Shichahai refers to the three lakes of Qianhai, Houhai, and Xihai, along with their surrounding areas. This region boasts vast, beautiful lake views and is a renowned historical district in Beijing, with numerous historical sites such as former residences of celebrities and royal mansions scattered throughout. It also offers a variety of foods that are close to the lives of the common people, and Houhai Bar Street is a well-established hotspot for nightlife in the capital.
During the summer, when you first arrive at Shichahai via a cruise, you are immediately captivated by the vast, shimmering lake views. The lakeside is very cool in summer, with blooming lotus flowers, offering a boat ride to appreciate the lake scenery. There are many docks along the lake, including Haomeng Jiangnan Dock in Qianhai, Hehua Market Dock, and Ye Island Dock and Liuyin Zhengdu in Houhai, all of which offer boats for riding. Pedal boats and rowing boats can be enjoyed at your leisure, with rental fees ranging from 40-60 yuan per hour depending on the boat type. If you opt for a sightseeing boat, it will take you on a lake tour, which takes about an hour, and the boatman will also explain the sights of Shichahai. The reference price for sharing a boat is 50 yuan per person. In winter, when the lake surface freezes, the cruise boats no longer operate, but you can still come to appreciate the winter scenery. Once the ice layer reaches a certain thickness, a Shichahai ice-skating rink is opened on the lake. The entry reference price is 20 yuan per person, and ice skates and ice bicycles are also available for rent, which are not expensive but require a deposit of 100-200 yuan. Visiting Ancient Architectures: The ancient buildings around Shichahai preserve the old Beijing characteristics of the scenic area. There are attractions such as Huitong Temple, Deshengmen Arrow Tower, Prince Chun’s Mansion, Guanghua Temple, Yinding Bridge, and Bell and Drum Tower. Among them, the most famous is the Prince Gong’s Mansion located on Qianhai West Street, which was the residence of Heshen. Besides admiring the luxurious mansion of the corrupt Qing official Heshen, the mansion also contains more than 10,000 ‘Fu’ characters, and the Kangxi Imperial ‘Fu’ character stele attracts visitors who are willing to wait in long lines to see it. If interested, you can also visit the Daqing Post Office in Yandai Xiejie, which marks the birth of modern Chinese postal services. You can stamp a few exquisitely patterned postmarks as a souvenir at the post office, of course, you need to purchase a postcard from the post office to get the postmarks. Tasting Old Beijing Snacks: If you like to eat snacks casually, you can buy a string of candied hawthorns and lean against the white marble railings of Shichahai, eating while watching the boats on the lake. If you want to specifically visit Beijing snacks, you can go to Jiu Men Snacks, where in the old-style courtyard houses, there are soy sauce beef, dalian sandwiches, hotpot mutton, tofu pudding, and more; or go to the Huguosi Snack Street west of Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall, where you can taste delicious food from the alleys such as Guan-style chicken wings, palace cheese, and soles of the fire. Additionally, there is a Quanjude roast duck restaurant in the Hehua Market. Bar Nightlife: As night falls, the lively time arrives. Many bars around Shichahai emit bursts of singing, and some of Shichahai’s bar singers really sing well, and behind the bars are the stories of the ‘Beipiao’ group.Rock singer Dou Wei once performed at Shichahai for three years, and it is rumored that the restaurant Qingyunlou here is owned by him. Other famous bars include Hutong Xieyi and Jiatingfang. Visiting these bars to watch performances, one can almost hear the passion for music from the ‘Beipiao’ community through the singers’ voices. Shichahai is surrounded by popular tourist spots such as Nanluoguxiang to the east, Beihai Park to the south, and not far from Jingshan Park, the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square to the south. Generally, one can visit the Forbidden City or Tiananmen during the day and then relax at Shichahai’s bars in the evening. If you prefer lake views, combine a visit to Beihai Park with Shichahai. For those who enjoy shopping and trying local snacks, after exploring Shichahai, continue to Nanluoguxiang. The entire area is open from January 1st to December 31st, with full-day access, but specific business hours may vary depending on the day. Key Tips: 1. The music quality in Houhai Bar Street at night is very high, with many celebrities having performed here before they became famous. Choose a bar and listen to the stories behind the voices of the ‘Beipiao’ community. 2. The Prince Gong’s Mansion, once the residence of Heshen, and the Yandai Xie Street, a well-known commercial street in Beijing, are worth visiting spots around Shichahai.
