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Weekend Walk: Parks, Old Streets, Houhai

Vincent R.Vinci theBeijinger 2023-07-09

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Weekend Walk is your guide to getting away in the city using nothing but your own two feet. 


Outside the city center – and by city center I mean the areas closer to Tian’anmen, but not too close to Tian’anmen – walking in Beijing can be a bit tedious, with sidewalks blocked by share bikes, people threatening to run you down in cars or e-bikes, and plenty of other obstacles, some of which shan't be mentioned here.

That being said, I’m still a big fan of walking through this gigantic city. No matter what the season, there’s always something new that catches my eye. But, if you ask me, I do have some favorite neighborhoods I stroll through regularly, and this is one of them.

I dub this the Unconventional Park-Old Road-Houhai walk, as this little jaunt covers just these areas. It goes something like this:

Start Here: Intersection of Chang’an Jie and Zhengyang Jie

You’ll find this intersection close to the southeast corner of the Forbidden City, easily reached by walking east from Tian’anmen East subway station. Due to its proximity to the capital’s main tourist attractions, you’ll find Zhengyang Street to be relatively crowded, but don’t let that dissuade you.

Walk north along the street until you reach a park cutting the street in two: the Imperial Wall Park, from whence this walk gets the first part of its name.



The park's entrance can be glimpsed in the background


The park traces a path where the city’s Imperial Wall – a bright red wall which separated the imperial, not Forbidden, sections of the city from lesser folk – used to run. It’s a nice place for a stroll this time of year, with ample space to sit and rest while admiring sparrows and magpies as they flit about their business.
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The Middle: Monument to the May 4th Movement

The trees along the path eventually subside, giving way to flowerbeds and other flora, before it's split by another intersection, this one featuring a curious monument.



The monument in question


Resembling the open pages of a newspaper or book, the bronze monolith commemorates the May 4th Movement, a protest movement that, beginning on May 4, 1919, was a catalyst in the country’s push towards modernity.

From here, keep walking until you reach the park’s end, which features a reconstructed section of the Imperial Wall itself.

What's left of the imperial city wall



Then you can turn left and go west, walking just on the outside of Nanluoguxiang until reaching Gulou Dajie. Walk north, and once you've hit Gulou head northwest along the streets beside Houhai. In the time I’ve lived in Beijing, this street has gone through its fair share of transformations, and whether it’s for the best or not is certainly debatable. Where little cafés and bars advertising “Good F**king Mojitos” once stood are now more high-end restaurants and a slightly less of that old Gulou character.End Here: The Gates of Houhai

One thing’s for sure: Houhai hasn’t changed a bit since I first dropped by in 2012. Even one of my favorite Thai restaurants – a place that I can only find when I’m not looking for it – still calls the area home.




Still one of the best places to find yourself at dusk in Beijing


If you’ve arrived at the end of the day, it’s a good idea to take in the sunset, and maybe even rip a page from Dominic Johnson-Hill’s book by grabbing a cheap beer and watching the sun go down from the lake’s marble barristers.

READ: Urban Hiking: Get To Know Beijing With These Historical Walks



Images: Vincent R. Vinci, easychinatours.com



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