No. 81 in Beijing, also known as ‘Beijing No. 81’, refers to the courtyard at No. 81 Chaoyangmen Nei Street. The courtyard features two Western-style buildings that have been standing for over a century. These buildings, once neglected and now dilapidated, gained unexpected popularity due to the film ‘Beijing No. 81’. Originally, these buildings were the site of the North China Union Language School, established by American missionaries in 1910 as a language training school.
In 1930, it served as the location for the California Institute, enrolling students. Historically, the eastern building was once inhabited by a Belgian elderly lady. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, both buildings were utilized by government agencies and later fell into disrepair without any tales of ghosts or horror. However, due to their long-term neglect and the desolate, eerie atmosphere within the old buildings, the internet has fabricated numerous horror stories about them, and they have been dubbed one of the four most haunted houses in Beijing. There are legends that these buildings were once a church built by the late Qing emperor for the British, which later became residential housing where a warlord’s concubine allegedly hanged herself (with many other versions of the story). The film ‘Beijing No. 81’, themed around these legends, has further popularized these structures, attracting many tourists to explore the so-called ‘haunted house’. In reality, there are no horror stories associated with this place, and the filming location for ‘Beijing No. 81’ was actually in Huishan Ancient Town, Wuxi, not here. Moreover, as the buildings are dangerous, entering them poses safety hazards, so please refrain from entering the old buildings for any so-called ‘exploratory’ activities. The site is open all year round, with full-day access to the exterior of the buildings.No. 81 Chaoyangmen Nei Street
No. 81 in Beijing, also known as ‘Beijing No. 81’, refers to the courtyard at No. 81 Chaoyangmen Nei Street. […]
