Related stories

Tongchunyuan Restaurant: Fine Dining Jiangsu Style Liu Bi Ju's Small Pickles and Big Business Feng Ze Yuan: Old-World Charm in a Quality Hotel Liulichang: Creative Future in Store for Ancient Cultural Street To Dally in the Alley

Private Meetings in a Backyard at Liulichang

     Despite the charm of browsing curious antiques and paintings at Liulichang Dongjie, the presence of vehicular traffic in the area can sometimes upset a pleasant mood. When this happened to a friend and me, we decided to find a place to take a break.

     We turned in a small hutong (alley), where we escaped the noisy hustle and bustle of the street in the hush of the hutong. It was hard to imagine we were still in the busy Liulichang Culture Street area. There, we saw a small sign board that guided us to a small courtyard and a place called My Backyard Kitchen by its host.

     It was even more a surprising when the host opened the door after he heard us knocking: “Another world, completely!” one of my companions said.

     Obviously, the small courtyard was a siheyuan, but one converted into a thoughtful and exquisite restaurant.

“Very Beijing!” another companion said.

     As with other Beijing siheyuan, the northern and southern buildings lining the courtyard have three and a half rooms; the wing houses on the west and east have three rooms.

     Liana snake and wind up the arbour behind the gate. Some gourds and bird cages hang under the arbour. Then a mynah began reciting a poem to welcome us in a clear and loud voice.

     Around the courtyard, a water system circulates water in small streams filled with gold fish. The courtyard is filled with the fragrance of flowers.

     A girl was infusing tea and served her guests immediately with a smile, while classical Chinese music sealed the mood. The fragrant tea battled with the scent of flowers for attention.

     The courtyard was once a private residence, but not that of an official or big family; so its history is not recorded, except on people’s minds. According to its heritor, Liang Jiamin, the owner of this courtyard was a member of the same clan of Liang Qichao (1873–1929). This means these houses were built during the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1871–1908) of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911).

     In 1925, Sun Yat-sen, then president of the Republic of China, came to Beijing to take charge of governmental affairs. In his leisure time, he paid a visit to Liulichang. He took a short break in this courtyard and named this hutong Wenming Hutong (Civilization Hutong).

     Liang Jiamin and her husband Sun Yijing, refurbished these rooms. The idea was to preserve the courtyard and its typical old Beijing flavour, with its red lanterns, bird cages, fish, gourds and peaceful environment for living after they retired. As traditional Beijingers, Liang and Sun lived have lived along Liulichang Cultural Street for nearly 50 years; they have a great understanding of Beijing’s culture and flavour, and they love it. The small courtyard is an expression of it. Now, the courtyard is opened to guests, whose patronage will help preserve the structures.

     The old houses were not demolished and rebuilt as with other siheyuan refurbishments: just reinforced and re-painted. Look carefully and you will see old, big nails first used in its construction.

     The northern and the southern houses can serve about 10 to 20 guests each; the western and eastern houses have been adapted to serve as a tea room and painting room.

     To keep its private and peaceful environment, this courtyard only serves one group of guests for each dinner, between six to 20 persons. The host invited Lin Cai, a well-known retired chef of Beijing Hotel, to serve Tanjia or Imperial cuisine. Since its opening in December 2008, this small courtyard has served many TV and film stars, social celebrities and officials.

     Although the host welcomes every guest warmly, reservations are advised before you try to visit, and its best to call two days in advance.

我家小院 我家的生活

文/薛京晶

      文房四宝、古玩玉器、京味十足的小器物⋯⋯当沿着琉璃厂东街的文明胡同漫步时，脑海中充溢的皆是对于“文化”的强烈感受。在这条“文化之街”中漫步，突然发现了街道旁的小巷中竖起的标志——我家小院，是普通的民居还是特色游览景点？带着一份好奇，我们走入了“我家小院”中。

      两扇素净的红色小门轻轻掩着，门上一对红灯笼迎风摇曳，推门进院，随即传来鹩哥亲切礼貌的“你好”问候声，抬眼便望见镶砌在对面墙上的座山影壁，一股股清泉自上而下缓缓落入影壁下的池水中，清脆的落水声令心中顿时豁然开朗。

      被热情好客的小院主人迎进内院后，满眼皆是欢喜，可真谓是“别有洞天”——在这有限的空间里，小院主人打造出了一片自然舒适的小天地。院中的山石水池、鸟鸣鱼游、古筝茶桌、绿树红灯笼⋯⋯犹如世外桃源，尽显生机盎然、恬静安逸。而“天棚、鱼缸、石榴树，先生、肥狗、胖丫头”这些形容老北京传统民居四合院温馨场景的词汇也随之在不觉间涌入脑海。

      坐在院中与主人喝茶闲聊，收获颇丰，据小院主人介绍，这座建筑面积350余平方米的小院落，始建于中国清朝光绪年间（1875—1900年），如今依然保持着初始修建时的风格。经过主人的重整修饰，在2008年12月开始作为商务会馆接待客人。如今，慕名前来的各界人士络绎不绝，其中不乏各国的驻华使节、政界名人等。

      一壶茶的闲聊时间后，被主人让进了正房（客厅），雕花大柜、红木桌椅、漆红大柱⋯⋯庄重气派，尽显威严与尊贵的气息。

      从客厅出来，便被主人让进东房的书房，在这“文房四宝”一应俱全的房间内，随处都可以透出一股股的墨香，无论对中国传统文化是否有过深入了解，但凡看见这般景象，也不觉“身临其境”了。据小院主人介绍，中国历史上不少的文化名人也都与小院有着不解之缘，近代民主革命先驱、书法大师于右任就曾在小院留下墨迹，其书法雄豪婉丽，冲淡清奇，蕴含学识风范。此后，孙中山也曾来到琉璃厂，还为小院所在的胡同起名“文明胡同”，足以体现其深厚的文化底蕴。

      如果说挥毫泼墨是将内心的激情淋漓尽致的抒发，那么西房的茶室则是让内心回归宁静的港湾，茶室中仿明清的桌椅装饰配以素雅的书法条幅，渲染出古色古香的浓郁氛围，“茶禅一味”的意蕴尽含其中。

谈话间已到就餐时间，被热情的主人迎到了南房，即餐厅，这算得上是小院中装饰最为讲究的房间，进门映入眼帘的是考究的桌椅摆设和装饰，静谧典雅，东墙上悬挂着一幅清代著名宫廷画师郎世宁的画作《五谷丰登》（临摹版），西墙上悬挂着一件清朝王爷朝服，此外，小院主人还独具匠心的在四周围墙上摆设了许多古玩艺术品。

      席间不时端上的精美菜系可谓是“夺人眼目”，不仅餐具精美考究，菜品更是令人赏心悦目。主人介绍了这一道道“私房菜”的渊源——由于此前琉璃厂地区始终以销售文房四宝为主。因此，很多皇宫中的达官贵人常常到这里来买文房四宝，由此也流传出一些宫廷菜的做法等，小院主人经过整理后，形成了自己独特的一套私房菜。每次接待客人时，小院主人都会聘请北京饭店专门制作谭家菜、官府菜的厨师前来，并且一餐只接待一批客人，独享尊贵气氛。