Dongsi Guide

City View: Dongsi Subway Station Area Guide 东四地铁站

Shi Chong Yin

Xiangshenghang 祥升行

Xiangshenghang is a well respected photography business in Beijing. They sell various models of Canon cameras for the amateur and professional photographer alike, along with a range of accessories: SanDisk, Kingston, Guojiadili and Leshebao digital accessories are all available.

Other famous brands sold include Fuji and Ilford. This shop markets both traditional and digital photography equipment. Moreover, Xiangshenghang processes film and digital images. There is a small exhibition area in the shop which always has some photographic exhibitions for visitors to enjoy.

Customers can also wait and watch their work being processed if photos are being printed. The shop displays many old cameras for those interested in the history of photography and camera development.

Address: #22 Meishuguandong Street, Dongcheng District 东城区美术馆东街22号

Tel: 84034138

Shenghuo-Dushu-Xinzhi Joint Bookstore 三联书店

SDX is the shortened pinyin meaning "Life, Reading and New Knowledge." It is a national general purpose publishing company with a long and well respected history in Beijing.

The forerunner of SDX Joint Bookstore was originally Life Bookstore back in July 1932. Reading Publishing House was founded in 1936 and New Knowledge Bookstore in 1935. After the consolidation of the three bookstores, SDX Joint Bookstore became an independent company in 1948.

The main publishing range of SDX Joint Bookstore covers humanities and social sciences. The company's other publications include works on economics, history, management, philosophy and politics. Recently SDX has expanded into the field of E-publishing and has already established a multimedia publishing center.

Address: 东城区美术馆东街22号

Tel: 64001122

Tan Carpenter No. 35 Specialty Store 谭木匠-35号专卖店

If you are not sure what kind of present to buy to your family and friends from China, visit this simple and elegant store to find a wide selection of ideas. The small wooden shop is hung with a large variety of combs. They have the animal characters representing the Chinese birth years, arts and crafts and a gift package series. If you are still not satisfied with the choices the store can make a comb according to your desires.

The material used includes ox horn, boxwood, walnut and pear wood. The different materials mean products have different qualities and prices. Tan brand combs are popular for their fine, soft feeling without generating static in your hair. They are well suited to Beijing's long dry winters when your body is buzzing with static electricity.

Address: 东城区东四北大街375号

Tel: 64013198

National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) 中国美术馆

The National Art Museum of China focuses on collecting, studying and displaying modern and contemporary works of fine art from all over China. It was opened to the public in 1963 with its name-board inscribed by Chairman Mao. The main building of NAMOC follows the style of a traditional Chinese tower roofed with yellow glazed tiles and surrounded by corridors and pavilions.

The vast Museum now holds about 100,000 pieces of art work in its collection. Modern and contemporary works make up the majority of the collection including masterpieces of renowned Chinese painters; award-winning works from China's major art competitions, and a great variety of Chinese folk art.

The collections are divided into ten categories some of which include painting, sculpture, ceramics, paper cuts and shadow puppets. There are 117 pieces of European and American art including four works by Pablo Picasso donated by the German collectors Mr. and Mrs. Peter Ludwig. These works are China's first big collection of Western art work. The Museum also collects some pieces of African wood sculpture and other foreign art works.

Admission: 20RMB

Tel: 84033500

Address: #1 Wusi Street, Dongcheng District 东城区五四大街 1 号

Museum hours: 9 am-5 pm. (No entry after 4 pm)

Longfusi Street 隆福寺街

Do you want to taste outstanding Beijing flavors? Longfusi Street provides a collection of traditional Beijing food; the most famous being traditional agar jelly (made from seaweed) and potato starch snacks (丰年灌肠). When you walk into the Longfusi Snack Bar, you will see stalls offering various steamed, boiled, fried and baked foods. The snacks are really fresh and delicious because the food is freshly prepared on order.

Address: Dongsibei Street, Dongcheng District 东城区东四北大街

Tel: 64060668

Qianlong Tang 潜龙堂

You can see the characters for "Fine Silver Life" on the wall in this store. Maybe the silver and amber jewelry look the same as in other shops, but in fact the techniques used and the raw materials are all genuinely from Nepal, India and Tibet.

The jewelry in this store is all handmade. Each piece is a crystal of wisdom crafted by the jeweller. In autumn and winter the store also sells clothes with strong cultural themes such as Indian saris (印度纱丽).

Address: Yanle Hutung # 104 Dongsinan Street , Dongcheng District 东城区东四南大街 104 号演乐胡同口

Tel: 65259902

Access

Subway: Line 5 to Dongsi Station

Bus: 101 Dian, 106 Dian, 109 Dian, 846, 810, 685, 110, 112 Dian, 116, 204, 420, 684 to Dongsi Station.