When it comes to Beijing's famous commercial street, Wangfujing Street is always prominent. Wangfujing Street has a century-long history and enjoys the reputation of being the "Golden Street" of Beijing. No matter how many times you visit, Wangfujing Street's rich and diverse cultural essence never fails to attract you.
01"Nostalgia"
This century-old "Golden Street" carries the fond memories of several generations of old Beijingers. As time passes, those familiar and warm storefronts stand by the street, and fragments of vibrant past lives begin to resurface in your mind.
Heping Guoju
On the B2 floor of the Wangfujing Department Store Building, you can find Heping Guoju. With over 2,400 square meters of space, it is filled with items that evoke nostalgia, such as coal briquettes, old-style green trains, advertisements from the last century, photo studios, and vintage bicycles. These objects bring back the childhood memories of Beijing's older generation.
Scenes of Beijing's hutong life, such as Lingjing Hutong and Meichang Hutong, vividly recreate the authentic and sentimental appearance of old Beijing. Every blade of grass, every brick and tile, every teapot, and every pair of sneakers embodies Beijing's unique sense of nostalgia and tells the stories of bygone times.
China Photo Studio
On the bustling Wangfujing Street, the grayish-silver four-story building of China Photo Studio appears somewhat low-key. This time-honored establishment, which has witnessed the efforts of generations of photographers, not only captures the changes of the times through light and shadow but also freezes many citizens' unforgettable moments in life. From baby photos, first birthday photos, and wedding photos to family portraits, these small photos imprinted with the words "China Photo" have become cherished heirlooms for many old Beijingers.
Silian Hair Salon
On Wangfujing Street, there is a uniquely designed store where just a few strokes outline a beautiful lady's face and flowing long hair. This is Silian Hair Salon. With just a hairdryer and a curling brush, the skilled hairstylists in the women's department can create trendy wavy curls by adjusting the airflow, temperature, and the curvature and direction of the brush.02"Arts"
No matter what age group you belong to, as an art enthusiast, you can always find a heaven for your soul on Wangfujing Street. Stepping into bookstores, exhibition halls, or theaters, you are shielded from the outside hustle and bustle, allowing culture and art to quietly soak into the winter moments.
Reading
The 2023 Beijing Publishing Group's "Book Feast" has arrived at various distinctive bookstores in Beijing, offering a culture-rich feast of ink fragrance to book lovers during the early winter season. Wangfujing Bookstore, focusing on themes of traditional Chinese culture, Beijing-style culture, and technological innovation, collaborates with Beijing Tongrentang for interactive experiences such as "scent appreciation, scent identification, and incense-making." They also partner with the Aviation Knowledge Magazine to organize activities such as Mars Rover simulations and themed science boxes. You can follow the WeChat official account of "Xinhua Bookstore Wangfujing Branch" to learn about weekend bookstore events.
Foreign language bookstores, known for their sale of original imported books, have served as "enlightening bookstores" for many people in their 70s and 80s, nurturing countless readers' reading memories.
Hanfenlou Bookstore of the Commercial Press, although located in the bustling Wangfujing Street, is a rare quiet place where you can sense the traditional atmosphere of the century-old publishing house. On the second floor of the bookstore is Hanfenlou Art Gallery, which houses the treasure of the Commercial Press, the "Siku Quanshu (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries)."
Exhibition
Located at the northern end of Wangfujing Street, the Guardian Art Center has hosted over 150 heavyweight art exhibitions. Within its 50,000 square meters of art space, you can enjoy a comprehensive art journey. In December, the Poly Art Center will showcase exhibitions such as "The Palace Museum Collection of Five Glassware" and "Light, Ripples, and Segre: Differences Are Also Bridges." Come and have a visit!
"When it comes to theater in Beijing, the best shows are in Dongcheng." Dongcheng District is the forefront witnessing the vigorous development of China's literary and artistic undertakings.
Near Wangfujing Street in Dongcheng District, there are numerous "star theaters" such as the influential Beijing People's Art Theater, the historic Jixiang Grand Theater, which has witnessed a century of Chinese opera history, the Capital Theater, the first theater in New China mainly focusing on stage plays, the Chinese Children Art Theater, and the Oriental Art Center. These theaters offer a wide range of performances, including dramas, operas, musicals, dance performances, and more.
Translator: CHEN Nuoqi
Reviewer: WANG Luchun
