai No. 5:
It is open around the clock. It integrates western-style designs into traditional Chinese buildings. During daytime, you can enjoy Chinese zither performance. At night, you can enjoy the performances of different bands. There are many kinds of cocktails at reasonable prices.
Great Leap Brewing：
Great Leap Brewing was the first craft beer brewery in Beijing since 1990s, and is called as the pioneer that leads the wave of craft beer in Beijing.Great Leap Brewing offers 60 types of craft beer, among which the star products have their own logo. It’s superb to drink light beer with barbecue while chewing the fat with friends.
Chang Ting Jiu Si：
Two trees outside the doorway, sign remarked by black letters on red paper, yellow and warm light inside, as well as several dishes and bottles of liquor all make the store an ideal place for a drink and chats with friends.
Modernista：
With its black-and-white checkered floors, hardwood bar, and soundtrack of soft jazz music, the Modernista bar could just as well be found tucked away in a Parisian backstreet as a Beijing hutong. This bar will likely become a Mecca for the Euro-hipster scene. In its opening month, film screenings included Luis Bunuel’s surrealist classic or a film about an age of gold. It is tempting to draw comparisons between the film and the bar itself: hidden away, relatively small, self-consciously quirky, lacking in mass market appeal, and all the better for it. For all those who have the inclination to meander the hutongs in search of this hidden gem, you’ll likely be delighted at the 20-plus wines on offer by the glass, starting out at just 35 RMB. The Modernista has a selection and pricing structure which is almost unmatched in Beijing. A long list of single malts, including Talisker 18 (130 RMB) further adds to the quality drinks on offer. A noticeable lack of cocktail options doesn’t hinder much, although the beer range will further delight, with an international selection including reasonably priced treats like San Miguel (20 RMB). A small stage and a multilingual collection of books make this an ideal hutong hangout for the self-consciously hip. Walk-ins will be pretty much an impossibility.
Dada Bar：
Dada bar is a mid-sized DJ club offering cheap drinks. With a hip-looking arty industrial decor, and a forward-thinking events schedule, it has witnessed local and international DJs playing new EDM from emerging genres: dubstep, skwee, 8-bit, ohlssoncore and more. Local DJ crews host weekly and monthly events and the venue plays host to international guests artists for special nights. The atmosphere is dark, slick, and cool, but still relaxed and sufficiently sloppy. Good size dance floor for a smaller club and ample couch space. Damage is in the 25-40 Yuan range for mixes, drafts, and bottles.
Tao Yao Bar：
Located behind a small park on the south shore of Houhai, Tao Yao Bar is a tranquil, Tibetan-themed escape from the neon noise of the nearby beer bars. Ideal for hanging out with friends over beers, cocktails or Tibetan milk tea, the party cranks up on Friday nights with all-you-can-drink deals and a DJ spinning Houhai\'s best tunes. Available for private party hire. Chinese name:桃之夭夭.
The Red Bar：
Surrounded by Shichahai Lake, Houhai Bar Street is a scenic hotspot where thousands of locals and international visitors flock to every day. Yesterday my colleagues from Visitbeijing.com.cn and I went to a small bar in the Houhai Area, called the Red Bar. This bar left a great impression on me. The bar is located at the end of Houhai's Bar Street. In comparison with other bars in the area, Red Bar is quite different. Simply because you don’t hear someone standing in front of the door, loudly shouting soliciting customers and you won’t hear terrifyingly noisy music. This bar is not very large and there are two floors with just nine tables; these tables are uniquely decorated. When you enter the room, you come face to face with three tires and many car photos adorning a white wall. It is said that the owner is crazy about all kinds of cars and it is his dream to share his love of cars with friends. So if you are an automobile enthusiast, it is a good choice to chew the fat with the owner or find some like-minded friends. It may be the most serene place for you if you are looking for a quiet place to take a seat and enjoy some drinks. Catering to the foreign clientele, the menus are written in both English and Chinese. The Red Bar has an altogether different and more peaceful atmosphere, with a low hum of conversation and a light scent of popcorn lacing the air. The general vibe of Red Bar is low key and it serves as an oasis for tourists and locals alike Though by no stretch of the imagination is the bar luxurious, it does pleasantly mix Chinese and western styles to great effect. The comfortable Chinese sofas being a welcome sight to those with sore feet in need of a rest on weekends, the Red Bar hosts well known singers and also has an open mic for would be singers that wish to have a go at entertaining the bar's other guests.
Various Restaurants - great places to taste local food
After touring around Houhai and having fun at the bars, you must get hungry. You can enjoy a meal at the time-honored restaurants. The Kao Rou Ji restaurant provides very delicious roast mutton, duck, chicken etc. The Bao Du Zhang restaurant features exquisitely cooked tripe. The Kong Yiji Restaurant sells authentic cuisines of South China. Additionally, there are many kinds of delicious snacks in the Hutongs waiting for you, such as Wan Dou Huang (Pea Flour Cake), Lv Da Gun (Rice Cake), and Huo Shao (Sesame Seed Cake).
Shichhai Night View
“Shichahai”, literally “Ten Temple Lake”, actually refers to a large historical area (147 hectares) including the present three lakes – Houhai (Back Lake), Qianhai (Front Lake) and Xihai (West Lake) in the north of the central Beijing.
There used to be 10 temples in the area, hence the name of “Shichahai”. Some of the temples are still there, including Guangji Temple, Huitong Temple, Huoshen Temple, Guangfu Guan ( a taoist temple ), etc.
Acclaimed as “Historical and Cultural Scenic District” by the municipal government of Beijing in 1992, Shichahai has become one of the much-visited place equivalent of other highlights in Beijing such as Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and the Great Wall of China.
Shichahai is a place where modernity meets tradition – historical hutongs and courtyards; trendy bars and restaurants. It is also a scenic area with willow lined lakes – boating in summer and skating in winter.
Shichahai is a delight to explore either on foot or by bike. You’ll need 2 0r 3 hours to savour the picturesque Shichahai which is often referred to as “Houhai” by foreign visitors.
Shichahai in different seasons or even at different times of a day give you different views and activities. Shichahai at night is most attractive with great fun – neon lights, crowded and bustling, stuffed with all manner of bars, restaurants, stalls and gifts shops. It is an entertaining place to browse. In a word, Shichahai is an ideal hangout on your Beijing night tour no matter.
How to get to Houhai
Take Subway Line 8 to Shichahai Station and leave from Exit A2. Walk west along Wannian Hutong for about two minutes and turn right. Then walk northwest along Qianhai Dongyan for about three minutes to the lake.
Take bus 5, 60, 82, 107, 124, 635, Night 2, or Night 10 to Gulou (Drum Tower) Station. Walk west along Wannian Road for about three minutes. Then follow the above direction.
