LiuLiChang Antigues Street

Above: "Breathing out the old, breathing in the new, to be vigorous" says banner at LiuLiChang Antique Street in Beijing. Being vigorous is one thing, but becoming modern is another. Photo gallery below.


'Heavenly Clouds' and 'Music Sea'
PICTORIAL - CHINESE CREATIVITY FOUND IN SHOP NAMES

LiuLiChang is the most famous antiques street in Beijing. It's an East-West street not far from TianAnMen Square. It has about 200 shops, some of them hundreds of years old.

LiuLiChang started when Chinese intelligentsia begun to keep get-togethers there before the imperial qualifying tests.

I spent a day at LiuLiChang Antiques Street. Western street called LiuLiChang Xi Jie, eastern part called LiuLiChang Dong Jie. I discussed about the shop names and their translations with two beijinger experts, results here below. I welcome comments and info if you find something major.

-- BeijingMan

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All pictures taken at LiuLiChang Antiques Street in Beijing. I used Canon 20D with EF-S 10-22mm zoom. Click to enlarge.

Above-1: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street in Beijing.
It was also like entering into a time machine.

Above-2: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Ji Gu Ge - "Absorbing Ancient Treasures"
This same building is also in Above-29 and Above-30.

Above-3: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Ku Ji Shu Dian - "Ancient Book Store"

Above-4: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Ku Ji Shu Dian - "Ancient Book Store"
This is a famous book store.

Above-5: LiuLiChang Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Wen Kui Tang - "Literate Talents"

Above-6: LiuLiChang Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Wen Wu Chu Ban She - "Antique Press"

Above-7: LiuLiChang Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Beijing Hua Dian - "Beijing Painting Shop"

Above-8: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Jin Chang - "Jin Chang Antique Shop"
Shops in Above-34 and Above-40 have same name.

Above-9: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Kong Fang Zhai - "Confucius Literature Shop"
Name is read from right to left.

Above-10: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
Seal carving service.

Above-11: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
Seal carving service.

Above-12: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
Wood and metal works.

Above-13: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
Sandal wood works give smell and prevent insects.

Above-14: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: "Ink Language Painting Saloon"

Above-15: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: "Ink Language Painting Saloon", inside.
The painter probably lives in small backroom.

Above-16: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.

Above-17: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: First Class Calligraphy, Doing things in bigger scale
This place had strong smell of air dried fish.

Above-18: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Pei Cang Zhai - "Enough Ups and Downs"
Name is read from right to left.

Above-19: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Zhong Hua Shu Dian - "China Book Store"
Established in 1952.

Above-20: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Shang Wu Yin Shu Guan - "Commercial Press"
Shop's name in English: Yi Pin Xuan Art Gallery

Above-21: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Qing Mi Ge - "Quiet and Secret"
Name is read from right to left.

Above-22: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Ku Ji Shu Dian - "Ancient Book Store"

Above-23: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Rong Bao Zhai - "Glorious Treasure Place"
Famous calligraphy/paintings shop, founded over 330 years ago.

Above-24: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Guan Fu Zhai - "Appreciating Ancient"
Name is read from right to left.

Above-25: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Qing Yun Tang - "Heavenly Clouds"
Name is read from right to left.

Above-26: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
Shop name: Jing Wei Shu Lou - "Beijing Flavour Book Store"

Above-27: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Hong Bao Tang - "Great Treasure"
Upper name is read from right to left, lower name from left to right.

Above-28: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Hong Bao Tang - "Great Treasure"
Name is read from right to left. Part of same building as Above-27.

Above-29: LiuLiChang Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Tea house: Ji Gu Ge - "Absorbing Ancient Treasures"
From western LiuLiChang Xi Jie towards eastern LiuLiChang Dong Jie street. Twin roof building is the same as in Above-2 and Above-30.

Above-30: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Tea house: Cha Yuan - "Tea Garden"
Tea pot corner is part of the same building as Above-29.

Above-31: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Gu Yi Zhai - "Ancient Art"

Above-32: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Gu Yi Zhai - "Ancient Art"

Above-33: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Bao Cui Tang - "Jade Treasure Collection"

Above-34: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Jin Chang - "Jin Chang Antique Shop"

Above-35: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Yan Jing Shu Hua Dian - "YanJing Book and Painting Shop"
Ancient name for Beijing was YanJing, now a famous beer brand.

Above-36: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Song Jun Ge - "Pine and Bamboo"
Name explanation: Firm dedication, bamboo rather cracks than bends.

Above-37: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Yue Hai Suan - "Music Sea"
Name is read from right to left.

Above-38: LiuLiChang Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Wen Sheng Zhai - "Plenty of Literature"
Name is read from right to left.

Above-39: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Tea house: Tian Fu Cha Zhuang - "Heavenly Luck Tea House"

Above-40: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Jin Chang - "Jin Chang Antique Shop"

Above-41: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
• Shop name: Jin Chang - "Jin Chang Antique Shop"
Embroidery show. Here the sellers let me walk around in peace.

Above-42: LiuLiChang Xi Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.

Above-43: LiuLiChang Dong Jie Antiques Street, Beijing.
Eastern street. Place was not active, not many visitors. Something more and LiuLiChang could become visitor target in modern Beijing.

Above-44: LiuLiChang Antiques Street, Beijing.
The day was hot, not many visitors at LiuLiChang. Found this banner from 1960s. What is it about?

The Banner
Two men are Chairman of Communist Party Mao Zedong and Vice Chairman of Communist Party Lin Biao. Lin Biao has Mao's Red Book article selection.

Culture Revolution started in 1966 and ended in 1976 by downing of Gang of Four. CR was launched by Mao and his fourth wife Jiang Qing. Defense Minister Lin Biao supported it, but later wanted Mao's position. He died during his flee to Soviet Union, airplane crash, September 1971 in Mongolia. That opened opportunity for Deng Xiaoping to return and start with industrial reforms, and more.

Up in the middle:
Breathing out the old, breathing in the new, to be vigorous
Held up by:
GongNongBing Gongren workers, Nongmin farmers, Bing soldiers
Down left:
Beijing You Ge Jin Tai Yang - Beijing has golden sun
Down right:
Mao Zhu Xi Wan Sui - Long Live Chairman Mao
Down in the middle:
Long live the success of proletarian class Culture Revolution

Mao ZeDong was smart writer with strong provincial mentality.

In 1964 Mao gave comment to a letter from a musical institute student:
Gu Wei Jin Yong - Ancient experience for modern use
Yang Wei Zhong Yong - Western experience for China's use

Mao's comment became key guidance for development. It was widely used during Culture Revolution (1966-1976) and became popular theory and direction. Today it is known by most Chinese as cream of Mao's thoughts: combinations of ancient and modern, western and Chinese.

LiuLiChang Antigues Street, Beijing
+ Time machine effect, enter into past times
+ In shops the sellers are not all time disturbing
+ Mentality perspective via shop names
- Too many cars, makes LiuLiChang hard to enjoy
*** GOOD FOR A FEW HOURS SCOUTING ***

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© BeijingMan 2022