Many people say that Beijing is rapidly changing and becoming more modern and prosperous, but amidst the prosperity, there is always a vague sense of loss that cannot be explained. Perhaps it is the gradual loss of Beijing's cultural heritage, and we suddenly realize that the taste of old Beijing is becoming increasingly rare! However, there are still some places that preserve the Beijing culture and the authentic taste of old Beijing. Let me take you on a tour...

Dongjiaomin Xiang

Dongjiaomin Xiang starts from Tian'anmen Square Donglu(Rd) in the west and ends at Chongwenmennei Dajie(St) in the east, with a total length of nearly 1.6 kilometers. It is the longest hutong in old Beijing. It was originally called Dongjiangmi Xiang because it was a transportation hub for rice. In modern times, it was a famous embassy district. Now, the Western-style buildings on both sides of the road still tell the stories of the past to passersby.

Transportation: Take bus 41 or 60 to the south entrance of Zhengyi Road and walk 79 meters; or take bus 59, 723, 729, 8, 9, or Te11 to Zhengyi Lu(Rd) and walk to the destination.

Nanluogu Xiang

Nanluogu Xiang is a hutong located on the east side of Beijing's central axis. It starts from Gulou Dongdajie(St) in the north and ends at Ping'an Street in the south. It is 8 meters wide and 787 meters long, and is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Beijing with a history of more than 740 years.

Last year, Nanluogu Xiang applied to cancel its 3A-level scenic spot qualification. Then, it was closed for renovation for nearly half a year. It reopened in February this year with a new look. The recommended snacks such as durian, fried yogurt, salt and pepper chicken, and stinky tofu are all gone. The number of shops has decreased from 235 to 154, and most of the shops have gray walls and brick-red wooden doors. There are no graffiti on the walls, and the ground is covered with new blue-gray mosaic tiles.

At the south entrance of the alley, there is a "Nanluo Folk Culture Museum" with a black and gold sign and an open red brick wooden door. As soon as you enter, you can see stalls selling sugar figurines and dough figurines. The person in charge of the Nanluo Folk Culture Museum said that Nanluo now looks more like it did when they were young.

This Ming Dynasty "Zhaohui Jinggong Fang" and Qing Dynasty "Luoguo Xiang" have now restored some of their former appearance.

Address: Take Line 6 or Line 8 to Nanluogu Xiang Station and exit from Exit D.

Beiluogu Xiang

The famous Nanluogu Xiang is well-known to everyone, but as a true Beijinger, one should also know about the lesser-known Beiluogu Xiang located on the west side of Andingmen Inner Street, running north to south. It starts from Andingmen West Street and ends at Gulou East Street, with a total length of 866 meters and a width of 7 meters. This area has not yet been affected by commercialization and is quiet and livable. Countless interesting people and shops are hidden in the peaceful hutongs and alleys. Avoid the crowds on Nanluogu and Gulou streets and take a stroll in Beiluogu to enjoy a slow and relaxing time.

Transportation: Take bus 13 or 623 to Luogu Xiang station and walk to Beiluogu Xiang.

Yandai Xiejie(St)

Yandai Xiejie(St) is located on Di'anmen Waidajie(St) in front of the Drum Tower in Beijing, running northeast to southwest with a total length of 232 meters. From the late Qing Dynasty to the 1920s and 1930s, it mainly sold tobacco products, antiques, calligraphy and painting, and local snacks. It is a famous cultural street in the north of Beijing and one of the oldest diagonal streets in Beijing, leaving many cultural celebrities' footprints.

Now it is a good place to find food, see antiques, and appreciate calligraphy, painting, and ancient architecture in leisure time. The Imperial Postal Office and Guangfu Temple are also located in the hutongs here.

Transportation: Take bus 5, 60, 107, 124, or 635 to Gulou station and walk to Yandai Xiejie(St).

Gulou Dajie(St)

Beijing's Gulou Dajie(St) is simple and heavy, with various hutongs, many old shops, and various old Beijing snacks on both sides. The gray brick walls, red tile roofs, and occasional Beijing opera cries make it a street with unique Beijing characteristics. Walking on the street and watching the crowds passing by, one can feel the authentic old Beijing culture.

Transportation: Take subway line 2 or 8 to Gulou Dajie(St) station.

Wudaoying Hutong

Wudaoying Hutong not only has a long history, but also has various trendy restaurants and clothing shops, hiding many small shops that only fashionistas know about. It is as exciting as Nanluogu Xiang, but with a touch of artistic atmosphere, more lazy, quiet, and Beijing-style.

The shops here are more unique than those in Nanluogu Xiang, mostly opened by foreigners and returnees, and many shop owners are directors and literary workers. The flow of customers is relatively small, but the atmosphere is good and the culture is diverse, making people like the taste and atmosphere here. Businesses and old residents coexist, fashion and Beijing-style "mix and match," history and modernity blend, and art and ordinary life are intertwined, creating a unique and interesting vibe.

Transportation: Take subway line 2 and get off at Andingmen Station or Yonghegong Station, or take subway line 5 and get off at Yonghegong Station. It is within walking distance.

Guozijianjie(St) (National Imperial Academy Street)

Guozijianjie(St) is located in the Dongcheng District of Beijing, stretching from Yonghegongjie(St) in the east to Andingmen Neidajie(St) in the west. Guozijianjie(St) is an east-west alley that was formed in the early years of the Yuan Dynasty. It was called "Guozijian Temple of Confucius" during the Ming Dynasty and "Chengxian Street" during the Qing Dynasty. After the Republic of China, it was called Guozijianjie(St). In 1965, it was officially named Guozijianjie(St). Guozijianjie(St) is the only street in Beijing that still has a paifang (traditional Chinese architectural archway). Many of the surrounding hutongs are related to Guozijian, such as Guoxue Hutong and Jianchang Hutong.

Transportation: Take subway line 2 and get off at Andingmen Station or Yonghegong Station, or take subway line 5 and get off at Yonghegong Station. It is within walking distance.

Qianmen Dajie(St)

Qianmen Dajie(St) is located on the Beijing Central Axis, starting from Qianmen Moon Bay in the north and ending at Tianqiao Intersection in the south, connected to Tianqiao Nandajie(St). It is the most famous commercial street in Beijing. It was called Zhengyangmen Street during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Republic of China. It was officially named Qianmen Street in 1965. The street is 845 meters long and the carriageway is 20 meters wide. There are interesting hutongs and food around it.

Qianmen Dajie(St) is a long-standing commercial street. In the mid-Ming Dynasty, due to the development of commerce, markets and streets such as Xianyukou, Zhushi Kou, Meishi Kou, and Grain Stores appeared on both sides of Qianmen Street, making it a commercial street. The most famous "Dashilan" in Beijing is also located here.

Transportation: Take subway line 2 and get off at Qianmen Station.

Huguo Temple Jie(St)

The newly opened Huguo Temple Commercial Street is divided by Mianhua Hutong. The west side is mainly traditional old-fashioned snacks such as Huguo Temple snacks, while the east side is mainly celebrity residences, quadrangle dwellings, and private cuisine such as Mei Lanfang. This is another Beijing characteristic street that has been renovated and revitalized after Dashilan and Liulichang.

Transportation: Take bus 13, 118, 42, 701, or 3 and get off at Changqiao Lu(Rd) East Station, within walking distance.