Qianmen Street: Yesterday once more

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On August 7, just one day before the 2008 Beijing Olympics opens, the torch relay will pass through the brand new Qianmen Street.

"Qianmen Street is also called the Heaven Street, because there were 23 emperors during China's Ming and Qing dynasties walking through this street to pray and make sacrifice at the Temple of Heaven," said Tian Yun, the president of Qianmen Assets Management and Development Co Ltd.


The Forbidden City and the entire Beijing city are designed based on a north-south axle wire, from Yongdingmen at the south of downtown Beijing, to Tiananmen, and to Jingshan, to Gulou and Zhonglou at the north. Qianmen Street, starting at Yueliangwan (Moon Bay) in the north and ending at Zhushikou in the south, is a landmark of Beijing's axle wire to the south of Tiananmen Square.


Centuries ago, Qianmen Street had become a commercial and amusement center due to its convenient location, connecting the Imperial Palace and civil communities in ancient Beijing. Today, in an effort to rejuvenate Beijing's traditional culture and customs, in the run-up to the Olympics, Qianmen Street, which witnessed the nation's wax, wane and renaissance, underwent a year-long renovation.

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"Diang-diang" Vehicle

A trolley car was firstly installed in Qianmen Street in late 1924. It had no horn but a bell that rang to warn pedestrians to clear the way. Therefore, Beijingers awarded the tramcar a nick name: "Diang-diang" vehicle. However, it was removed after 42 years running along the Qianmen Street.

Following 32 rounds of discussion by 16 experts, the renovation work was planned to recreate Qianmen Street's look of the 1920s and 1930s.

"Diang-diang vehicle, as a memorial symbol of ancient Beijing, has now driven back to Qianmen Street after disappearing for another 42 years, which left it only to exist in Beijingers' memories," Tian said.

With a maximum capacity of 84 passengers, the car takes a 10-minute tour through the 846-meter street.

"Of course, it's neither for public transportation nor making profits, but giving an opportunity for visitors to have an experience of old time," said Tian. "However, the ticket price is yet to be decided."

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Commercial Avenue

At the beginning of 2007, CCTV anchorman Rui Chenggang's essay titled "Why Starbucks Needs to Get Out of the Forbidden City?" triggered a heated nationwide debate about whether "the symbol of low-end U.S. food culture" is "an insult to Chinese civilization."

But Qianmen Street differs from the Forbidden City. It has been an ever-open commercial street since it began taking shape. Many businesses born on this street, including Quan Ju De, which is famous for roasted duck, Da Bei Photo Studio and Qing Lin Chun Tea Shop, which will move back to Qianmen.

Meanwhile, influential international players such as Starbucks, Rolex, Apple and Nike will be integrated with customized local faces. Meanwhile, several Chinese theaters such as Guang He Lou and Zhong He Theater will also return to the street，introduced by Tian.

"We have earmarked 10 million yuan ($1.46 million) annually to support innovations of those old businesses in Qianmen for at least three years in a row," said Tian. "We would like to accommodate both traditional Chinese businesses and modern global ones and let them develop together."

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Culture Rejuvenation

At the end 2005, the Republic of Korea had successfully and exclusively registered the "Dragon Boat Festival," which is also shared by China as a national traditional festival, to the United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organization as one of the masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.


Such an incident was no less a humiliation to the Chinese as spitting on their faces. From then on, China, with its 5,000-year history of civilization, became more aware of the importance to protect its cultural heritage than ever before.

The State Council, China's cabinet, adjusted the country's public holidays this year, adding three Chinese traditional festivals: the Qingming, or Tomb Sweeping, Festival; the Dragon Boat Festival; and the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The revival of old Qianmen Street, the adjustment of national holidays and the colorful Chinese elements in the upcoming Beijing Olympics, all are meant to rescue, or at least remind modern Chinese of, our glorious history and cultures.