Qianmen

The Qianmen, also known as Zhengyangmen, was formerly the front gate of the Imperial City, a part of the ancient city of Beijing. It stands at the south end of the Tiananmen Square precinct.

First built in 1419, the gateway consisted of a gatehouse proper and an archery tower, which forms a large barbican. Today the archery tower and the gatehouse survive, incorporating some modern design elements. Its initial mud framework, in place for over half a century, was replaced with brick. At 42 meters high, the gatehouse was, and is, the tallest among all of the gates of Beijing.

Qianmen Gate links the aristocratic “inner city” and common-folk “outer city.” Because of its grandeur and unique design, the Qianmen was long seen as the symbol of old Beijing.

To the south of Tian’anmen Square and Qianmen Gate is a straight street running due south. This is the Qianmen Street, the oldest market street in Beijing with a history of five centuries. An east-west lane opening onto the street on its western side is the famous Dashilan, the oldest commercial street in Beijing. Most of the shops along the lane are hundreds of years old, and some still retain their traditional appearance, though there are also some new ones in between. This is a good place to buy silk or traditional Chinese medicine in the old shops there.

After restoration in 2008, Qianmen Street resumes its appearance as the busiest shopping street in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It becomes a vehicle-free promenade prior to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The trolley bus, which disappeared for 50 years from Beijing, will reappear on the street. The Yuhe area and Sanyan Well area will resume their original appearances, and the charm of the old residential community will show once again.