Qianmen Street is the old commercial spine of the city's southern axis, laid out in the Ming and now more than six hundred years old. It is both the image of old Beijing's busiest shopping street and, in the lanes behind it, a place where century-old shops and quiet hutongs meet.
What there is to see
It is not one street. Qianmen is the main street plus Dashilan, Xianyukou, Yangmeizhu Xiejie and Beijing Fun — several quarters, each with its own character.
- The Zhengyangmen arrow tower (正阳门箭楼)
- The north end of the street: of the nine inner-city gates this is the one that was both ceremonial and defensive. The view from in front of the five-arch paifang is the axis shot, and after 19:30 there is a light show on the tower.
- The main street (前门大街主街)
- A pedestrian street of stone slabs with red-roofed grey-brick buildings on both sides. The old-style tram runs the length of it, which is the easiest way to take in the republican-era frontage.
- Dashilan (大栅栏)
- Pronounced Dashilan, with the stress the locals use. The densest concentration of old shops anywhere in the city: Ruifuxiang for silk, Neiliansheng for cloth shoes, Tongrentang for medicine, Liubiju for pickles — original premises, carved timber fronts, and very photogenic.
- Beijing Fun (北京坊)
- Where new building meets old: the PageOne bookshop's full-height window frames the arrow tower and the CBD towers in one shot, which is the photograph everyone wants. The MUJI hotel terrace looks straight down the axis.
- Yangmeizhu Xiejie (杨梅竹斜街)
- One of the most quietly interesting lanes in Beijing — Lu Xun and Shen Congwen both spent time here in the republican years. Now it is small design shops and good coffee, and it is not loud.
- Sanlihe Park (三里河公园)
- A little Jiangnan in the middle of the city: a bridge over running water, stone paving, grey-tiled cottages and large koi. The place to sit down when your feet are done.
The old shops worth eating at
More than thirty state-listed heritage food shops are in this quarter. For the real thing, go to the old premises rather than the stalls.
- Wuyutai (吴裕泰)
- The jasmine tea ice cream, 10 yuan a cone, is the thing: strong tea, lightly sweet. The hand-made tea biscuits need a queue ticket and come out of the oven warm.
- Beijing Daoxiangcun (北京稻香村)
- Look for the Sanhe mark. The date-flower pastry, the ox-tongue biscuit and the eight-piece Beijing box are what people take home, and the shop will courier them for you.
- Duyichu (都一处)
- Named by the Qianlong emperor, and known for shaomai: the pleated wrappers open like silk flowers. Several fillings, all worth ordering.
- Jinfang snacks (锦芳小吃)
- On the Xianyukou food street. The cream fritters, the rolled bean-flour cake and the mugwort dumplings are cheap and correct — this is the sweet-tooth stop.
- No. 69 Fangzhuanchang noodles (方砖厂69号炸酱面)
- Well known for a reason: springy noodles, a full set of garnishes, free noodle refills, and a large bowl for the money.
- Men Ding meat pies (门钉肉饼)
- Thin, chewy pastry around a solid ball of filling. The juice goes everywhere when you bite — mind your mouth.
A route through it (3 to 4 hours)
- Start in the afternoon
- Out at Qianmen station Exit I, the arrow tower for the axis shot, then the main street — tram, and the Wuyutai ice cream.
- Eat your way down the old shops
- Turn into Xianyukou for snacks, then walk to Dashilan for Ruifuxiang and Neiliansheng.
- A quiet stop
- Yangmeizhu Xiejie for coffee and lane photographs, or the PageOne window at Beijing Fun.
- Evening
- Back to the main street for the light show on the arrow tower, or Sanlihe for the bridge and water after dark.
What catches people out
- Getting there
- Line 2 or Line 8 to Qianmen, Exit I or E3, then three minutes on foot. Alternate-day plate restrictions apply around here; if you drive, use the underground car park at Qianmen Courtyard 23.
- How long it takes
- One and a half to three kilometres on foot; allow three to four hours and wear flat shoes.
Where it goes wrong
The trend food on the main street — expensive candied haws, douzhi ice cream — is marked up. Go to the old shops and the lane kitchens instead.
For pastries, check the Sanhe mark on Beijing Daoxiangcun — there is a similarly named shop that is not it.
In Xianyukou, work the northern end first, where the old shops are; the southern end is mostly trend shops.
Weekends and holidays are extremely busy. For the popular places — Quanjude, Fangzhuanchang — go before 11:00 or after 16:00.
- The evening bonus
- After 19:30 the arrow tower is lit, and it photographs far better than it looks in daylight.