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Beijing · History

Gates, legations and guilds: Beijing's southern city

For centuries the city wall split Beijing into two worlds: inside, the city of officials and Manchu bannermen; outside, the city of merchants, theatres and inns. This route follows that border, from the street where the foreign powers settled in 1861 to the great Zhengyangmen gate, the first railway station and the lanes where pharmacies, silk shops and bookshops founded under the Qing emperors are still open.

  • 6 stops
  • 2.7 km
  • 2 h
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
The Qianmen archery tower, in grey brick with rows of arrow windows and white arches

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Dongjiaominxiang, the Legation QuarterA quiet street with a Gothic church where, in 1900, hundreds of foreigners and Chinese Christians held out through a 55-day siege.
  2. 2 The old Qianmen railway stationBeijing's iron gateway: a British-looking station through which kings, generals and modern times arrived.
  3. 3 Zhengyangmen, the Qianmen gateThe tallest gate in Beijing's city wall, split in two by an avenue and lined up with the imperial throne.
  4. 4 Qianmen Street and its great archwayThe shopping avenue of the central axis, with a five-bay archway, a vintage tram and restaurants that have been roasting ducks for a century and a half.
  5. 5 Dashilar, the street of century-old shopsA wooden barrier, a fire that wiped out a district, and the pharmacies, silk merchants and shoemakers still open since imperial times.
  6. 6 Liulichang, the scholars' streetWhere the palace's golden roof tiles were once fired, booksellers, painters and brush makers later moved in.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

Gates, legations and guilds: Beijing's southern city

The tallest gate

Zhengyangmen, built in 1419, still marks the city's central axis and the zero kilometre point of China's roads.

Three-hundred-year-old shops

Dashilar is still home to the Tongrentang pharmacy, founded in 1669, and the Neiliansheng shoe shop, from 1853.

A turbulent century

The siege of the legations, the great fire of 1900 and the arrival of the railway, told where they happened.

Keep exploring

More routes in Beijing

Back to Beijing
Mysteries & legendsLakes and bells: the secrets of Shichahai MixedBeijing highlights: around the Forbidden City

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Beijing?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Beijing in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Beijing in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Beijing in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary