Where history and shopping meet🌸 Beijing Qianmen Street

#Overseas travel 📍 Basic information & accessibility • Front street name: Qianmen Street – 840m south of Zhengyangmen, the southern gate of the Forbidden City  • Location: A historic street located on the central axis between Tiananmen Square and Tiandan Park () • No admission fee, open all year round (some shops and restaurants have different hours) () • Transportation: 2-5 minutes walk from Exit C of Qianmen Station on Subway Line 2 and 8 or Exit A/G of Zhushikou Station on Subway Line 7  ⸻ 🏛️ History & Architectural Features • It has been a commercial center since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and was originally called “Zhengyangmen Street” and renamed “Qianmen Street” in 1965  • Through preservation and restoration work in preparation for the 2008 Olympics Rebuilt in the style of the 1920s and 30s, with a mix of antique shops and modern brands () • Zhengyangmen (門門), drum tower (鼓楼), and bell tower (钟楼) decorate the north entrance, emphasizing the grandeur of the central axis () ⸻ 🎯 Recommended attractions & walking points • Starting from Zhengyangmen (正阳门) gate, go down south and enjoy the view of the gray brick Siheyuan (siheyuan) houses and shops () • The tram section in front of the station is a photo spot—the antique chairs and rails are full of antique charm () • Teahouses, traditional Chinese medicine shops, and old-fashioned Chinese brands such as pancakes, tea, and snacks () ⸻ 🍜 Food & Shopping • Quanjude (全聚德) Peking duck, Yitiaolong (一條龍) lamb, Douiyiqiu (都一处) and Changchuntang pharmacy with a history of about 200 years () • Modern chains are also mixed in: Starbucks, Haagen-Dazs, ZARA, H&M, etc.  • Street snack booths are also lined up, and you can enjoy traditional tea houses with a warm atmosphere and pancakes and lamb skewers here and there () ⸻ ⏰ Enjoy by time slot • 9–11 AM: Quiet Xiheyuan stroll, open traditional shops, and enjoy the tranquil scenery • Lunch~Afternoon: Eat at traditional restaurants such as Quanjude Peking Duck • 5–9 PM: Night walk with retro buildings and neon signs under the lights + grab some street snacks ⸻ ✅ Tips & Recommended Routes • Zhengyangmen → Street stroll → Quanjude or lamb specialty store → Photograph the tram section → Tea or ceramics shopping → Rest at a traditional tea house • Recommended during the week or in the morning: Weekends and public holidays are crowded with tourists in the afternoon • Minimize your wallet: Wait for a rickshaw near the rental shop, recommended for short trips • Payment method: Most accept WeChat Pay / AliPay / cash, some foreign cards are also accepted ⸻ 📝 Impressions Walking through the alleys of Shi Huyuan and the ancient shops with red lanterns hanging, I felt that ‘this is a miniature version of Beijing where tradition and modernity are densely intertwined’. Passing under Zhengyangmen, I felt the grandeur of the central axis, and tasting a piece of Peking duck at Quanjude, I realized ‘this street is really alive’. At night, taking pictures under the lanterns next to the tram rail, and having a cup of warm matcha at a traditional teahouse, the impression of ‘an alley where time flows slightly slowly’ blended with the surrounding scenery, left a deep impression on my one-day trip 😊