Unlike the Royal Parks of London that was owned for the recreation or mostly hunting of the royal family, the Chinese imperial parks offer a more scandalous take at life. How not to? My exploration of this royal garden with hidden courtyards and pavilions within walls of pines and cypess trees gave me strong vibes that Bei Hai Park is a keeper of many imperial secrets.

Chinese history and culture classes gave me the impression that the Chinese emperors are notoriously known for their frivolity or perhaps vitality? On a side note, it’s really amazing how one man could handle so many women. Are you aware that some Ming emperors had more than 9,000 maids of honors at their disposal as well as countless servants and concubines? My heart goes out to these women. I could totally imagine them mourning and weeping their pathetic life by one of Bei Hai’s lake, pinning for the attention of one frivolous man.

Perhaps Bei Hai’s exquisite landscapes which imitate renowned scenic spots and architecture from various regions of China helped favorably in lightening any frustrations. Throwing rocks into scenic 34 hectares lake might worked too. It must had been awful to be an empress/concubine. They are doomed to ‘die’ in all circumstances. If they are favoured, there’s a high chance of them being buried alive to accompany the Emperor to his next world. Otherwise, they either succumb to perilous boredom or get embroiled in intrigues that often end in murder.

Morbid Chinese imperial history aside, Bei Hai stands for the “north lake” located north of the Forbidden City in the heart of old Beijing. The lake is the only remaining water system, dating back to the Yuan Dynasty in the 13th Century.

After exploring the hutongs, we decided to enjoy a relaxing afternoon in the Back Lakes area. We could had chose to have a quick peek at the southern half and then scurry off elsewhere. Thank goodness we decided not to miss the north side of the park, which is more interesting. Bei Hai Park is a good location to relax, exercise or just stroll aimlessly. For some, even a quick swim in the lake.

People-watching was effortless. It is interesting how communal gatherings and activities in parks are so common and popular among folks in Beijing.

Lots of amateur calligraphers were expertly wielding enormous sponge-tipped brushes to compose rapidly evaporating poems on the flagstones. Pity I couldn’t read Chinese. Will be signing up for Chinese lessons in the near future.

Ah the surroundings of Beijing’s oldest and best-preserved imperial garden was extremely pleasing. Not surprising as it was built as a pleasure garden for China’s court. Bei Hai Park was once part of the Forbidden City built was only opened to the public in 1925.

It was awesome to be on the grounds where the Ming Dynasty Emperor and his concubines and courtiers used to fish or hold moon-viewing parties. It would be so cool if I could enjoy a pot of Chinese tea with sweet cakes/desserts in a pavilion while watching folks strolling around Bei Hai Park with warmly lit-ed lantern during Mid-Autumn Festival. That would make such a pretty sight. How lovely.

Stepping foot in one of Beijing’s oldest and most well preserved ancient royal parks is a must. To get there, just grab bus 812 or 814 from Dong Dan metro stop (119, exit A) to Bei Hai. The nearest Subway Station is Zhangzizhonglu on Line 5.

Keep a look out for the Jingxin Room (Quieting Heart Room) which is a garden within the garden and the Five-Dragon Pavilions, five connected pavilions with spires and pointed upswept eaves built in the Ming Dynasty.

To got more enjoyment out of Bei Hai Park, try letting your imagination run wild as you explore this Chinese garden. It helps to read up on some dark imperial secrets of indulge-seeking emperors, attention-seeking concubines or power-hungry eunuchs beforehand.

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Ok back to Singapore for now. I’m got to wrap up some work before heading out for a run with Vibram. It’s been a while. I gotta start training for the Standard Chartered Run!

Beihai Park (Bei Hai Gongyuan)
Wenjin Jie 1
Xi Cheng Qu
Beijing 10003
6am-9:30pm

Strangers looked at us with curious eyes while they performed their daily rituals within these spot-stained, ancient walls. I felt comfortable that no one was bugging me to buy anything. I was actually pleased to be ignored. With that, we continued this little tour of ours quietly under their silent watch.

I saw cute, grubby kids with rosy cheeks playing along the alley.  They looked happy. I saw old folks sitting leisurely on rattan chairs staring into space. Some looked happy. Some not so. Then there was an old men smoking from a pipe, a cobbler and a fruit vendor with her three-wheeled cart. The air had a faint scent of freshly baked bread, coal and raw meat. Weird mix but it wasn’t unpleasant. As I made our way through these narrow walkways, I got more intrigued by the way the poorest in Beijing live their lives. At each sharp turn which twist and turn with no rhyme or reason, I can never foresee what lies around each corner and that was the thrill of exploring a hutong.

Before wide boulevards and high rise apartments, almost all the folks in Beijing live in these narrow alleys called hutongs. Along these alleys lies the courtyard houses which then link up and form a network of hutongs. I peered into one of the courtyard house and found that while the exterior were preserved, the clear cut design of a Si-He-Yuan was totally messed up inside. Sadly, there seem to be ugly extensions of all sorts in the house and the original structures have been lost in almost every case. Messy. Ugly. Sad. The fact that almost all hutong residents don’t see their neighborhoods as historic districts is disheartening.

Originally designed as a building complex formed by four houses around a quadrangular courtyard, it was meant to house one family! But the 1950s went awry for the Chinese if you knew what happened. Since then, most of the Si-He-Yuan were converted to house several families as tenants. That probably explains the overcrowding and unsightly extensions. What a pity! Really hope the preservation works will turn out well.

Sorry no pictures here. I hid our camera as I wandered along these old lanes because this residential estate felt so private and exclusive. Snapping pictures just felt so awkward! Took the extra care not to be rude and invade the locals’ private spaces. Ah it was extremely fascinating to wander through the maze of old Beijing! Do take a walk along these hidden paths if you’re not afraid of getting lost!

In any case, the hutong today is fading into the shade for both tourists and inhabitants. Out from the maze, we strolled along the riverbank of Houhai where the more tourists-targeted shops, restaurant and hangouts are located. I must say that I had more fun exploring the maze of old hutong neighborhoods than shopping at the touristy haunts in the same area.

Here are some pictures.

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The setting looked like a movie set!

Was getting bored of this Clarke Quay lookalike place until we chanced upon a rundown eatery that proudly displayed a ‘China’s Time Honoured Brand’ at its entrance. This dilapidated shack is a gem.

Good thing all of us are feeling adventurous! We ordered 2 plates of odd-looking snacks and a bottle of Tsing Dao to share. That mass of black stuff is fried pork tripes while the white one should be boiled sheep innards.

Both are springy and chewy. Too bad if you’re into innards. These wobbly pieces of protein goes really well with the peanut sauce!

Lots of love to Hao, Libei, Betty, Zhenyi, Sirui, Isaac, Ruth and Shuyan. I miss all of you loads!

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I have no idea how many time I’ve said this but I’m gonna say it again! I love Beijing! This beautiful city is one of the world’s most important historical site. Don’t you agree that is exudes a unique ambience balancing ancient and modern? But it takes hard work to keep a balance between these two extremes. As Beijing gets giddy with the rest of China to rapidly urbanised, it is saddening to know that the atmospheric hutong lanes, traditional residential homes and Si-He-Yuan courtyard houses all are fast disappearing. So you better start making plans if you want to catch a glimpse of Beijing’s past.

To get to Shichahai area: take bus 60, 13, 118, 701, 42, 823 to the north gate of Beihai Park. You”l see the Lotus Market. The entrance of the Shichahai area is just right opposite.

Turned out that besides the hat store and qipao shop, everything there is pretty much similar to major malls in Singapore/Malaysia. Hence, we ventured into a more characteristic lane called Wang Fu Jing Snack Street.

Lotsa Chinese knick-knacks. Perfect for souvenir shopping. But whenever I see these things, it’s uncanny how I know I can also find them in Chinatown, Singapore albeit at a higher price. Oh the horror of globalisation.

But thank God that there are still things in Beijing which I can’t find elsewhere. For example, authentic Sticky Haw Candies!

The minute I saw these sticks of sticky Haw candies, I just can’t resist them!!! I have no idea why theses Chinese sweets made from the fruit of the Chinese hawthorn is so freaking yummy! They are called Tanghulu and is categorised as a traditional winter snack in northern China. Ok now it made sense why I couldn’t find them when I was in Guangzhou during winter. Boo.

I still prefer the original/hardened sugar coating version that comes from dipping the skewer in sugar syrup, than other versions such as second chocolate coating, or sesame sprinkles. Other than the traditional Chinese hawthorn fruit, stall vendors were also selling other fruits but I’m not a fan of those. It gave me the vibe of some odd fruit kebabs. Yeah it’s just me. I hate it when traditional candies mutate into weird, indistinct clones. Not charming at all.

Anyway, if you are feeling adventurous, you can find interesting food items such as deep fried insects, scorpions, and sea creatures and other interesting animals and animal parts. But I think the Thai version of fried creepy-crawlies look more appetising.

Honestly, I had no idea what that woman was trying to do. Anyway, it’s only 5 yuan for a really long skewer! Saw that? Cheap but nope I didn’t tried any. Was still bloated from a heavy lunch. If not, I would had bought some chinese crepes. It’s only 5 yuan too!

Snacking from food stalls on the street is an ancient practice in China and it’s lovely to know that Wang Fu Jing was just as busy as it is now since the Ming Dynasty.

So what’s my favourite snack in Beijing? Well, I must say that my heart goes to these mini clay pots of yoghurt! They are so healthy, yummy and I can find them at every corner!

It’s thick, creamy and not too overwhelming. I just can’t get enough of these sweet and soothing delight! You can just buy these wonderful clay pots with a paper lid on the streets! They are available at every corner and can be returned to the shop where it can be collected and recycled.

Sticky Haw candies and local yoghurt. I was a very very happy girl that evening.

Grand. Arresting. Towering.

Scaling the wall’s steep, crumbling steps now brings new meaning after I withstood the pangs of adversity with my girlfriends. That was nothing we’ve ever encountered throughout our years of friendship.

It was shocking how much similarity our decade-old friendship share with the Great Wall’s history of more than 2000 years. Though some of the wall’s sections are now in ruins or have disappeared, it is still so appealing and attractive. It all boils down to its historical significance. Much the same, our history is priceless.

I was at Badaling. Thrown with an option of going either left or right, I took the route on my left which offers a more challenging hike up the wall and kept walking until it was not possible to walk any further. I thought that the steep mountain slope and torturous roads were awesome because it was these features that made it a stronghold. Yeah we are flawed and that made our journey steep and torturous as well. But what’s our weakness when our strengths could easily support and protected each other from harm.

Win was right. We’ve gone through obstacles together, not in person, but in our hearts. Our love proved bigger than any obstacle and dearest, I am so honoured and proud of this too!

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Building this great wall is not an easy feat nor it was done in a day. Though it is easy to take pleasure of each other’s company, we never had any difficulty seeing the point of considering friendship in terms of common moral commitments. Ling reminded me that though we are far away in distance, yet we commit ourselves to be always be close at heart. Friends are VERY HARD to come by. Good ones, even harder. Best friends for more than 10 years, fucking miracle!

I think best friends comes with an eager readiness, and an absence of hesitation. We shall have the courage to give advice with candour. With that common understanding, we can conquer any walls together.

Aristotle told me.

“such friendships are rare is natural, because men of this kind are few. And in addition they need time and intimacy; for as the saying goes, you cannot get to know each other until you have eaten the proverbial quantity of salt together. Nor can one man accept another, or the two become friends, until each has proved to the other that he is worthy of love, and so won his trust. Those who are quick to make friendly advances to each other have the desire to be friends, but they are not unless they are worthy of love and know it. The wish for friendship develops rapidly, but friendship does not.”

Point taken. Her unworthy reasons for departure has brought to mind a memory. Someone once told me that in friendship and relationship, those who possess any superiority must put themselves on an equal footing with those who are less fortunate, so these latter must not be annoyed at being surpassed in genius, fortune, or rank. As women, we were held to be more articulate and emotionally accomplished. Clearly, we must had been too overwhelming.

My hazy romantic visions has turned into a vivid reality just as the chilling winds wailed alarmingly. The Great Wall transformed into a red dragon, winding its way along the mountain ranges. The blustery sky cleared. I now have great better visibility and that’s going to make the climbing, even the steep parts, easier. I’m no longer dreaming.

We all are happy once again. Without her, things still won’t change. We are who we are and that’s what we love about each other.

I quote from Win “we will stand together, even more, even stronger than before. we’ve done it for over a decade. we can do it for another decade, and the next, and the next…. and so on.” and yes Elaine, you are my life too. I will make sure all your kids laugh over our silly escapades.

My ladies, cheers to infinity and beyond!

Many thanks to Amanda, Daniel, Sidney, Nicole, Marcky, Nic, David, Lina, Dom, Mel and Chiang Wey for the support. Y0u peeps are angels.

That night, we were all duck hunters.

Clues led us to the original outlet of Quan Ju De, an establishment known for serving Peking Roast Duck since 1864. Quan Ju De illustrious history begun during the Qing Dynasty under Emperor Tongzhi’s rule. Quan Ju De became the first restaurant in the world to serve the delectable roasted duck that was once strictly reserved to imperial families to commoners.

As with most classic Chinese restaurants, the decor is typically oriental. Lavish gold trimmings and vibrant red feature walls gave the restaurant an imperial feel. Not a bad dining experience. Although we did ordered other dish like beef, vegetables and other very tasty dishes but this post will focus solely on the duck experience considering it is an extremely famous duck restaurant in Beijing.

Aside from badgering the chef who was tasked to carve the magic duck for us to take pictures while he was working, we had fun watching him shaves the crackling skin of this magic duck that was originally served to the emperor several hundred years ago and is considered by some to be the national food of China.

Served in well-cut slices with house-made pancakes, fine-cut green scallions, fresh cucumbers and a dish of paste-like soy of fermented wheat flour. The duck was tender and just right. Very moist and tender and not the least bit fatty. I also love the skin which was light and crispy! Oh I’m a sucker for skins that crackle in the mouth. Plus, some of the skin has a thin line of fat underneath!

I think this crepe-like Chinese popiah was so delicious because the gamy duck meat went perfectly well with the refreshing scallions, cucumbers. Not to mention the spicy glutinous glop we smeared all over the steamed crepes which tasted like thick sweet soy sauce with a slight hint of garlic, pepper. the result is an amazing combination of spicy, sweet and a very fresh tasting.

No wonder we were told that the magic duck is irresistible.

Quan Ju De
No. 14, Qianmen West Street
Beijing

We had so much stuff, the entire lobby was filled and you could hear everyone talking at the same time. Yeah it’s a mini war zone when you have 30 exuberant undergraduates waiting to be given their rooms.

We checked in after dinner. Sky was pitch dark and I must say, my first impression of this hotel was kinda eerie. For you to have a better idea of how spooked out the place was, here’s a picture of the corridor leading to the rooms.

The interior deco was very oriental. Slightly gaudy with lots of red and gold. I thought twice before passing through the labyrinth of dark passages before reaching my room.

As for the room, it was pretty decent. The spooky Chinese Hungry Ghost style deco was missing in the rooms. GOOD.

Quick check on necessities. Working air-conditioner. Checked. 24-hr hot water. Checked. Free toiletry supplies. Checked. Hair-drier. Checked. A variety of power sockets. Checked. Electric kettle. Checked. Internet access! Yippee! I have everything I needed and more!

Anyway the highlight of this garden hotel was of course, the garden. The entire grounds of Beijing Fuyuan Garden Business Hotel consist of both traditional southern and northern Chinese garden landscapes with man-made hills and isles in the center of lakes. Can you imagine bunking in an estate which used to be some rich government official’s residence centuries ago?

Yup. Government. That kinda explains the super tight security we experienced here. There were always two military policemen on guard at the gates who keep check on who goes in and out of the hotel. They looked dead serious and were in the “attention” posture all the time! But it was good to be taken care of like that.

The hotel’s enclosed compound came complete with lush greenery, pavilions, small bridges and a huge lake. I felt like I was on a set of some Chinese drama series. Lots of sweet spots to sit a spell.

Painted murals in the pavilions replicated the life of those who lived in time when China was still thought to be the center of the universe. Pity it looked so new.

Who used to walked these decorated pathways? Was the mistress of the estate a fiery phoenix? Probably. You can’t helped not being a bitch when your husband is allowed to recruit concubines at whims. The tyranny of being a woman in those times.

Anyway, we were here at the pavilion after dusk with some bottles of Tsing Dao beer and packets of snacks. It’s a sweet spot.

I never knew that gulping cold beer while overlooking a vast lake with swans in shadows and calm waters reflecting the flickers of street lights would be so awesome. I recalled savoring moments of silence with my friends who was just as comfortable in appreciating the brooding mood quietly in such an apt setting.

Unlike those conventional international hotels, I think that this forgotten venue is such a beautiful place. It is old and it has a story to tell. Who was it who owned this estate? I’m still trying to figure it out. Only clue was is was built over 800 years ago. I know. I’m so attracted to all things vintage.

Well from here, I could easily flagged a cab to go to the Beijing Train Station and Tian’anmen Square that was not far off. Would definitely consider this hotel because of it’s close proximity to Peking University. Honestly, if you’re in Beijing, you must visit the first national university of China. You’ll be so fascinated by the beautiful traditional Chinese architecture at its campus grounds. With the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace just a stone throw away, Beijing Fuyuan Garden Business Hotel is a good choice away from the city bustle.

Beijing Fuyuan Garden Business Hotel
(Beijing Fuyuanhuayuan Shangwu Jiudian)
Jia 1, Fuyuan Men, Haidian District
Beijing China (Hai Dian Area)
Tel : 010-62561115/62520008

We had the most enjoyable Shuan Rou hotpot at Yang Da Ye. The hotpots were family sized one that’s put in the center of the table to be shared by everyone and the mutton was cut into extremely thin slices so that it could be instantly boiled in the hotpot. It was fun swishing the mutton slices while chatting away. Our hotpot dining experience was extra delicious because of the cool weather!

Unlike the pungent and spicy Sichuan style hotpot, a water base is provided with a few spices for Shuan Yang Rou. Thus, the ingredients play major role to flavor the broth. Thus, apart from the good quality mutton slices we had tofu, Chinese cabbage, cut into squares; sliced Shiitake mushrooms, Enoki and Golden mushrooms, spinach, snow peas, bean noodles, sprouts and bamboo shoots! We also wiped out a plate of beef slices and another plate of seafood mix. Not bad for 6 persons.

Oh we loved the dip! We had a small bowl each. Look it even had the chinese character yang in it. This savoury sauce is concocted using peanut paste, rice vinegar, sesame and chives. Gotta mix everything well and we are ready to dip dip dip!

After all of us have had some meat and seafood, the broth was so richly flavored. That was the best time to spoon some of the broth and slurp it down heartily.

We spent less than 100RMB per person for a Beijing Shuan Yang Rou experience with high quality ingredients, great taste, and an excellent atmosphere.

Yang Da Ye Shuan Rou Restaurant
12 Wanquan Helu, Haidian District
Tel?010-6265 3878
Beijing

What to order at this old busy Beijing eatery? The zha jiang mian, of course.

Zha jiang mian is a classic Beijing noodle dish. I loved the texture of the thick wheat noodles. It’s so chewy! The zha jiang mian was prettily decorated with shredded cucumbers, pickled radish and bean sprouts which gave a nice crunchy feel to the dish. Once topped with a mixture of ground pork stir-fried with zha jiang/salty fermented soybean paste, voila! The brown meat sauce noodles turned out wonderful! Fulfilling, homey, and mildly spicy!

The warm, thick and sweet minced meat sauce was served separately in a little bowl so it was all up to us how saucy we want our zha jiang mian to be. The minced pork tasted especially good! Hao!

Apparently, zha jiang mian is said to be the Chinese version of the spaghetti bolognese. Well if I was to choose between the two, I’ll go for zha jiang mian.

We loved our zha jiang mian so much that every last bit of noodle and sauce was not spared. By the way, noodle king also serves traditional Beijing snacks such as mung bean cakes and hawthorn fruit sweets! For such tasty fare, we spent only about 20-50RMB per person here. If I’m not wrong, one bowl of zha jiang mian cost 10RMB.

The restaurant is near the East Gate of the Temple of Heaven. But if you are coming from Hongqiao Pearl Market, walk north from the market about 100 yards before crossing over the walkway/bridge over Chongwai Street. From the walkway, the restaurant is slightly to the right/north. You know you’re on the right track when you see painted statues of old Beijingers eating or drinking tea in the window. Alternatively, you can just grab a cab!

Heard that it is often packed and hectic during lunch time.

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Lao Bei Jing Zha Jiang Mian Da Wang
29 Chong Wen Men Wai Street
Chong Wen district
Tel: 010-6705 6705/5678
Hours: 11:00-14:00 17:00-20:30

He would be swaggering along the super long pathway to the Altar of Heaven for sacrificial rituals in his dragon robes. Escorted by an entourage of elephant chariots, flag bearers, horse chariots, noblemen, musicians and acrobats to the altar where the ceremony was held, the scene must be spectacular. My heart felt a little heavy because this space is so empty now.

I strutted daringly into this place once forbidden to “commoners” and foreigners in imperial times. I wondered if I’m an intruder in this sacred site as I imagined myself watching the Emperor fast in the Hall of Abstinence, offer sacrifices and prayers at the Altar of Heaven or pray in a magnificent procession.

I recalled feeling a little awkward as I let my imagination ran wild within the noblest example of religious architecture in the whole of China. My senses heightened as I peered into the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The heavy wooden beams, the unending cold stony granite pathways and the glare of gaudy Qing decorative motives which looked like talismans and symbols exercised a sense of protection and vulnerability, of heaven, earth and man.

Drawn into the mood, my friends and I gave our own interpretation of Chinese spirituality with a picture in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.

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The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a bewildering symbol of China’s agricultural past. There’s a reason why the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is round and stands on a square yard. Well, for the ancient Chinese, earth was represented by a square and Heaven by a circle. Thus, this structure was meant to represent Heaven and Earth; symbolising the connection of Heaven and Earth.

To the ancient Chinese, number 9 is divine. It symbolizes heaven; hence everything in the Temple of Heaven is built in tiers of three. The spectacular triple-gabled circular building with a unique wooden and blue-tiled structure was built without a nail.

I never knew that Chinese architecture is so driven by spirituality, mythology and folklore. I knew they were very concerned with something greater than this world but I’ve never expected them to create grand structures in their quest to solve these cosmic issues.

I was awed yet a little disappointed as though I’ve missed a lot simply because I am just a bystander. To me, ancient China is more than just the rise and fall of dynasties, old China as a whole, is a romantic era I’ve always wanted to explore. Deep in thoughts, I went into a daze as I walked across the dewy, misty garden flanked by centuries-old cypress trees.

Streaming sunlight awakened me. I tuned my ear to the group of old Chinese retirees who congregates every morning at the Temple of Heaven Park’s Southern Gate. They were singing revolutionary songs. Perhaps they have yet to recover from the Mao fever.

Time flies when I attempted to relive the past of this place. Unknowingly, we spent close to 2 hours here. The Temple of Heaven is definitely worth at least an hour of your time in Beijing. It’s a marvellous site that exudes serenity and bears much traditional and religious meaning.

Besides the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Altar of Heaven, there’re other places within the Temple of Heaven such as the Imperial Vault of Heaven. If you are interested, you can read up more details about this ancient architecture here.

I paid 30RMB for the admission fee. You can get here by subway line 5 exit A at the Tiantan Dongmen station. It brings you right in front of the east gate.

My 2 weeks in Beijing was a cultural-study trip on the intellectual, cultural and historical traditions of China. As a supporter of the arts, I shall start with a special place that has significant importance to a niche segment of China’s population, the avant-garde artists in Beijing. 798 Art District.

This place used to be the centre of socialism. Now it’s the centre of modernism and individualism. Puzzled? No worries, I will elaborate further.

As state-run factory estate designed by the East Germans in 1954, 798 Art District was an emblem of China’s industrial production and a symbol of the country’s brotherhood with fellow socialist countries. 47 years later, Chinese avant-garde artists from the outer margins of society set up studios and lofts in 798 Art District; marking the beginning of 798 Art District’s iconic role in new modern Beijing.

This place practically showcases China’s ideological shifts in history. Over here I became conscious of how contemporary Chinese art has transformed from a deviant activity to a source of international prestige in modern China. It was also heartening to find that the presence of a cultural base as opposed to an industrial one in 798 Art Zone suggests the appreciating value of the creative middle class in China’s economic growth.

798 Art District is a really big huge industrial estate where many of the spaces were designed by the artists themselves and as such reflects their own particular aesthetic tastes and interests while creating an ambiance of which their audience anticipates. This aligned with the cultural change in modern China where popular cultural attitudes shifts from society-oriented to individuality.

I found numerous slogans of the Mao’s era in 798 Art District such as “Learn the theories of Chairman Mao, Defend the theories of Chairman Mao.”, “To sail in the sea you need a great helmsman, to do some revolutionary work you need the theories of Chairman Mao”, “Long live the great Communist Part of China!” and etc. It was kinda bizarre to imagine people worshiping Mao as thought he is a deity. Then again, he’s the great helmsman. Everyone was seen walking around with a little red book when he ruled China.

In any case, the diversification of artistic outlets at 798 Art District is astonishing. Various cafes, galleries and clubs refashion the social and physical spaces of Chinese culture. And yes! Pink Maos are funkier. We can’t helped but thought that there were more underlying meanings behind the choice of using pink.

798 Art Districts houses trendy international and Chinese regional restaurants such as the Jianghu Western Restaurant and Sichuan No.6 Restaurant designed by the artistic community at 798 Art Zone. We had a hearty lunch at Tianxiayan Restaurant located at 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District.

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That large bowl of beef in oily chilli oil and Sichuan pepper corns numbed my lips and tongue! Other dishes were ok though personally, I thought that the Sichuan fare I had wasn’t very spectacular. However from what I know, this three-floor restaurant on the southeastern part of 798 is usually packed on weekends.

In a way, these restaurants reinterpret Beijing through the interrelationship between consumption, popular culture and space as the growing importance of social interactivity in activities such as dining, clubbing, theatre and performing arts places high value in atmosphere and aesthetics.

From its industrial beginnings, 798 Art District had transformed into a symbol of modern China that hosts foreign dignitaries and tourists and formed alliances with former capitalist adversaries. Apparent a Sony product promotion was launched in 798 Space Gallery and Yan club, a former factory cafeteria had transformed into a landmark of fashionable place to be in Beijing which had hosted the renowned British band “Morcheeba”. In addition to the frequently held art events, 798 Art District is also the new hot spot for commercial activities where many large enterprises such as Omega and Nike chose to hold product promotions and related commercial activities.

Sigh. Let’s just hope the artists at 798 Art District can sustain the unique undertone in their works to look at China’s industrial past in today’s context.

It is important to note that the artistic community at 798 Art District had won a stunning victory against their limitations as a minority in spreading new ideas and culture.

As a proud symbol of a modern and creative Beijing that blends the contemporary generations’ inherited past, acquired present and anticipated future within its space, 798 Art District is a space that celebrates the individual and portrays nuances of red china unpretentiously.

A visit to 798 Art District is a must if you like Chinese contemporary art and want to catch glimpses of China’s industrial past.

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798 Art District
Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District