Budget Travel in Beijing: Exploring Traditional Hutong Culture at Liulichang Cultural Street

Liulichang Cultural Street. When visiting Beijing, you must see the hutongs - it's free and you can experience traditional Beijing alley culture. There are several hutongs worth visiting, and Liulichang is one of them. It's a famous cultural street where you can see typical Beijing culture. 1. Historical Background ●Liulichang was named after the glazed tile kilns that operated there, dating back to the Yuan Dynasty. ●During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it became a gathering place for scholars and artists who opened bookstores and art shops. ●Today's Liulichang Cultural Street has been renovated and preserved, maintaining numerous Ming and Qing architectural styles. 2. Cultural Experiences ●Antiques and Paintings: This is a paradise for antique lovers where you can find Ming and Qing porcelain, calligraphy, paintings, jade items, and more. ●Four Treasures of the Study: Purchase traditional writing brushes, ink stones, rice paper, and other traditional scholarly supplies. ●Traditional Crafts: Experience making clay figurines, paper cutting, kites, and other intangible cultural heritage items. ●Teahouses and Snacks: Enjoy tea at traditional teahouses or taste Beijing-style snacks at street stalls. 🎈Must-Visit Recommendations 1. Rongbaozhai ●Address: Liulichang East Street ●Features: Famous time-honored Chinese art store selling calligraphy, paintings, seals, ink stones, etc. ●Highlight: Opportunities to see artists creating works on-site. 2. China Bookstore ●Address: Liulichang East Street ●Features: Sells ancient books, thread-bound books, calligraphy rubbings, etc. ●Highlight: Custom-made thread-bound books available. 3. Liulichang Antique Market ●Address: Liulichang West Street ●Features: Concentrates numerous antique dealers with a wide variety of items. ●Highlight: Great for treasure hunting and exchanging knowledge about antiques. 4. Old Beijing Teahouse ●Address: Liulichang East Street ●Features: Traditional teahouse offering jasmine tea, gaiwan tea, etc. ●Highlight: Listen to storytelling and xiangsheng (comic dialogue) performances. 5. Liulichang Snack Street ●Recommended Foods: ●Donkey meat sandwich ●Pea cake ●Ai wowo (sticky rice cake with mugwort) ●Fried dough rings ●Features: Authentic old Beijing flavors. 🚌Transportation and Parking ●Public Transportation: Take subway Line 4 to "Caishikou Station" and walk about 10 minutes to reach the destination. ●Driving is not recommended as parking spaces are limited in the area