[2024 Beijing Attraction] Travel Guide for The Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street (Updated Dec)
Featured Neighborhoods
Address:
Shichahai, Xicheng District, Beijing
Opening times:
Open year round, 24/7Open
Recommended sightseeing time:
2 hours
First time in Beijing? Just copy this Citywalk route
Everyone should visit Beijing at least once in their life, and make sure to go to Shichahai! Go see the orange sunset, feel the gentle breeze of Houhai, stroll through the old Beijing hutongs, and experience the joy of old Beijing.
⛳Tour Route:
Shichahai A2 Exit ➡️ Yandai Xiejie ➡️ Drum Tower ➡️ Xiaoshibei Hutong ➡️ Yinding Bridge ➡️ Tangfang Coffee ➡️ Dibai Boating Dock ➡️ Lotus Dock ➡️ West Bank of Qianhai ➡️ South Bank of Qianhai ➡️ Jinding Bridge ➡️ Huoshen Temple
✅Yandai Xiejie:
After exiting the subway, you can choose to fill your stomach here first. Candied hawthorn, tripe, zhajiangmian, xiaodiaolitang...🍡🍜
✅Drum Tower:
The highest group of ancient buildings on the central axis, no need to squeeze in for photos.📷✨
✅Shichahai:
The largest and best-preserved historical district in the city!🌅❄️
⛴️Boating Information:
- Boating Time: 9:00-24:00 (Tickets stop selling at 23:00)
- Types of Boats:
- Four-person electric boat: 240/h (including infants)
- Four-person pedal boat: 180/h (including infants)
- Six-person electric boat: 280/h (including infants)
- Rowing boat: 80 (10-16 people, about 30 minutes)
🎈Practical Tips:
- No reservation needed, very suitable for a City walk route. It is recommended to arrive around 4 PM, the sunset at Shichahai is really beautiful;
📍Food and Photo Spots:
- Fangzhuanchang Zhajiangmian: Michelin zhajiangmian in the hutong! You can eat for an average of 25 yuan, with free noodle and sauce refills, and they also give you Laba garlic.😋🍜
- Wenyu Cheese: Highly recommend their red bean double-skin milk and milk rolls.🥛💖
- Tangfang Coffee: Very suitable for taking photos. Sitting on the terrace, you can see the Drum and Bell Towers and Yandai Xiejie on one side, and overlook the entire view of Qianhai on the other side, with a great view.🍓☕️
SophiaParrishffx
Yandai Byway
Yandai Byway is an old commercial streets that showcase Beijing’s past, originally formed in Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368) and further developed and reached its height in late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Yandai, literally “Smoking Pipes”, was once lined up with many shops selling smoking pipes, hence the name of Yandai.
Beijing’s oldest commercial street links Di An Men with Houhai Lake and the Drum and Bell Tower, but it’s an attraction in and of itself and not simply a thoroughfare. Lined with charming handicraft shops, bars, and cafes, it’s the perfect place for a stroll or to buy a souvenir.
The shopping experience and the scenery themselves would worth a daylong visit. However, if you go with a local you would get a lot more.
#beijingtrip
#urbanexplorer
#cityoverlook
kanaya
Take our advice: Don't miss the Shichahai route when you visit Beijing!
When you visit Beijing, don't miss the Shichahai walking route!
In winter, skating is not the only fun activity in Shichahai. Along this route, you can feel the rich old Beijing culture in Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street, enjoy the comfort of "removing the roof tiles" in Sugar House Coffee, and see the Drum Tower in Zhao Lei's song with your own eyes.
🚶City walk route: Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street - Drum Tower - Xiaoshibei Hutong - Yinding Bridge - Sugar House Coffee - Lotus Pier - Qianhai West Bank - Qianhai South Bank - Jinding Bridge - Huoshen Temple
🚇Transportation: Exit A2 of Shichahai Station on Metro Line 8. You can also start your journey from Huoshen Temple in the opposite direction, and exit from Exit C of Shichahai Station.
📷Must-see spots:
1️⃣Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street: The first stop after you exit the subway station. You can enjoy a variety of old Beijing snacks here. After eating, head to the Drum Tower and take some beautiful photos.
2️⃣Sugar House Coffee: Its terrace is a great place to overlook Shichahai and take photos of the Drum Tower and Bell Tower in the same frame.
3️⃣Drum Tower: Located on the central axis, it is the tallest ancient building complex. The side of the Drum Tower West Street traffic light is a great place to take photos.
4️⃣Shichahai: As the largest and best-preserved historical block in Beijing, it is adjacent to the central axis. You can enjoy the lotus flower and row a boat in summer, and skate in winter.
📝Useful tips:
❶ No ticket or reservation is required.
❷ Suitable for spending an afternoon. Recommended visit time: 3–4 hours.
❸ You can take a rickshaw or ride a bike.
❹ Recommended nearby attractions: Jingshan Park, Beihai Park, Prince Kung's Mansion, Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling, Nanluoguxiang, Beiluoguxiang, Yuer Hutong, and Lingdang Hutong.
❺ When skating in winter, it is cold outside. Be sure to wear a hat, scarf, and gloves. A down jacket is also a must.
StellaSoul_456
Encountering Warm Memories in Beijing's Autumn
Amidst the busy business trip, take a moment for yourself to wander through Beijing's old hutongs. You'll discover the city's unique tenderness and stories. As the cool autumn breeze blows, the ancient city walls seem to whisper, telling those long-forgotten histories.
Beijing Hutongs: Finding the Heartbeat of the City
Beijing's hutongs are like the veins of the city, carrying countless stories and emotions. The familiar and comforting scents of douzhi and zhajiangmian waft through the grey bricks and tiles. You can choose any hutong, such as Nanluoguxiang or Yandai Xiejie, and take a leisurely stroll, appreciating the beauty forgotten by modern life.
The Forbidden City: Gazing at History
A trip to Beijing wouldn't be complete without visiting the Forbidden City. The weathered walls have witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties. In autumn, the sunlight on the golden glazed tiles is particularly dazzling. Standing in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, you can almost hear the echoes of history and feel the solemnity of the imperial city. Remember to look up; under the blue sky and white clouds, the flying eaves and corners have a unique charm.
Prince Gong's Mansion: The Secret of the Feng Shui Treasure
Not far from the Forbidden City is Prince Gong's Mansion, the former residence of Heshen and a model of a Qing Dynasty mansion. In autumn, the mansion is covered in golden ginkgo leaves, creating a warm atmosphere. Every corner of the mansion has a story. Find a quiet place to sit and imagine the grandeur of the past.
Beihai Park: Leisurely Enjoyment
Finally, take a walk to Beihai Park, where the rippling lake water and the occasional leisurely ducks will calm your mind. Standing by the White Pagoda, looking into the distance, you can see the entire city of Beijing. At that moment, all your worries seem to be blown away. Feeding the koi by the lake and watching them scramble for food will also bring you endless joy.
During your business trip, Beijing's autumn gives you a reason to rest. Here, you can temporarily forget the pressures of work and simply enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the moment.
蜂巢文旅
Wow! I found a sacred tree on Yandai Xiejie City Walk! Location included.
How to get to Dashibei Hutong?
Enter the main entrance of Yandai Xiejie, walk 100 meters, and you will see a small alley. Walk along the alley and you will see a white wax tree! It's all yellow!
✅Route
Gulou Street - Yandai Xiejie - Dashibei Hutong - Xiaoshibei Hutong
✅Sacred tree location: Middle of Dashibei Hutong
Best time to take photos this week! The leaves will fall next week!
TastyTemptations
Follow the locals in Beijing and check in at the Great Qing Post Office (Part 2)
📍Location: No. 53, Yandai Xiejie, Xicheng District, Beijing
🚗Transportation: Convenient to travel by shared bike
👍️Must-visit spot: The Great Qing Postal Cabinet Theme Post Office on Yandai Xiejie, Shichahai, Beijing, is not only a postal service institution but also a hub of cultural creativity.
This post office fully explores local cultural resources, closely integrating postal services with cultural creativity to create a series of unique cultural products. From the first stamp to modern postal services, from the history of Beijing's city construction to the central axis culture, the Great Qing Postal Cabinet has witnessed over a century of the ups and downs of China's postal service.
In addition, this post office is also known as a "must-visit internet-famous store in Beijing," becoming an important force in promoting the development of the "travel and postal" industry.
🎟️Ticket information: No reservation required, no admission fee
💗Other tips: Located in Yandai Xiejie and Houhai, plan your visit accordingly
Penelope Carmichael
In the Shichahai scenic area, after crossing the Yinding Bridge, you will find the Yandai Xiejie
This is a street with a long history and rich cultural heritage. The street runs northeast to southwest, with a total length of just over 230 meters and a width of 4 meters. It is said that the narrow entrance on the east side of the street resembles the mouthpiece of a pipe, and the entire street looks like a tobacco pipe. During the day and at night, Yinding Bridge and Yandai Xiejie are bustling with tourists. In the summer, especially in the evening, tourists arrange their post-dinner time here, drinking, watching the lotus, and experiencing the old Beijing culture. The sides of Yandai Xiejie are lined with traditional courtyard houses, and the early morning belongs to the local people. Walking dogs, rushing to buy breakfast, and setting up vegetable stalls right there. The street is full of life.
The Guangfu Temple, the Great Qing Post Office mailbox, and the No. 11 shop on Yandai Xiejie near the Drum Tower are worth a visit. After leaving Yandai Xiejie, turn left and you will see the Drum Tower, with plenty of time to continue exploring.
ElijahMacKay71
Strolling in Beijing·Shichahai/Yandai Xiejie/Bell and Drum Towers
🩴Passing through Heizhima Hutong and Fangzhuanchang Hutong, leaving Nanluoguxiang, crossing Di'anmen Outer Street, and entering Wannian Hutong, you will reach the lakeside of Shichahai after coming out. Shichahai includes Qianhai, Houhai, and Xihai, with Xihai also known as Jishuitan. It was named after the ten Buddhist temples that used to surround it.
👍Shichahai is surrounded by numerous historical sites and bustling commerce, making it a famous historical and cultural district. The destination is located at the northeast corner of Qianhai, and the adjacent Yandai Xiejie is a street with a profound local atmosphere and rich old Beijing characteristics. 😜This street is only 232 meters long, and during the Qing Dynasty, it mainly dealt in smoking pipes and calligraphy and antique paintings, hence the fun name.
🛍️Today's Yandai Xiejie has already become homogenized, turning into a typical antique-style commercial street. Hurrying through it, you return to Di'anmen Outer Street and then head north to the Bell and Drum Towers.
⏱️The Bell and Drum Towers are located on the central axis of old Beijing, north of the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park, and were the time-reporting center during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The towers were first built during the Yuan Dynasty, and were rebuilt during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Their time-reporting function was not abolished until the thirteenth year of the Republic of China (1924).
🥁Among them, the Drum Tower is located on the south side, a large red pavilion-style building, originally with 25 big drums, but now only one remains. 🛎️The Bell Tower is located on the north side, a grey brick and stone structure with a double-eaved hip roof, and the copper bell preserved inside was cast during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, weighing 63 tons. It is the earliest and heaviest time-reporting copper bell in the world, known as the 'King of Ancient Bells'.
🪁Between the Bell Tower and Drum Tower is a small square, with both buildings of similar height, but one fat and one thin, one grey and one red, standing opposite each other, solemn yet lively, and can be called a model of ancient Chinese architecture.
Leaving the Bell and Drum Towers, you return to Shichahai🌊 via the alley next to Gulou West Street, which belongs to the east bank of Houhai.
Next to Longhua Temple, there is a Nan Shufang📔, named after the elegant literary style of the 'Southern Study' inside the Forbidden City. It is said to be a private courtyard, very valuable🪙.
On the other side of Longhua Temple, there is a garden within a garden, named Wanghai Lou Park. This is a newly built antique-style garden facing Houhai, with 'Wanghai' naturally referring to Shichahai.🏕️The pavilions in the garden pale in comparison to the azure waters of Houhai and the willows.
✨Continuing along the lakeshore, you will arrive at the former residence of Comrade Song Qingling, which was once the Mingzhu Mansion and He Shen's private residence, later the mansion of Prince Chun, and after the liberation, it was arranged by Premier Zhou to become the residence of Comrade Song Qingling in Beijing.
William Mitchell Henry-10
Beijing | Yan Dai Xie Street, the oldest hutong by the Houhai Lake~
Yan Dai Xie Street is located within the core protection area of Shichahai in Xicheng District, Beijing, starting from Di'anmen Outer Street in the east to Xiao Shi Bei Hutong in the west. It runs northeast to southwest, with a total length of 232 meters and a uniform width of 4 meters, making it one of the oldest hutongs in Beijing.
Although it is only a little over two hundred meters long, it is one of Beijing's top ten characteristic streets. In addition to food, cultural and creative products, and special local items, there is also the Guangfu Temple. Inside the temple is now the Shichahai Cultural Exhibition Center, and there's also the Great Qing Post Office!
🌟 Highlights:
Historically significant
⏳ Recommended visiting time:
1 h
BRADY DEAN
Shichahai and Yan Dai Xie Street
Shichahai is a free scenic area with so many fun places to explore. Yan Dai Xie Street is one of them.
Yan Dai Xie Street was established during the Yuan Dynasty, originally called Da Yu Ting Xie Street. During the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong era, it was known as Gu Lou Xie Street, and by the end of the Qing Dynasty, it was renamed Yan Dai Xie Street. In the late Qing Dynasty, the street was mainly known for selling tobacco pipes, smoking accessories, antiques, and calligraphy and paintings, and it housed the Guang Fu Guan.
If you get hungry while strolling around, there are also delicious places to eat, including time-honored high-end restaurants. There's the famous Roast Meat Season, Ma Kai Restaurant, and also the economically friendly internet-famous Ya Er Li Ji. Li Ji is a Hui Muslim restaurant, where sesame seed cakes cost one yuan each. There's a dedicated master in the shop making the cakes all day long, and you can smell the fragrance from afar, with a constant line of people waiting.
Matthew Carmichael
Yandai Byway, Shichahai | Nanny-level money-saving and worry-free travel guide
Yandai Byway is a newly popular hutong in the Drum Tower area, with its entrance on Di'anmen Street. The hutong branches off and connects to Shichahai, so if you're going to Shichahai, be sure to take a stroll down Yandai Byway as well. 😊
This hutong has an atmosphere similar to Nanluoguxiang, but its architecture has more of the old Beijing hutong characteristics, making it even better for taking photos. 👍
🚉Transportation: Exit from Shichahai Station A1, walk about 200 meters to reach the entrance of Yandai Byway. ⚠️It is not recommended to drive as there is no parking available, and the area around Di'anmen is extremely congested.
🚴If you are a group of friends traveling around the city, you can also ride shared bicycles here, and you can enjoy visiting nearby attractions such as Prince Gong's Mansion, Beihai Park, and the corner towers of the Forbidden City along the way, which is very interesting. 👏
⏰Suggested visiting time: Noon🌞 - Night🌛
🎠Travel route:
🍜For lunch, you can go to 'Makai Restaurant' for a meal. This restaurant is frequented by locals, offering good value for money. The lamb skewers and various semi-finished dishes at the restaurant window are freshly made and can be taken home to eat.
🐰In the afternoon, it's recommended to stroll down Yandai Byway first, check in at some popular stores, such as the Great Qing Post Office, National Trend Milk Candy, Old Beijing Paper Cutting, Beijing Rabbit Lord, etc. You can buy them for collection or as gifts.
👉There are also many delicious foods on this street, such as Roast Meat Season, Ya'er Li Ji Shuan Meat, Ping'an Potstickers, which are chain brands worth trying. There are also many other popular snacks, buy according to your taste! ❗️
If you like drinking coffee☕️ and want to take panoramic photos of the Drum Tower area, you can check in at 'Sugar House' coffee shop, where you can take beautiful photos... However, you may need to queue.
In the evening, walk into Shichahai, and the twilight, reflecting on the calm and green water, with you standing beside, just a random shot can be a set of great photos. 😃
When you're tired, sit in a roadside bar, order a cocktail, and chat with friends while listening to the singer's deep voice, which is another kind of mood. ⚠️Of course, remember to look for group purchases before entering the bar to save money.
tips🚩
1⃣️ You can't go boating this season🚣
2⃣️ It's crowded, so take care of your belongings and don't be careless.
3⃣️ You can push a stroller, but it's not recommended to bring pets.
㊗️Have fun, follow me, and share firsthand travel experiences. 🌸
Scarlett.Perry@79
Guangzhou-Beijing 6 days 5 nights travel guide
Day1 (Drum Tower - Yandai Xiejie - Shichahai to watch the sunset)
After getting off the plane at noon, we first settled in the hotel. We chose to take a taxi because we had a lot of luggage and were too lazy to transfer by subway. We stayed in Dongsi, which is very convenient to go anywhere, and there are many characteristic bread coffee shops nearby. After settling down, we went to the Drum Tower to eat candied haws and take pictures, and then strolled along Yandai Xiejie to Shichahai, just in time for the sunset🌄, which was too beautiful. After strolling around, we went to Yaerlijie for dinner, sitting in the scenic spot, surrounded by dusk, eating a warm hot pot is so comfortable.
Day2 (The Palace Museum + Jingshan Park)🏯
The Palace Museum is scheduled for the morning, entering from the East Gate, recommending the live explanation of the Palace Museum official, which is available on both sides of the security check. We took the Central Axis - West Six Palaces - Treasure Museum route, 2.5 hours 350r, very worth it. With the explanation, you won't just glance over it. (I have to say that the things in the Treasure Museum are really too exquisite. After the explanation, we toured the Palace Museum on our own, visiting the cultural and creative shops and buying things. We left at two o'clock, and after leaving, we took a number at the Four Seasons Minfu Palace Museum store, then went to visit Jingshan Park, and returned to the roast duck shop at about 4:50, just in time for us. The position we queued up was good, next to the scenic spot. The taste is still appetizing for Cantonese. After dinner, we strolled back to the hotel.
Day3 (Universal Studios)🌍
We left the hotel at 9:30 in the morning and took a taxi to Universal Studios. We played in a low-key manner during the off-season. We brushed Harry Potter's Forbidden Journey, Hippogriff Flight, Overlord Tiger Roller Coaster (which made me grit my teeth), Minions Turn the Sky, Jurassic World Adventure, etc. The projects in Universal are really dizzying, and I felt dizzy all the way. As for food, the Three Broomsticks Butterbeer tastes okay🧈. After watching the fireworks show in the evening, we bought some small souvenirs and left the park.
Day4 (Yonghe Palace + Temple of Heaven)
We got up early in the morning and went to Yonghe Palace to worship sincerely. We didn't ask for the opening of the rosary and so on. Maybe the day we went was the first day of the lunar month, and there were a lot of people. After worshiping, we rode a bike to Guozijian Hutong, strolled around Guan Xia, and then rode back to the hotel passing by the Coffee Manufacturing Bureau, and had a pistachio dirty, which was well-deserved and delicious.
After a rest, we went to the Temple of Heaven🎑. We entered from the North Gate, passed through a forest of ancient trees to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The forest of ancient trees is really beautiful, with snow on the ground, and occasionally a little squirrel would run down, feeling healed by nature. We also went in to see some exhibitions in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, which is worth seeing.
In the evening, we had Xiaodiao Pear Soup, which was delicious and moist. I couldn't get used to the dishes, which were sweet. I ordered a chili sauce and I could eat it😅.
Day5 (Mutianyu Great Wall)🗿
Few people and beautiful scenery! High playability! We went to both the east and west lines, the slide down the mountain on the east line was exciting, and the scenery on the west line was shocking. There are many chubby cats on the Great Wall, and I found that they recognize Chinese people. Many foreign friends teased them and they didn't move. They took the initiative to come to my feet and act like a baby😎
Day6 (Summer Palace)
The last day's itinerary was arranged in the Summer Palace. Ice skating⛸️ is so much fun! It's just a bit cold on the feet. We were super lucky to encounter snowfall❄️! Touring the Summer Palace in the snow, it feels like traveling through time.
There are many places worth visiting in Beijing, I like Beijing and will come again🇨🇳❤️
KYLE REED
Savoring the old Beijing New Year flavor
Beijing's Spring Festival
——Lao She
According to Beijing's old customs, the Lunar New Year (Spring Festival) starts around the beginning of the twelfth lunar month. 'On the seventh or eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, even crows are frozen to death,' which is the coldest time of the year. However, spring is not far after the severe winter, so people's enthusiasm for celebrating the New Year and welcoming spring is not diminished by the cold. On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, every household and temple makes Laba porridge. This specially made porridge is for worshipping ancestors and gods, but on closer thought, it is a proud display of an agricultural society—this porridge is made from all kinds of rice, beans, and dried fruits (almonds, walnuts, melon seeds, lychee meat, lotus seeds, peanuts, raisins, water caltrop rice...) It's not just porridge, it's a mini agricultural exhibition.
On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, Laba garlic is also soaked. Garlic cloves are put into vinegar on this day, sealed up, and used for eating dumplings during the New Year. By the end of the year, the garlic is soaked to the color of jade, and the vinegar also has a spicy taste. The beautiful color and taste make people want to eat more dumplings. In Beijing, every family eats dumplings during the New Year.
From the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, shops start to stock up on New Year goods, and there are more stalls on the streets—selling couplets, New Year pictures, honey offerings, daffodils, etc. These are all things that only appear in this season. These New Year stalls make children's hearts beat faster. In the alleys, there are more and more complex calls than usual, including those that only appear in the twelfth lunar month, such as selling constitution books, pine branches, Job's tears, rice cakes, etc.
The 23rd day is the Little New Year, which is almost a 'rehearsal' for the New Year. In the old society, every family worshipped the Kitchen God on this night. As soon as it got dark, firecrackers started to sound, and with the sound of the firecrackers, the paper image of the Kitchen God was burned, beautifully named 'sending the Kitchen God to heaven'. In the previous few days, there were many stalls selling maltose and glutinous rice sugar on the streets. The sugar is either in the shape of a rectangle or a melon. According to the old saying: use sugar to stick the Kitchen God's mouth, so that he won't report the bad things in the family to the Jade Emperor when he gets to heaven. Now, there are still sugar sellers, but it's only for everyone to enjoy, and no longer to stick the Kitchen God's mouth.
ps: The article is excerpted from Lao She's 'Beijing's Spring Festival', today is New Year's Eve, wishing everyone a happy New Year, may you be as vigorous as a dragon and a tiger, may you have a healthy body in the new year and a pleasant journey!!
A Taste of Travel
It must be said, once it snows, Beijing turns into Beiping
Beijing Hutong snow scene check-in. It must be said, once it snows, Beijing turns into Beiping, overlooking the Bell and Drum Tower, Yandai Xiejie, the entire Houhai, the snow-covered roofs are scattered and orderly, everything is beautifully messed up! a shooting is too atmospheric shoot winter togetherhave an appointment with winter snowing in Beijinggrass planting machine