Tourists who have ever been to Beijing rarely failed to visit the Rear Lake (Houhai), just in the north of inner Beijing. The Rear Lake (Houhai), along with its neighbors West Lake (Xihai) and Front Lake (Qianhai) are collectively called the "Back Lakes". This is due to their location at the way back of the rear Forbidden City entrance. Dug out in the 14th century during the Yuan Dynasty, these lakes eventually link to the Grand Canal, allowing boats to bring goods from all over China to the Imperial City. This short pleasurable walk will let you sightsee one of the northernmost lake within Old Beijing, and also sample some local delicacies in the process.
Old Drum Tower St. (Jiugulou St.)
A Full-of-Fun Hutong Tour, on Rickshaw! Ancient Street Under the Gaze of Bell & Drum Towers
JIUGULOU DAJIE (Old Drum Tower St.), a renowned street in the Xicheng District, north of inner Beijing, has become one of the premier locations in the town for a door-to-door shopping experience in the recent past. To get there is quite easy. Simply take subway line #2 or #5, and get off at YONGHEGONG station. Exit there at Exit B, and you shall have the street on the right.
A Hutong Tour
JIUGULOU DAJIE (Old Drum Tower St.)area in Xicheng district, North of inner Beijing, is well-known for countless ‘hutongs’— Chinese residential alleys. Many older Beijingers still reside in these hutongs today. As you stroll onward on the street, you are sure to see narrow, zigzagging, paths. As Beijing continues to modernize, these hutongs are becoming rarer as each day passes.
Drum and Bell Towers
As you stroll onward along the JIUGULOU DAJIE, Zaoyuan Articraft Shop and Han Gu Xuan are the must-see places for fans of Chinese ceramics, handicrafts, and paintings and calligraphies. The former sells quality Chinese porcelain and old-fashioned furniture. The latter, whose owner is a famous calligrapher, offers on-the-spot calligraphy works. Once you reach the end of the street, turn left. The Drum Tower and Bell Tower are right on your left hand. You can visit them for RMB 20 and RMB 15 respectively. The Drum Tower has many ancient time-keeping instruments on display, along with a performance on drum-beating. The Bell Tower has a 7 meter high bell used to tell time to the residents.
Buying Gifts
Continue from the back of the Drum Tower—on the street DIANMENWAI DAJIE— on the right side of the street. Soon you will see the intersection with YANDAI XIEJIE (Yandai West St). Turn into the alley. YANDAI XIEJIE is a well-known ‘souvenirs and gifts’ area. Lan Clothing Shop, reported once by the New York Times, offers traditional Chinese apparels with an emphasis on ladies’ wear. To see some amazing art of Chinese paper-cutting, take a look at Wen Feng Tang Art Shop. Walk down the street for a couple of minutes and you shall reach the Rear Lake.
The Back Lake: the Lake in the Rear
Ready to Go?!
People who have ever been to Beijing rarely fail to visit the Rear Lake (Houhai), one of the most renowned lakes in the town since ancient times. The Rear Lake (Houhai), along with its neighbors West Lake (Xihai) and Front Lake (Qianhai) are collectively called the “Back Lakes”. This is due to their location at the way back of the rear Forbidden City entrance. Dug out in the 14th century during the Yuan Dynasty, these lakes eventually link to the Grand Canal, allowing boats to bring goods from all over China to the Imperial City.
This is a bustling place, with scores of cafés, restaurants, and boutiques sprouting out along the shores. It receives tens of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists on a daily basis.
We begin from its northern shore. Once getting to the end of YANDAI XIEJIE (Yandai St), you shall see the Sycee Bridge that connects the Rear Lake (right) and the Front Lake (left). Instead of going across the bridge, we turn right onto the northern shore of Rear Lake, or what the locals call ‘Houhai Beiyan’.
As you stroll along, you shall see dozens of bars, restaurants here. The bars remain open during the day and, serving all kinds of western food and alcoholic beverages. They have outdoor sofas, letting patrons enjoy the scenery while relaxing.
Former Residence of Soong Ching-Ling
Madame Soong
Born in January 27th, 1893, and a graduate of Wesleyan College for Women in the United States, Soong Ching-Ling was one of the most influential women in 20th century China. She devoted much her whole life in promoting civil rights for Chinese women, and came to be known as the ‘Mother of China’. Until her death in 1981, Madame Soong was the highest ranking female in China as the vice-chairperson of the government.
This house is where Madame Soong lived for 18 years of her life. The gate fee is RMB 20.
Jiu Men Xiao Chi: Traditional Chinese "Fast Food"
Dinner Time!
Jiu Men Xiao Chi (Nine Gate Fast Food) shelters 11 "time-honored" Beijing xiao chi, a general term that cover a variety of food for a light meal or an afternoon/midnight snack . The name Nine Gate Fast Food came from the 9 original restaurants here, which were the most popular xiao chi in Beijing. So they combined together under one roof to form one large restaurant with nine stalls. Today, there are eleven stalls in total. Most of them first opened over a century ago, and even local Beijingers would come from all over the city to have a meal here. The variety here is amazing, and you’ll have to come here several times in order to sample everything.
How to Return
Simply retrace your steps back to GULOUDAJIE station of Subway line #2 or #5. Walk past the Houhai Beiyan, YANDAI XIEJIE, to the JIUGULOU DAJIE. Scout down the street till the end, there you shall see the JIUGULOU DAJIE station on the left.
Of course, you can always catch a cab to avoid losing the way. |
