Discover Beijing Chapter III:Old Treasure, Old Fun

In this chapter, we will talk about the old treasure and old fun of Beijingers. At present, more and more old lifestyle of Beijing has been abandoned by youth. If you want to the old trace of this ancient city in China, the  the old treasure and old fun of Beijingers will be a clue for you!

Chapter Three

Beijing, Beijing? Old Beijing!
                                         --Old Treasure, Old Fun

Old and new Beijing are merged together perfectly. If you want to experience what real Beijing is, then its treasure and fun just in the daily life of Beijingers'. 

The Cartoon of Beijing Opera Roles

For Beijingers, seeing a Peking Opera show, or taking an afternoon walking along hutongs are great fun and way of relax to them. Peking Opera and hutong are familiar words to all the people who travel to Beijing. But do you really have an overall ideas of these two? --What is the quintessence of Peking Opera? Which one is the most interesting hutong to explore your own fun? 

Answers are listed below which will introduce the artistic value of Peking Opera and the funs in Liulichang Antiques Street for you.

● Splendid artistic show of Peking Opera

With its fascinating and artistic accompanying music, singing and costumes, the Peking Opera is China's national opera which gives a profound influence in China and plays a large role in Chinese culture.
Peking Opera is a synthesis of stylized action, singing, dialogue and mime, acrobatic fighting and dancing to represent a story or depict different characters and their feelings of gladness, anger, sorrow, happiness, surprise, fear and sadness. 

The singers are accompanied by orchestras made up of traditional Chinese instruments, including two-stringed fiddles erhu and jinghu, lutes, drums and gongs. Plot lines are based on famous myths, well-known stories and historical events. The characters may be loyal or treacherous, beautiful or ugly, good or bad, their images being vividly manifested.

The Role in Peking Opera 

Moreover, performers wear extensive makeup. Their whole faces are painted in bright colors. Colorful masks, inspired from ancient ceremonies and religious symbols, are done by the actors. The color of each character's face is significant as it represents the character's personality and fate. 

Therefore, understanding the colors will greatly enhance your enjoyment of the opera as it is an intricate part of the story.--Red faces represent righteousness, black denotes gallantry and heroism, blue and green signify brawn or those held in high regard by commoners, yellow and white are negative colors, often meaning cunning or a tendency to be suspicious, gold denotes deities and silver is reserved for demons or bad spirits. The make-up style indicates if a character is good or evil. 


As time goes by, more and more foreigners want to experience this great treasure of China, but the action can be hard for foreigners to follow. Now, some theaters provide English subtitles during the shows and offer abridged versions of operas. 

In addition, Several Beijing teahouses also stage scenes from famous operas interspersed with other traditional acts like magic shows, puppetry, and "cross-talk''. Viewing such performances over tea and snacks is a classic Beijing experience. Many visitors likewise enjoy displays of Chinese martial arts and acrobatics, which are regularly held in local theaters.

● Overwhelming Fun in Liulichang Antiques Street

Being endowed with so many Chinese ancient treasures, Beijing Colored Glaze Factory Culture Street (Liulichang Antiques Street) really deserves a visit to experience the Hutong culture in Beijing.--It is a symbol of traditional Chinese culture. It´s known as a treasure trove of traditional Chinese culture.

Liulichang Antiques Street

The Liulichang neighborhood spreads across both sides of Nanxinhua Jie. Scholars and artists have frequented Liulichang's art shops and bookstores for centuries. Impoverished students from the provinces would sell their books and paintings here to finance their journey home. Like the objects for sale, the neighborhood itself evokes the past since it has been restored to its early-20th century appearance.  

Walking along Liulichang Xi Jie is like strolling through a living museum, the hutong filled with shops selling antiques and antique reproductions, kites, drums, posters, Chairman Mao memorabilia, contemporary paintings and more.

On Liulichang Xi Jie, there are many oldest and the most famous shop and enterprise where you can have a glimpse of the old style and features of old Beijing.

The most famous emporium is Rongbaozhai (19 Liulichang Xi Jie), which for years has specialized in supplies for the scholar, gentleman and artist. These includes ink stones-shallow basins in which ink blocks are mixed with water-calligraphy brushes, seals, paper and scrolls. 

Then Cathay Bookshop( 57 Liulichang Xi Jie) is an exhibit of photography of pre-Revolutionary Beijing, ancient maps, old books and more. 

All the street is a good place for you find out whatever interesting souvenir of Beijing and sometimes you can really get good deal there. The Liulichang Antiques Street runs the spectrum from kitsch to truly collectible, are shadow puppets, ceramics, Peking opera masks, Buddha statues, paper lanterns, swords, opium pipes, paintings and more. 

--The real old Beijing and its great fun can't share to you in just one passage and different people have different ways to enjoy themselves. Thus, why not get general ideas from this small passage of old Beijing's treasure of Peking Opera and Old Beijing's most interesting hutong Liulichang Antiques Street and then plan for a real trip to get close to all of these fascinating funs?  

Discover Beijing Chapter II: Hutong --old Beijing's timeless best

In the last article, we have talked about the general situation of Beijing city. For better know this ancient city, today we will talk about the famous and unique Beijing architecture --Hutong.

Chapter Two

Beijing, Beijing? Old Beijing!
                                  --Hutong culture of old Beijing

Hutong --old Beijing's timeless best

As it is known to all, in Chinese history, the Forbidden City is the symbol of China's royal family, then where can you experience the real life of common people in old Beijing? The answer must be the Hutongs--it's at the root of the old Beijing people's way of life. 

Beijing City is like a boxy bean curd or a chess board with each hutong lying due north to due south or due east to due west. This sqare layout not only influences Beijinger's way of living, but also affects their thoughts and actions. 

The Hutong in Beijing ( Houhai Hutong)

If you happily wander aimlessly in hutongs, you can easily hear a deep voice shouts"Jee-dan, jee-dan, jee-dan’ (‘eggs, eggs, eggs’) ", or a methodically call out as"Da-mee… da-mee… da-mee…’ (‘rice… rice… rice…’)", or a long call of "‘Peeeeeeeeee-jyoooooohhhhhh!’ (‘beer!’), these are just those market traders cycling along the hutongs on their squeaky richshaws calling out their wares. --This old way of selling still well-preserved in old Beijing's hutongs. The calling and the old and historical environment of hutong may make you feel as though you have stepped back in time. 

● The Architecture Treasure of Hutong

Actually, the centuries-old, tree-lined alleyways of hutong are the true heartbeat of the unique city of old Beijing and a real-life link to its fascinating past. And these old hutongs are almost in the same form--old, walled courtyard homes are the building blocks of this delightful maze of lanes. More venerable abodes are fronted by thick red doors outside of which perch either a pair of lions or a pair of drum stones. 

the Gong and Drum Lane (Nanluogu Xiang) 

Carefully watch about the constructions of hutongs, you can find that hutongs nearly all run east-west so that the main gate faces south, satisfying feng shui(wind/warer) requirements. This south-facing aspect guarantees sunshine and protection from negative principles amassing in the north, then the old walled siheyuan are the building blocks of this delightful universe. 

Living conditions in the siheyuan are basic at best - a one-room family-house with a tiny shed-like kitchen-conversion and often no private toilet - but it’s this unusual mix of ancient aristocratic architecture and current-day, salt-of-the-earth locals that gives the hutong alleys their unique character.

● Old Hutong: the well-combined lifestyle

In old Beijing, People are pleased with their easy life in Siheyuan. They live a peaceful and harmonious life in these small "boxes", away from the hustle and bustle of the streets outside. Their daily needs could be fully satisfied by hawkers who sold vegetables, eggs, fruits, and snacks.

The Nightview of Siheyuan in Beijing

From spring to autumn, men collect outside their gates, drinking beer, playing chess, smoking and chewing the fat. Inside, scholar trees soar aloft, providing shade and a nesting ground for birds. Flocks of pigeons whirl through the Beijing skies overhead, bred by locals and housed in coops often buried away within the hutong.  

In the past, they could even get their hair cut by the itinerant barbers without walking out of their neighborhood to find a barber shop. The winding and narrow Hutongs were heaven for children playing games. They would have played rubber-band skipping, kicking shuttlecocks, and hide-and-seek.

Nowadays, while the rest of the city darts around in sharp suits, with a takeaway coffee in one hand and an iPhone in the other, old men sit on wooden stools at the entrance to their hundred-year-old hutong bungalows, drinking beer, playing chess and chewing the fat. The pace of life in these neighborhoods is less hurries than on Beijing's broad modern avenues. The noises less grating. The hutongs are like villages within the megalopolis. 

What really need to mention out is that the charming and ragged lanes of hutong survives a warm sense of community and hospitality. --It's cozy pace of life is what modern people strongly eager for. 

● Famous Hutongs, Strong Atmosphere of Old Beijing

The names of hutongs are all-embracing and various and relate to their location, origin or history, such as Lumicang, Fuxue, and Gongyuan hutongs, which were named by official organizations. Those examples named by craftsmen and ordinary people include: 'earthenware pot Liu (now Dashaguo) Hutong', maybe there once lived a Mr. Liu who sold earthenware pots. 
Those who were named by their market trade include Xianyu Kou Hutong (Fish street), for it once was the place where fish was sold. Some Hutongs take their name from special landmarks, such as Stone Tiger, Iron Lion and Cypress hutongs.

the Gong and Drum Lane (Nanluogu Xiang) 
It is an old lane renowned for its long history, culture, specialty stores, and distinctive foods. It is 768 meters (2,519 feet) long and 8 meters (26 feet) wide. Its north end joins East Drum Tower Avenue, and the south end is connected to East Di'anmen Avenue. 

Dongjiaominxiang

Nightview of Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street

It's located south of the National Museum of China. Once connected to Xijiaominxiang, but now divided by Tiananmen Square, it was filled with foreign embassies from 1900 onwards, hence the Western-style architecture that makes it an unusual example of hutong redevelopment, and a historically protected site.

Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street (Yandai Xiejie)
The skewed tobacco pouch street is one of the most famous in Beijing. It measures 254 yards long connecting Di'anmen Street at the east end and the junction of Xiaoshibei and Ya'er hutongs at the west end. Like a tobacco pouch, the street goes from north-east to south-west

These old and famous Hutongs carried Beijing´s history and traditional way of life. They have waited centuries´ of change in social and individual life. Today, they have become a platform of new culture and artistic innovation.

Discover Beijing Chapter I: Beijing in Old and New

Maybe you have heard of the name of Beijing or have visited this great city, but whether you know this city? If you are interesting in this city or have a plan to see this city, i hope my series -Discover Beijing will help you!

Chapter One

Beijing, Beijing? Old Beijing!
                                      --Beijing in Old and New

Old Beijing--the cultural soul of China; 
New Beijing--a international capital.

A New Look of Beijing in 21th Century

Beijing is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China,offering China's most wonderful array of attractions and it is China's center for art and culture--it is home to some of the most stunning architectural wonders in the world. Forbidden city, the Great Wall, Summer Palace, and even the common hutongs are the great treasure of old Beijing. In short, Beijing is an exciting and dynamic city. It is the perfect place to see China's incredible ancient past and exciting present.

The Fobbiden City in Beijing, China

Moreover, Beijing's culture comes in many forms, from food to music, and from architecture to handicrafts. Eat Peking duck, visit the Temple of Heaven, meander in the old Hutongs or check out a contemporary art show and you'll discover a unique milieu of new and old that is real Beijing culture. 

Let's probe into Beijing in many prospects to experience this great city in its old and new.




● Lifestyle of Beijingers

In old days, Hutongs, which have been home to Beijing residents for centuries never fail to surprise visitors with what lies around the next corner. Beijing's Hutongs are a twisting labyrinth of alleyways and courtyard homes. People in Beijing traditionally lived in Hutongs. 

The Hutong communities are very special. Since most people have lived in the hutongs for generations, they all know each other and each hutong is like a mini community and live a rather slow paced life there--people in old and young drinking beer or tea, playing chess and talking gossip for one day's long with children finding their own funs like kick the shuttlecock and play hide and seek around the elders. 

The Old Hutong in Beijing

But in modern times, everything in Beijing seems in a rush: People rush on the way to work and rush here and there sometimes with no clear aims. The highly-developing Beijing brings people economic support, however, the dramatically change of their lifestyle make their life full of burden. People work and live in those metropolises often live in separated space where loneliness occurs and the living atmosphere become less in harmony.   

The living conditions changes make Beijing a city of contrasts now. vast neon-lit avenues coexist with narrow hutongs and futuristic structures of titanium and glass cast their shadow over ancient palaces.

Another lifestyle change shows in the different entertainment ways between old and young Beijingers. Old Beijingers tend to slow down their life pace as in the early morning, elderly people in mass heading to Beijing's parks, squares and the historical Temple of Heaven to do their morning exercises--they practicing tai chi, performing martial arts, doing Yangge (kind of dance), etc. While in the evening, they often go to leisure in the teahouse to have a peaceful night with melodious Chinese traditional songs or watch Peking Opera in the theater to enjoy the fantastic plots, exciting martial arts and acrobatics.

However, young Beijingers often can't bear the old and traditional ways of entertainment. They enjoy going to bars, night clubs, and KTV on those famous hopping night spots like San Li Tun Bar Street, Wangfujing, Xidan and so on. And many of Beijing's fashionable young ladies like to spend the evenings shopping in Beijing's many boutiques on Wangfujing Street and Xidan shopping center. Mostly, they cost money to entertain to prove that they are the modern people in some ways.
  
● Tasting Beijing

As China is opening-up to all of the world, different things strike into China. Varied kinds of food around the world can be seen in every Chinese street is a good example. And the fast food leaders KFC, Macdonald bring convenient to those busy people. In Beijing, the restaurants offer a nearly endless variety of local, regional and international cuisines which make it as one of the gourmet capitals of the world. 

The Famous Beijing Roast Duck

Nowadays, especially young people, they can't not be satisfied by Chinese food. They go around to find different kinds and tastes of food from other countries. For example, they like to go to Italy restaurant to enjoy high-standard homemade pasta and lovely meat and fish dishes; they go to the Japanese or Korean restaurant to eat dishes like sushi, sashimi, Korean pickle,etc. Foods from Indian, Tailand and so on countries are also welcomed by Beijingers. 

But old Beijing still shines with its traditional dishes. Indulge in a wonderful Peking Duck dinner is really a reward to common Beijingers themselves. If you want to experience Beijing life, don't choose to drink coffee in Starbucks but find a small teahouse to taste tea for hours as leisure. Famous old Beijing snacks and dishes like Wheaten cake boiled in meat broth, Mung bean milk, Pea Cake always make people's mouth watering. 

● Clothings Changing over times

On the streets, men are suited in polo shirts, T-shirts, or Western-style suits. Women are in colorful styles of skirts, blouses which they defined exactly as Western style, Korean style, Japan style, etc. All of the appearances almost the same like people all over the world which modern people called follow the world fashion trend. However, it's really lack of the charm of traditional Chinese clothes.

Years ago in old Beijing, men are in long gown or mandarin jacket which add the feeling of scholar to them. While women often have a ponytail or tuck their hair then wear the cheongsam(a kind of skirt, well-fit the body), which give them the appearance of good shape and elegant. --Both the clothing of men and women that time show the real glamour of China. 

● Beijing on the wheels

Once the transportations in old Beijing relied on horse and horse carriage, jinrikisha (manpower cart) or the most traditional sedan ( manpower lift-up wooden box). Travel outside is a big plan for people as all these means of transportations cost too much times. 

Rickshaw--A Special Manpower Cart in Beijing

Years past, Beijing now is a major transportation hub, with dozens of railways, roads and motorways passing through the city. It is also the destination of many international flights arriving in China. Beijing is regarded as the political, educational, and cultural center of China. How great these changes are! As people's life become high-speed up, Beijing on the wheels now bring convenient to people travel all around in shorter and shorter times. 

All in all, the city of Beijing has its unique cultural aspects that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Old Beijing is wonderful and amazing while New Beijing is fantastic and exciting.