Visiting Beijing's Nanchizi Street and Beichizi Street

Number of days: 1 day
Time: May
Average cost: 30 yuan
With whom：a person
Tour kinds: Hiking
Updated: 2022.06.30

To the east of the Forbidden City, there is a north-south street with Donghuamen as the boundary. To the south, it is called Nanchizi Street, which leads to Chang'an Avenue, and to the north, it is called Beichizi Street, which leads to Wusi Street and Jingshan Front Street.

This seemingly ordinary road was closely connected with the inner courtyard of the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It had an extraordinary status and was a royal forbidden area. It was not until the Republic of China that ordinary people moved here to live. After liberation, some celebrities or cadres also lived nearby, so there is still a sense of mystery here.

On May 5th, I wanted to go to the Workers' Cultural Palace. Due to passenger flow restrictions, I was near the Meridian Gate but couldn't get in. I had to go around to Nanchizi Street and enter from the East Gate of the Cultural Palace. Of course, when I came out of the Workers' Cultural Palace, I had to go through the West Gate, pass Donghuamen and come to this street again, and then I saw Beichizi Street. The street was quite picturesque, lined with lush trees and lined with flowers, creating a sense of lush greenery and vibrant red. Whether exaggerated or understated, the place felt perfectly balanced. The old buildings lining the street had been renovated, no longer appearing cluttered or dilapidated, which naturally lifted my spirits. I also wanted to explore the surrounding ruins and ancient buildings. I first discovered Pudu Temple, walking along Pudu Temple West Alley and other alleys. During the Ming Dynasty, this area was part of the "Eastern Garden," where Emperor Yingzong of Ming resided. Now, there are some luxurious courtyard houses, whose owners are unknown. Courtyard 66 is marked on the Gaode map as the former residence of Mei Baojiu. The exterior is magnificent, and the gatehouse is well-maintained. Since it's closed, it's unclear what's inside. Pudu Temple was once the residence of Dorgon. Later, the imperial family converted it into a Tibetan Buddhist shrine dedicated to Mahakala, a war god with three heads and six arms. This area was once used as military base, school, and residential area. Only the mountain gate, main hall, and abbot's courtyard remain intact. Now, after renovations, it's essentially become a central park. A statue of Dorgon has been erected in front of the mountain gate, presumably to attract more visitors. Further south is the Imperial History House, an archive from the Ming and Qing dynasties. I didn't know if it was open, so I didn't go. Not far from Daoxiang Village, heading west is the east gate of the Workers' Cultural Palace. I passed by the entrance of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and took a photo. Leaving the Workers' Cultural Palace, I arrived at Beichizi Street. A key attraction on Beichizi Street is the former residence of Chen Duxiu and the former editorial office of New Youth magazine. Chen Duxiu's residence is now on the campus of Beijing No. 27 Middle School, but unfortunately, it's closed to the public. Fortunately, I ran into a few young, educated people who came to pay their respects. I ran into a security guard at the entrance of No. 27 Middle School and asked if I could go inside to visit Chen Duxiu's former residence. He was very unfriendly and blunt, saying, "Of course not. Not only on holidays, but even on weekdays." You could have just said no. Why bother? He's uncultured. On the main street, I saw a shop called "Plande" with the words "Beichizi Grain Store" engraved on it. It's been around for decades, but people under 30 aren't used to grain stores anymore. They don't need to go there every month to buy food. I think it's a witness to history and should be preserved. At No. 45 Beichizi Street stands a Western-style building with an ornate exterior and attractive European features. To the north is the former site of Ninghe Temple, now home to Dengshikou Primary School. Ninghe Temple, one of the Eight Outer Temples of the Forbidden City, was built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty to worship the God of Clouds. At the northernmost end is Xuanren Temple, also known as the "Fengshen Temple," dedicated to the God of Wind and built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. From the north end of Beichizi Street, Jingshan Front Street stretches westward, and Wusi Street stretches eastward. To the west is the Forbidden City's northeast corner tower. The tower and Beichizi Street are lined with people taking wedding photos, demonstrating the unique character of this scenic spot. Seeing young people enthusiastically snapping photos here is heartening. People of different generations have different consumption philosophies. Excessive consumption is probably good for economic development. If people don't spend, the economy might stagnate.