The Dashilanr alley of the Qianmen Street. [China.org.cn]

Having just opened, the street is neat and clean and many shops are still empty and waiting for business entrepreneurs. Some 200 meters south, visitors can see an iron name plate crossing a narrow alley on the right side, reading大柵欄. In pinyin this becomes Da Zha Lan while local Beijingers pronounce it as Dashilanr. This street is busier, as more shops are open, including the Rui Fu Xiang (瑞蚨祥) silk shop and Nei Lian Sheng (內(nèi)聯(lián)升) shoe shop, both well-known for good quality. The Lao She Tea House is easy to find. It is a famous venue for overseas tourists to see wonderful performances of Peking Opera, while enjoying tea and palace snacks as well as traditional local food.

The Ruifuxiang Silk Store at the Qianmen Street, Beijing. [China.org.cn]

Several shops offer Chinese dolls, jade bracelets, tea pots, and a range of handicrafts and antiques. Some market stalls selling cheap travelling bags recapture the spirit of the last decade.

Qianmen also forms a link with the life of old Beijing, often associated with the old hutongs. To get the sights and sounds and smells of a communal life outside the courtyard walls, travel further to the west.

Qianmen Street presents a scene of friendly chaos. Old Beijing still exists, to my mind. Though the city may seem obscured by neon and scaffolding, there are still wonderful nooks and crannies all around us, and Qianmen Street is one of them.