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Nanluoguxiang A Hidden Treasure in Downtown Beijing

Many foreigners have come to know Nanluoguxiang in the capital’s Dongcheng District after patronizing the Pass By and Here bars. One of the best persevered areas in Downtown Beijing, Nanluoguxiang is famous for its hutong and courtyards (siheyuan) but it is also now famed for the cafes and bars and clothing and handcraft shops that line its hutong laneways. Dubbed “another bar area besides Houhai, Workers’ Stadium and Sanlitun,” Nanluoguxiang is a perfect blend of past and present.

Nanluoguxiang has a 768-metre-long south-north central lane, with 16 hutong meandering east and west of off the central lane, giving each side eight hutong. This was the typical hutong layout of the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). With a history of more than 700 years, Nanluoguxiang is one of the capital’s oldest hutong areas and has been one of Beijing’s 25 cultural and historical protection areas since 1990. The southern end of Nanluoguxiang can be found at Di’anmen on Ping’an Dajie, with its northern end at Gulou Dongdajie (Drum Tower East Street). 

If you begin walking from the Pass By Bar at the southern end, you will find more than 30 cafes and bars, clothing and handcraft shops along Nanluoguxiang’s central lane. Unlike the streets of Houhai, bars and cafes at Nanluoguxiang are quieter, providing less-expensive food and drink. Most of them are decorated in a traditional Chinese style that matches well with their surroundings. Some make good use of the courtyards to create a comfortable and lively atmosphere.

Walk north of the Pass By Bar and you will encounter The Central Academy of Drama, the alma mater of countless Chinese TV and film stars such as Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). Pedicabs are often found waiting outside its gates that serve visitors to the area. Posters of the First Beijing International University Students Drama Festival are still displayed around the academy. Some believe the tranquil hutong and the artistic drama academy determine the basic tone of the bars and shops there.

Several months ago, visitors might have encountered a narrow and dirty lane. Now, a wide, clean and tranquil lane lined by gray brick walls with bricks can be found because of renovations. Rooms that once occupied the central lane were dismantled, making the lane as much as 1 metre wider. The ancient courtyards are well-preserved, including those once used by families with a high social status. Special financial support has been provided by the local government to citizens allowing them to renovate their dwellings. The ancient doors and the stone steps at main gates have been preserved and renovated. The whole renovation project was accomplished between July and September.

To explore the hutong and the locals’ daily lives, visitors are advised to range widely from the central lane into the hutong. Hei Zhima Hutong (Black Sesame Hutong) is one worth visiting. The No. 13 and 17 courtyards in this hutong are the former residences of imperial officials. The structure of a typical siheyuan is easily seen. Beside the two sides of the stone steps in front of the large, high main gate, there stand two stone lions on two large blocks of stone. These were signs of high social status families during feudal times. The two stone lions were brought to safeguard a whole family and to symbolize their social status, while the two large blocks of stone were built to help dignitaries mount and dismount horses. The residents’ social status could also be judged from the top part of the main gate, with different patterns near their roofs. Shigu, stones made in the shape of drums put beside the main gates, are also an important parts of the siheyuan culture. Inside the main gate, a “screen wall” was used to protect the family from evil spirits. The higher social status the residents had, the more complicated were the residents’ structures. In addition, in large families, strict rules decided who lived in which room. If visitors are lucky enough, they may listen in as tour guides introduce the hutong and siheyuan culture in different languages to tourists dropped here by pedicabs. Some families in the hutong offer simple but authentic Beijing foods and drinks.

Upon departing the siheyuan, head to the area’s bars, cafes and exquisite shops. Almost all the bars and cafes here offer free WiFi Internet connections, and the drinks here are cheaper than those at Shichahai and Workers’ Stadium. A typical Heineken beer here sells for 22 yuan (US$2.75), compared with 35 yuan (US$4.38) at Shichahai. A typical Tsingdao Beer sells for 10 yuan, and there are “buy two, get one free” specials at several bars. The earliest and most famous bars in the area are the Pass By and Here bars. The Pass By Bar was set up more than seven years ago and is a favourite of expats in the neighbour-hood. The owner of the Here Bar is a photographer, thus many interesting photos can be found in his bar. Old pictures are also exhibited, such as those of Chairman Mao.

Other distinctive bars in the area include: Xiao Xin’s Cafe, Zha Zha Cafe and Hu Tong Er. Opened by a young guy from North China’s Shanxi Province, Xiao Xin’s Cafe is bright, serene and amiable. Most of the design was completed by the owner, who believes “a kitchen is more important than a living room.” The Zha Zha Cafe has an artistic and romantic atmosphere, reflecting the interests of the owner, a teacher at The Central Academy of Drama. “Zha Zha” is a sound made by a magpie, and the cafe’s Chinese name is Xi Que (magpie). In China, magpies are often believed to bring luck and happiness. Authentic Beijing foods, including snacks, can be found along the central lane. New restaurants featuring Yunnan, Indian and Korean cuisines are now available.

Of special note: in the middle of the central lane there is a youth hostel called the “Peking Downtown Backpackers Accommodation.” The place is tranquil and clean, with a standard two-bed room priced at 80 yuan (US$10). Bicycles can be rented at the hostel’s reception. The Downtown Backpackers Restaurant and Teashop are found next to the Accommodation.

Stylish clothes and handcraft shops here are frequented by locals and tourists. With its understated appearance, the Beijing Vulcan Culture & Art Bookstore is a good place for those who have fallen in love with Chinese culture. Books for domestic and foreign tourists are also available. Thangka paintings from Tibet are also sold here.