Two female residents of No. 39, the former residence of Liang Shiqiu, a contemporary well-known scholar, translator and literary critic of China, have a different attitude towards outsiders. "Yes, this was Liang's former residence," they said. "You can go inside to have a look yourself!" The number of mailboxes and electric meters revealed how many different families live in the courtyard, the spaces of which were filled with dusty bikes, leafless trees, empty flowerpots, piles of bricks, brooms, empty drink bottles, washbasins and even chamber pots. Because there are always many households living in such big courtyards, there's no room for toilets. Fortunately, there are four along the street, and especially in the mornings they see a lot of pajama-wearing traffic.

As one heads east, eventually the street comes to Chaoyangmen Nanxiaojie, where cars replace the bikes, and prosperity substitutes for quietness.

How to get there: Take Subway Line 5 to Dengshikou Station and walk northward for no more than five minutes, or take Bus No. 846, 101, 810, 674, 420 or 24 to Chaonei Xiaojie.

Go to ForumComments