Beijing Nightlife Tips by ntm2322

Nightlife Spot: Wangfujing

As to me the 700-year-old Wangfujing street is not the most interesting street in Beijing but it is probably the most famous and busiest.

Because of its easy access to the major roads, high land prices and high density of retail and service business and the high degree of population flow, Wangfujing is now considered the city’s central business disctrict .

I don’t like it too much now, its modernazition leading up to high-rocket prices and hundred-years old small typical spots giving place to world renowed brand names.

Everything you buy is relatively more expensive than in the rest of the city. Even the food in this area is also more expensive. No wonder why Wangfujing street is reputed by locals as a "golden street".

What attracts me in Wangfujing is definitely not its night food street, the snacks here just make me cry (for the tourists, however, the snacks must be kind of delicacies), what attracts me, I was saying, it is the Xinhua Bookstore and the Beijing Foreign Languages Bookstore, nice places to spend all day, reading, reading and reading.

As to eating in Wangfujing I only like the “Gou bu li” restaurant that sells some of the best steamed buns in town (check it NOW).

Another thing I like about Wangfujing is that you can freely walk around because much of the road is off-limits to cars and other motor vehicles

Wangfujing is located in the Dongcheng District of Beijing. The street has an extention of 1,150 meters, from Wangfujing Nankou to Dengshi Xikou.

Wangfujing is served by Line 1 of the Beijing subway (at the southern end of the street). Line 1 is an important subway line for you because is the only one that runs through the centre of Beijing (it runs from Pingguoyuan (west) to Sihui East (East), through beneath the extended Chang’an Avenue and the commercial areas of Xidan, Wangfujing and Dongdan. It also has two stations in both sides of Tiananmen).

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Theme: Other
Address: Dongcheng District
Directions: Take Line 1 of the Beijing subway and get off at the Wangfujing station (this station is located in the southern end of the Wangfujing street).
Website: http://www.beijingtraveltips.com/trail/wangfujing/wangfujing.htm

Some teahouses are large and luxurious, while others are small and simple. Some of them are expensive, while others are cheap, you just pay a few bucks for the tea and peanuts (melon seeds).

In both cases, expensive or cheap, luxurious or simple, the atmosphere just turns me on. How much I love teahouses in Beijing.

One of my favorite teahouses in Beijing is Laoshe Teahouse.

Laoshe teahouse is situated to the west of the Qianmen Gate Arrow Tower on the southern edge of Tian'anmen Square.

Who is Laoshe? Laoshe was a famous Chinese novelist and playwright who wrote Teahouse, considered a masterpiece drama in the Chinese literature. If you are learning Chinese and would like to learn more about the Beijing dialect, then, I advice you to read more about Mr. Laoshe workings.

Laoshe teahouse opened for business in 1988 as the first teahouse in new Beijing, marking the rejuvenation of the teahouse culture of old Beijing.

The teahouse is decorated and furnished in the late Qing Dynasty style. When you enter the hall situated in the second floor, you will see dozens of old-style tables and a stage beyond. You can also see palace lanterns hang from the ceiling and scrolled traditional Chinese paintings and calligraphy works from the walls.

What a wonderful place to spend the afternoon or evening sipping tea and tasting imperial and local style snacks while watching folk performances and shows or even spend some leisure moments with your friends, chatting, drinking, just the way the old Beijingers like to do.

And if some of the performances are in Chinese like the cross-talking, you (the foreigner) don’t have to worry since there is an electronic display over the stage with subtitles in Chinese, English and Japanese.

Prices. In general, price range from 60 to 180 Yuan to drink tea and watch a performance (the price includes tea and some snacks).

You can also dine in the restaurant, you can have your Beijing duck and eat local specialties and traditional snacks.

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Theme: Other
Phone: +86 0 10 6304 6334 / +84 0 10 63
Address: 3 Qianmenxi Dajie Street
Directions: This teahouse is in Qianmenxi (West of Qianmen) and you can easily get there by taxi, subway or even walking (either from Qianmen subway station or from Tian'men), etc.
Website: http://www.laosheteahouse.com
Other Contact: mwei@chinaBiG.com

I love the old Beijing (lao3 bei3 jing1) and the Tianqiaole Teahouse is one of those places I just love to be in.

The teahouse with its ancient architecture style revives the lifestyle of the old Tianqiao area.

I really enjoy seating at the big, old-fashion, woody square tables and sip my tea, crack some melon seeds, eat some Beijing traditional snacks, all these while watching the folk performances (wrestling, qigong, cross-talk, acrobatics, Beijing Opera, classic magic, etc.).

The teahouse is open from 9:00 a.m. to 21:00 p.m. and the performances are held between 19:30 and 21:00.

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Theme: Theater
Phone: +86-10-6304-0617
Address: No. 1, Beiwei Road 1, Xuanwu District
Directions: Situated to the northwest of the Temple of Heaven

Nightlife Spot: Peking Opera

The Liyuan Theater is situated inside Jianguo Hotel, Qianmen, at No. 175 in Yongan Lu.

The night performances held here at 19:30 pm of genuine Beijing Opera and other folk performances is the result of the co-operation between the Beijing Qianmen Hotel and the Beijing Opera Theater.

The Liyuan Theater is also one of those places in Beijing I can not miss every time I come to the capital because I love the traditions of old Beijing and this theater reflects just that,

- Its traditional performance stage,

- The old-fashioned square tables for eight people (ba1 xian1 zhuo1 or eight fairy tables),

- Waiters in Tang suits (Traditional Chinese garments) pouring tea through long-mouth tea pot,

- The enjoyment of watching the performances while sipping tea and cracking melon seeds and tasting snacks, etc.

If you are worried about the language barrier, this shouldn’t be a concern because the theater provides English subtitles boards.

And before and after the show you have several interesting options:

Before:

- Visit the performers' make-up room and watch the performers putting on their exquisite make-up

- You can also put on the stage costume and wear facial make-up to take a photo

- You can enjoy your Beijing roast duck at the restaurant of the hotel

After:

- Take a picture with the performers

- There is a souvenir shop next to the theater where you can buy various souvenirs related to Beijing Opera, stage costumes, facial make-ups, musical instruments, calligraphy and painting, etc.

- In the exhibition hall you can read the brief history of the Chinese Beijing Opera and see photos of famous artists of Beijing opera.

Coming to the Liyuan Theater it is definitely a nice choice!

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Theme: People Watching
Address: No. 175 at Yongan Lu
Directions: Inside Jianguo Hotel at Qianmen