On the Future of Nanluogu Xiang

Earlier this week, road work and repairs of underground electrical wiring meant the closure of many sections of the popular hutong Nanluogu Xiang. The latest round of renovations again raises questions about the future development of the neighborhood.

Guidebooks and travel articles still insist it’s a must-see, but many Beijing residents would rather spend a night in a waterbed with a PCP-addled porcupine than wade through the crowds on the bustling lane. No other place in Beijing better recalls the hoary one-liner popularized by American baseball player Yogi Berra: "Yeah ... Nobody goes there no more. It’s too crowded." Earlier this year, local officials reported that on average 30,000 people visit Nanluogu Xiang each day, with that number rising to 50,000 on weekends, and over 100,000 on busy holidays.

Area landlords and some members of the Dongcheng District government continue to see the lane as a potential cash cow, although their milking methods have over the years swung wildly between “gently coaxing forth a light frothy cream” to “Donald Trump giving a Miss Universe contestant a full torso security pat-down.”

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