December 8, 2025

Liulichang Street: A Local Experience in Beijing

If you’re looking for a true local experience in Beijing that goes beyond temples and palaces, spend a morning at Liulichang Ancient Culture Street. Just south of Hepingmen, this historic district lets you touch, feel, and take home a piece of China’s scholarly and artistic heritage. Forget generic souvenirs—this is where your Beijing adventure into traditional culture begins.

It’s no surprise that Liulichang Street is listed as one of the top things to do in Beijing on platforms like Tripadvisor. This article is the first in our series introducing Beijing’s Top Ten Hutongs. For official visitor information, you can also check the Beijing Tourism page on Liulichang.

📍 How to Get There: Easy Access in Central Beijing

Liulichang is centrally located and very easy to reach by Beijing’s efficient subway system.

  • By Subway (Easiest Method): Take Line 2 to Hepingmen Station. Use Exit D1 or D2, and you will see the traditional decorated archway (pailou) of Liulichang Street right in front of you. It’s a less than 2-minute walk.
  • By Taxi/Ride-Hailing: You can tell the driver “去琉璃厂” (“Qù Liúlichǎng”). The main entrance is on Liulichang East Street, near the intersection with Nanxinhua Street.

📜 A Street with Scholarly Soul

Liulichang has been Beijing’s cultural heart for over 500 years. What started as a glaze-tile factory for imperial roofs became the gathering place for scholars, artists, and book lovers. Walking its quiet lanes today isn’t just shopping—it’s a walk through the atmosphere of old intellectual Beijing.

🏛️ Where to Shop: Historic Shops & Nearby Eats

This street is lined with time-honored shops. You can find excellent traditional calligraphy, paintings, paper, and brushes at old-established names like Huaiyin Shanfang, Rongbaozhai, Cuiwenge, and Yidege.

A major culinary highlight of Beijing’s south city is also nearby. Just a short distance from Liulichang, in the Hepingmen area, you’ll find the world-renowned Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (全聚德Quánjùdé)—a perfect way to cap off your cultural exploration with a quintessential local experience in Beijing.

🛍️ What to Buy: Finding Your Perfect Beijing Gift

The shops here specialize in traditional arts connected to writing and painting. This guide will help you find an authentic Beijing gift that carries real meaning.

✅ Our Top Recommendations:

  1. The Scholar’s Set (文房四宝)
    The “Four Treasures of the Study” (brush, ink, ink stone, paper) are the foundation of Chinese calligraphy. A simple, elegant set is a beautiful and cultural keepsake.
  2. Hand-Painted Silk Fans
    Practical, beautiful, and easy to pack. A fan painted with plum blossoms or bamboo is both a work of art and a relief in Beijing’s summer heat.
  3. A Personal Chinese Seal (印章)
    The ultimate personalized souvenir. Choose a stone, have your name carved in Chinese characters, and watch the artisan create your unique stamp.

🤔 Smart Tip: You’ll see stunning antique scrolls, but for most travellers, high-quality new reproductions offer beauty without the high price or authentication worries.

💎 Your Beijing Exploration, Simplified

Liulichang offers a unique Beijing exploration into art and history. It’s about finding something with a story—a connection to a craft that has lasted centuries.

Want to dive deeper on a Beijing tour?
Let Our Beijing guide you. We help you understand the stories behind the scenes and find the perfect treasures. We also lead you to unique adventures in Beijing.

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