Bars in Beijing Old Town

It's seven pm on a summer's evening by Shichahai Lake, central Beijing. A welcome breeze whispers across the lake, and the ruddy vestiges of sunset linger on roofs and treetops. A low hum emanates from bars on the lakeshore packed with young people chatting, drinking and generally relaxing as wood pigeons coo overhead. In the past two years Shichahai's bars have multiplied from three to a dozen, making the place as well known a night spot as eastern Beijing's Sanlitun bar street in the embassy district. But in contrast to the thoroughly trendy Sanlitun bar street just five kilometers away, Shichahai still has the ambience of an ancient city, despite its modern setting.

An outdoor teahouse.

The view from any Shichahai bar resembles a watercolor. The lake waters ripple and glitter around the many lotuses floating on its surface. Willows line the bank like a misty green curtain, as a trickle of people cross the 1,000-year-old bridge. The high walled, narrow lanes resonate with the evening bustle. Behind them are the silhouettes of the former residences of historic personages, and of the bell and drum towers.

The traditional way of life and culture in Beijing has in the past decade been superseded by the drive to get ahead and compete with the West. The tempo of life in the capital has generally accelerated, and the majority of hutong -- the narrow alleyways synonymous with urban Beijing -- have been demolished to make way for tower blocks and highways. Those remaining often appear incongruous against Beijing's metropolitan backdrop. Shichahai has, however, retained its original outlook and atmosphere. Dating from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the cluster of palaces, temples, guild halls and civil residences around the Shichahai waters remain largely intact, thanks to consistent maintenance and repair.

Bar proprietor Pigtail's hutong is to him a lifestyle staple. When his house and its alleyway were knocked down, he immediately moved to another. Despite being overcrowded and noisy, his hutong is the only place where he feels at home.

The ancient Bell and Drum towers in the vicinity of Shichahai.

Old Qi, another traditionalist, runs two bars in Shichahai, both of which he personally designed and decorated. In one is a coal-fueled stove with a sheet iron chimney, and on the wall of the second is a poster with the slogan "new trends of marriage and family enter every household, bringing happiness to everyone." Both were everyday aspects of hutong life before the 1990s.

Pigtail was among the first to open a bar in Shichahai. His second bar is on a mid-lake islet, where, after 8 pm when the lights from the boats drifting on the water flicker, it gets packed to capacity. "Most of my customers are foreigners or Chinese with a taste for the good life," Pigtail explains.

These are the BOBO -- Bourgeois Bohemian  -- a growing social stratum in China. Its people pursue the kind of quality lifestyle to which filter coffee, bon vivant bars, independent travel and keeping fit are indispensable. They read Murakami Haruki novels, watch European art films, and shop at export garment stores. Despite this Western influnced lifestyle, however, Chinese BOBOs feel cut adrift somewhere between Chinese traditional and modern culture.  

Yinding Bridge used to be the best vantage point from which to the admire the Western Hill.

Pigtail qualifies for the BOBO designation. His first bar, Passerby, is in a courtyard down a lane, and features traditional-patterned stonework and a window lattice. Pigtail often organizes outings and explorations. A fine arts graduate, he has made several trips to Tibet, including one by bicycle from Golmud in Qinghai to Lhasa. The exotic pendants hanging on the bar wall are mementos of that adventure. To Pigtail, travel is indispensable to enjoyment of life. His like-minded patrons enjoy sitting in his courtyard, meeting up with friends made on the road, exchanging photos, and comparing separate experiences of the same places. Passerby was opened on Pigtail's personal whim and made barely any profit in its first three years of operation. His second bar is more commercial.

The bar Nali (There) is in an old courtyard in Mao'er Lane. Its owner revamped the old house in German style, and has on display pictures taken by renowned photographers and some of his friends. The bar is often the venue for photo exhibitions. Its flyer reads: "Life is in no other place but There."

The Baifeng (White Maple) by Yingding Bridge might escape the notice of many, owing to its dilapidated facade. Its habitues are subdued and background music subtle, making it a good place to meet and talk.

The Zuo'an (Left Bank) is in a lane south of the bridge. As the name suggests, it is an arts oasis. Its d?/span>cor is simple: dim lighting, a sturdy tea table of traditional design upon which sits a fish tank, flanked by wide, comfortable sofas, and a patio with cane chairs. The proprietor often screens films here.

Hutong Xieyi (freehand brushwork used in traditional Chinese paintings of hutong) is too small to be seen from the lake. It nevertheless has distinctive features, particularly the impressionistic paintings on its walls that make the bar seem like an art studio.

Note:

1. The annual Shichahai Tourism Culture Festival opens on September 28 and runs for ten days. Participants are invited to visit ancient lanes, temples, former residences of historic personages, and to ascend the ancient city wall. They also get to try the local delicacies and tour around in a boat.

2. Public buses in Beijing going to Shichahai are: Nos.107, 111, 118, 13, 810, and 850.