Writes of Passage

Or Shishahai, is a historic scenic area in the northwest of Forbidden City, a stone throw away from Prince Gong’s Residence.

2020, there’s a 37 episode tv series named after it.

After lunch at Xiaodiao Litang 小吊梨汤, I took bus to go to tennis tournament. As I was busily taking pictures of Beijing, I missed my stop by more than 10 miles. Not mentioning that I missed the date with my friend … but my misfortune got me to see the beautiful sunset.

Dingfu Street
Beijing

The site of former Furen University 辅仁大学旧址, known as Fu Jen Catholic University. It started in 1913 as Furen Group 辅仁社, changed to Furen Uni in 1927. By 1952, it resolved. Many  and absorbed into Beijing Normal, Beijing, Renmin and Shanxi universities.We left Tao Beile Mansion and walked on Dingfu Street, came upon this.

33 Xishiku St., 西什库大街33号
Xisi, Beijing

It’s commonly called 北堂 Beitang – the northern church, in Xisi. It opened for business in 1703 and to the current location in 1888, and was greatly damaged during the Boxer Uprising in 1900 …

Beijing‘s 西城区西黄城根北街… 德胜门 and #4 Secondary School 四中

the hair and nail salon …

9 Huguosi Jie 护国寺街9号
Beijing

^{The small insert on the lower right was Qixin’s (Chee Hsin) product sample}

The admission is

Xitao S Alley, Xicheng District,
Beijing, China

After lunch at Huifeng, we passed by this school and continued on Deshengmen & #4 Secondary School. Then the church at last.

67-9 Huguosi Street 护国寺大街67-69号
Beijing

The lunch at this eatery 惠丰门丁肉饼店 is pretty good. The location is super convenient, next to Mei Lanfang Memorial and they’re relatively clean. The food is fine and they serve them in a timely manner. Probably will return if I’m in the area.

Liudun, 刘墩村 Hefei
Anhui, China

This architectural concept is rendered by Architectural Engineering Design Institute at Tongji University, Shanghai 上海同济大学建筑工程设计院. This Liu clan project started in 2009. But unfortunately due to mismanagement, it stopped for a decade.

• Opening day on Oct 4th, 2020

• On October 4th, 2019, they celebrate the beam installation ^上梁典礼.

2019.12.22: Ceremony of ancestral hall 庐江刘墩刘氏宗祠祖宗神位入住祖先堂仪式, 今日冬至圆满完成.

• 2020.10.04, the opening day
• 2020.4.12/22, progress photos
• 2020.3.22, progress photo
• 2020.3.05, restart work, Covid-19 pandemic
• 2020.1.08, progress photos
• 2019.12.22, ceremony of ancestral hall 祖宗神位入住祖先堂仪式
• 2019.10.27, my visit
• 2019.10.04, beam installation 上梁典礼
• 2009.2.26, project began & conceptual rendering

This part of Beijing, west of the historic scenic area Shishahai, which is northwest to the Forbidden City, is full of formal residences of the princes from Qing dynasty. The one that is open to the public is Prince Gong 恭亲王奕訢 (1833-98) who was also known as Kung to the West and 鬼子六 to the Chinese, due to his pro western view.

Prince Gong’s Mansion

14 Liuyin Street 柳荫街, Xicheng District,
Beijing 100009,

I was unable to visit it last year due to renovation. Reportedly, Prince Gong’s mansion was used by companies and private residents for decades. It took the government a monumental effort to move them out and restore.

Prince Gong was the sixth son of Emperor Daoguang (r. 1820-50). Gong moved into this mansion in 1851 which was originally built for Heshen, the most favored man of his great-grandpa, Emperor Qianlong (r. 1735 to 96).

It was a rainy day but the tourists are massive which makes touring less enjoyable. It consists multiple siheyuans @