Route:

Beixin Cang

Nanxin Cang

Tongzhou Great Canal Zhongcang

Tongzhou Great Canal Xicang

Unique features of the route:

"Storing grain is the great destiny of the world. Grain reserves are related to the economic lifeline and political stability of the country. Countless grain from the canal is transported to Beijing through the Great Canal River, from the river, dam, to the wharf. These grains first enter the grain warehouses of all sizes in Beijing. According to the record of the Qing Dynasty's Zhenjun's "Tianzhi Ouwen", "The warehouses in the city are called Beixin, Haiyun in the north, and Fuxin, Nanxin, Xingping, and Jiu Tai in the south of Chaoyangmen. Lumi is in the south of Chaoyangmen." With the passage of time, the "grain transport river" and grain warehouses have completed their historical missions, but they still shine after years of precipitation...

01 Beixin Cang

Beixin Cang is located at No. 16 Beixin Cang Hutong, Dongcheng District. It is one of the official warehouses for storing grain transportation in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. After the invasion of the Eight-Power Allied Forces in Beijing, the grain warehouse was forcibly occupied, and the history of Beixin Cang as a grain storage warehouse for the Ming and Qing Dynasties ended. During the Republic of China period, Beixin Cang was converted into an army clothing factory (warehouse). Today, Beixin Cang has three north-facing warehouse doors, surrounded by walls, and the warehouses and walls are all built of city bricks. The ventilation facilities of each warehouse are basically intact.

02 Nanxin Cang

Nanxin Cang, commonly known as Dongmen Cang, is located at No. 22 Dongsi 40th Street, Dongcheng District. It is one of the official warehouses for storing grain transportation in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The warehouses of Nanxin Cang are all built of large city bricks, just like the city walls. The warehouses have eaves in the front and back, and the roofs have air towers and sluice boards to ensure the evaporation of water vapor and prevent grain from becoming moldy. During the Republic of China period, Nanxin Cang was converted into an arsenal; after the founding of New China, it became a warehouse for Beijing Department Store, and later transformed into Nanxin Cang Cultural and Leisure Street. The plaque of Nanxin Cang's warehouse no longer exists, and only some remnants remain for viewing.

03 Tongzhou Great Canal Zhongcang

Tongzhou Great Canal Zhongcang is now located at No. 10 Zhongcang Road, Tongzhou District. Tongzhou is an important place for grain transportation and storage. It can be said that Tongzhou City in the Ming and Qing Dynasties was a prosperous city due to grain transportation and storage. In the Ming Dynasty, three large-scale grain warehouses were established in Tongzhou, collectively called "Tongcang". The middle grain warehouse was called "Zhongcang", and it was officially named "Great Canal Zhongcang" in the first year of the Zhengtong period. There are still some building components of warehouses and halls, such as large stone mills and foundation stones, in the site. Outside the north wall, there is a precious carrier of Tongzhou grain transportation and storage culture, a piece of ancient locust tree and a warehouse god temple stele body, which has high historical value.

04 Tongzhou Great Canal Xicang

The site of the wall remains of Tongzhou Great Canal West Warehouse is now located at No. 9 Tonglinge Street, Beiyuan Subdistrict, Tongzhou District, with most of it located within the Hongqi Electromechanical Institute. Like Great Canal Middle Warehouse, Tongzhou Great Canal West Warehouse was a granary established in the seventh year of the Ming Dynasty's Yongle era, and was officially named "Great Canal West Warehouse" in the first year of the Zhengtong era. It was the largest granary among the warehouses in Beijing and Tongzhou. After the cessation of shipping on the Northern Canal, it was no longer used, and only a 40-meter-long section of the southern warehouse wall remains above ground, with the rest of the wall foundation buried underground.

Recommended attractions along the route and its surroundings:

Former site of the Sino-French University

Meihou Si Shi Jingshan Citizen Culture Center

Great Canal Canal Forest Park

Donglang (Tongzhou) Film Creative Industry Park

Recommended local cuisine along the route and its surroundings:

Laijinyuxuan Tea House

Zijin Hotel (former site of the Belgian Embassy)

Beijing Daoxiangcun No. 0 Store

Beijing International Hotel 28th Floor Revolving Restaurant

Tiantan Fuyin

Recommended accommodations along the route and its surroundings:

Read and Rest Hotel

Beijing Daizhu Youlan Hotel