You don't know Beijing-Liulichang, a traditional art block

When I was in college, I liked to visit the leisurely streets such as Nangong in Beijing. At that time, the street was extremely clean, and the small shops with emotional appeal were doing business in no hurry. Some storefronts are not open, which shows that it depends on the owner's mood, and the leisure of old Beijing is unobstructed. However, what is terrible is that in recent years, it has become a veritable tourist attraction. The streets are crowded with people every day. Shops sell national unified tourist souvenirs, and each store is quickly calculating profits. Walking in the street, I was almost trampled. In my opinion, such a place has never had anything to do with mood. However, watching a large number of tourists still come here, I can't tell you how sad I am. As an old Beijinger, I still cherish many good places with great feelings, and almost no one cares about them. Out of the nature of sharing, I hope to recommend these places that are really worth going again. There is no noise, no souvenirs, no crowded restaurants and a large number of tourists. The culture here is rich and silent, and it is an old Beijing and traditional culture worth savoring.

The first time I knew about Liulichang was when I was very young. I watched a TV series "Legend of Liulichang" (children born after 80 may have seen it). Different from the modern art district such as Chaoyang 798, the real conservatives (traditional painting and calligraphy artists) gather here. They come here to buy pen, ink, paper and inkstone, buy fans, carve, mount, communicate and hold exhibitions. ...

When I first came to Liulichang, I was amazed and felt as if I had returned to ancient times. The cultural atmosphere here is excellent, and there are many old shops, such as China Bookstore, Rong Baozhai, Hongbaotang, Yidege, Daiyuexuan and so on, with a complete range of stationery. Big shops and small gables live next to each other, each doing its own business, which is very interesting to visit. Calligraphy and painting exhibition is a permanent exhibition of shops in the whole street, and almost every shop's couplets are written by everyone. When you come here, you can spend a few hours on the street in just a few hundred meters, which can be said to be a veritable cultural journey.

In the early spring of this year, in April, I was on the second floor of Rong Baozhai, immersed in a yellow disc of red apricot flowers. Looking up, I saw that the trunk outside the screen window had pulled out a little green new leaves. (below)

There is always an elegant and leisurely atmosphere here, such as the security guard leaning against the window to see the scenery, which fascinates me. (below)

What is more gratifying is that unlike other cultural blocks, tourists do not gather here. Basically, people who come here are artists (engaged in painting and calligraphy) or people who manage painting and calligraphy or study business. I often come here in my spare time. I often buy paper (all kinds of calligraphy and painting paper are available), seal cutting (hand-carved by an old man) and see exhibitions (Rong Baozhai Art Museum must go every time, and there are countless other exhibitions). When relatives and friends come, I also like to show them around Liulichang. Many friends will unconsciously bring back some stationery after coming, even though they never touch calligraphy and painting. Here, painting and calligraphy seem to have become people's daily life. There is no denying that we are naturally close to pen and ink. You will feel more deeply when you come here. Just a few hundred meters of streets are concentrated on giving up the unchanging cultural blood.

Every Spring Festival, here is another scene. In fact, many shops will close their doors to thank customers, mainly to go home for traditional festivals. Changdian Temple Fair, one of the biggest temple fairs in old Beijing, was held here. A whole street is covered with lanterns, and a strong festive atmosphere is coming. (below)

In the ever-changing Beijing, we can still find some relics of traditional hutongs. But the whole street is antique buildings, and people on the street still integrate the lifestyle and cultural traditions of the ancients into their daily lives. I think Liulichang is probably the only one.