ART BEIJING a guide to the mainland`s biggest art fair 400 820 8428

Transcription

Follow
us on
WeChat
Now
Advertising Hotline
4 00 8 2 0 8428
城市漫步北京
英文版 04 月份
国内统一刊号:
CN 11-5232/GO
China Intercontinental Press
ISSN 1672-8025
april 2015
T h e h i s t o ry b oy s
t h e g r e at fa m i n e
retold
o m u nit
Jungle is massive
( ag a i n )
A RT B E I J I N G
a guide to the mainland's
b i g g e s t a rt fa i r
主管单位：中华人民共和国国务院新闻办公室
Supervised by the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China
主办单位：五洲传播出版社
地址：北京市海淀区北三环中路 31 号生产力大楼 B 座 602 邮编 100088
B-602 Shengchanli Building, No. 31 Beisanhuan Zhonglu,
Haidian District, Beijing 100088, PRC
http://www.cicc.org.cn
社长 President of China Intercontinental Press 李红杰 Li Hongjie
期刊部负责人 Supervisor of Magazine Department 邓锦辉 Deng Jinhui
编辑 Editor 刘扬 Liu Yang
发行 / 市场 Distribution / Marketing 黄静，李若琳 Huang Jing, Li Ruolin
Editor-in-Chief Stephen George
Senior Editors Oscar Holland, Will Philipps, Karoline Kan, Marianna Cerini
Assistant Editor Vivid Zhu
Designers Tin Wu, Xiaoran Li
Staff Photographer Holly Li
Contributors Andrew Chin, Jens Bakker, Mia Li, Trevor Marshallsea, Nikolai Blackie,
Sophie Zhang, Naomi Goddard, Fahy Yen, Zhao Juanyang, Jacob Sun, Sarah Keenlyside
Urbanatomy Media
Shanghai (Head office) 上海和舟广告有限公司
上海市蒙自路 169 号智造局 2 号楼 305-306 室邮政编码 : 200023
Room 305-306, Building 2, No.169 Mengzi Lu, Shanghai 200023
电话 : 021-8023 2199 传真 : 021-8023 2190 (From February 13)
Beijing 广告代理 : 上海和舟广告有限公司
北京市东城区东直门外大街 48 号东方银座 C 座 9G 邮政编码 : 100027
48 Dongzhimenwai Dajie Oriental Kenzo (Ginza Mall) Building C Room 9G, Dongcheng
District, Beijing 100027
电话 : 010-8447 7002 传真 : 010-8447 6455
Guangzhou 上海和舟广告有限公司广州分公司
广州市越秀区麓苑路 42 号大院 2 号楼 610 房邮政编码 : 510095
Room 610, No. 2 Building, Area 42, Lu Yuan Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, PRC 510095
电话 : 020-8358 6125, 传真 : 020-8357 3859-800
Shenzhen 广告代理 : 上海和舟广告有限公司广州分公司
深圳市福田区彩田路星河世界大厦 C1-1303
C1-1303, Galaxy Century Building, Cai Tian Road, Futian District, Shenzhen
电话 : 0755-8623 3220, 传真 : 0755-8623 3219
Operations Manager Ning Zhu
Sales Manager Louise Chen
Sales Emma Cao, Celia Yu, Morri Qin, Christina Zhuang
Marketing Manager Justin Culkin
Distribution Manager Yang Juan
Web & IT Amul Qiu, Ken Zhou
朝阳店 CHAOYANG PARK STORE
东湖别墅店 EAST LAKE STORE
TEL: (010) 84511168
B1 of East Lake Villa Club, Dongcheng
District
东城区东湖别墅东湖俱乐部地下一层
观湖国际店 GREEN LAKE STORE
TEL: (010) 59283525 \ 59283723
A1 Building of GreenLake International
Apartment, Chaoyang District
朝阳区观湖国际甲 1 号楼
新城国际店 CENTRAL PARK STORE
TEL: (010) 65336791
No. 101, Tower 17, Central Park, NO.6,
Chaowai Ave. Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝外大街 6 号新城国际 17 栋 101
海晟店 SEASONS PARK STORE
TEL: (010) 64175815
First floor of Dongchengyishu No.6,
Shizipo Street, Chaoyang District
朝阳区十字坡街 6 号东城逸墅 1 层
逸盛阁店 EAST AVENUE STORE
TEL: (010) 64602658
Room 108 ,East Avenue, No.10
Xindong Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新东路 10 号逸盛阁 108 室
2 | a p r i l 2 0 1 5 | w w w.t h at s m a g s . c o m
TEL: (010) 65016249 \ 65931220
West Gate of Chaoyang Park,
Chaoyang District
朝阳区农展南路 1 号（朝阳公园西门南 60 米）
三里屯店 SANLITUN STORE
TEL: (010) 64616928 \ 64635156
No.6 Sanlitun Beixiaojie, Chaoyang
District
朝阳区三里屯北小街 6 号
芳草地店 RITAN STORE
TEL: (010) 85630626
No.4 Ritan North Road, Chaoyang
District
朝阳区日坛北路 4 号
香江花园店 RIVERA GARDEN STORE
Management
CEO Leo Zhou
Financial Manager Laura Lu
HR Manager Penny Li
Digital Project Manager Bridget O’Donnell
General enquiries (010) 8447 7002
Editorial (010) 8447 7069 bjeditor@urbanatomy.com
Events (010) 8447 7069 bjevents@urbanatomy.com
Distribution/Subscription (010) 8447 7002 bjdistribution@urbanatomy.com
Marketing (010) 8447 7603 bjmarketing@urbanatomy.com
Advertising (010) 8447 7073 bjadvertising@urbanatomy.com
Fax (010) 8447 6455
TEL: (010) 84701557 \ 84704095
No.1 Laiguangying East Road,
Chaoyang District
朝阳区来广营东路 1 号
建外 SOHO 店 JIANWAI SOHO STORE
TEL: (010) 58692326 \ 58692253
0413 of Building 4, Jianwai SOHO,
No. 39 Middle Dongsanhuan Road,
Chaoyang District
朝阳区东三环中路 39 号建外 SOHO4 号
楼 0413
广告经营许可证 : 京海工商广字第 8069 号
法律顾问 : 大成律师事务所魏君贤律师
Legal Advisor: Wei Junxian, Dacheng Law Firm
国际标准刊号 ISSN 1672-8025
国内统一刊号 CN 11-5232/GO
定价 : 25.00 元
邮发代号 : 2-930
部分非卖品 , 仅限赠阅
editor’s
note
DEALS
APRIL
It’s an usual editor’s note this month in that I’m handing over the
responsibility to Will Philipps. This month he leaves the magazine after two years of service
to begin an apprenticeship in the dark arts [the advertising industry]. Will, who pitched up at
the magazine just one month after my own arrival, has acted as my co-pilot for much of that
time. As a friend and a colleague, I will be genuinely sad to see him go. From everyone at the
team, we wish him the very best of success in his next move. Over to you, Will...
Cheers, Steve! As we put the finishing touches to the last edition of That’s Beijing I’ll be
involved with, we’re still waiting for confirmation that MIDI and Strawberry festival will go
ahead. Typical, really – two of the biggest musical festival dates in the calendar and the organization is still chaotic.
I went to Strawberry Festival last year. A huge rainstorm came in on the Saturday night and
blew away half the site (my passport included, regrettably). The headline act was cut off midset and the whole show finished early. Chaos would be putting it lightly. For a city that likes to
consider itself as well regulated as any, disorder reigns supreme.
That’s part of the reason I was drawn to this magazine. Navigating this topsy-turvy city as
a writer for That’s Beijing has been a blast. I’m in a college campus for lost laowai one minute,
the next I’m at the heart of the world’s biggest national identity crisis. (For more on that, read
Chinese millennial Karoline Kan’s analysis of Eric Fish’s book China’s Millennials on page 32.)
My two years at That’s Beijing have been a great platform for a China odyssey – thanks to
all involved. It’s a small publication in a sea of countless – in print and online – but I look back
with great pride on the progress we’ve made. I was lucky enough to have an absolutely dynamite team to help me – praise is due for all, but in particular Stephen George for steering the
ship so well (and not losing his shit when I handed in some extremely rough copy). I think we
all agree that Beijing is an engrossing city and it deserves an engrossing magazine – I have no
doubt that the team I’m leaving will continue to make one.
That this note is being written at midnight, hours before deadline, is befitting of the pandemonium here, but Beijing wouldn’t have it any other way. There can’t be many jobs where
you can lunch with a Michelin-starred chef, interview racist dancing grannies, then down
Tsingtaos with some touring US wrestlers all in the same day… and still find time to write it all
down. That’s Beijing, I guess.
That’s Beijing readers
can save money on
entry tickets to Art
Beijing this month.
Show a copy of this
magazine when you
buy a ticket at the door
and pay RMB80 for all
exhibitions (standard
price RMB100) or
RMB40 for a single
exhibition (standard
price RMB50). Turn to
page 34 to find out
more about Art Beijing.
F O L L O W U S ON SO C I A L M EDI A
T hats_Beijing
Stephen George
Editor-in-Chief
t w i t t e r. c o m / T h a t s _ B e i j i n g
facebook .com/pages/ T hats-Beijing
w w w.t h at s m a g s . c o m | a p r i l 2 0 1 5 | 3
Q U OTE O F T H E M ONT H
“Since 2009, I make
resolutions every year
that I try very hard to
follow. For 2015, it was to
make history”
Miami party-rap superstar Pitbull, page 24
6 CIT Y
8 football focussed
China sets its sights on the
beautiful game
1 4 B ATTER Y POWERED
Tesla E-cars in need of a recharge
in the Mainland
15 urban dictionary
Renxing want it and they don’t
know why
14
1 6 LIFE & ST Y LE
1 8 SPRING ST Y LE
Denim’s back (again) – we help you
wear it right
20 under where?
Luxury lingerie lifts off (yes, we
have photos)
2 2 SCENE & HEARD
The best of Beijing’s latest
openings
20
2 4 ARTS
2 4 HAIR ( LESS ) OF THE DOG
Club anthem king Pitbull likes to
party, it seems
2 5 CAN VASSED
Metamorphosis through papercutting
3 2 IN A B IG POND
Eric Fish meets our own Chinese
Millennial
32
5 0 EAT & DRIN K
5 2 HOLY GUACAMOLE
A Mexican food pilgrimage to
Chicago
5 4 CHARCOAL
Beer and BBQ: let’s get Shunyibriated
5 9 N B EER PU B
Craft beer: opium for the
friendless
54
THE WRAP
40
ART, WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?
We travel to Art Basel Hong Kong with some of Beijing’s leading young artists
3 4 ART IS LONG , LIFE IS SHORT
We preview Art Beijing, the
Mainland’s biggest art fair
2 8 SCHOOL OF HARD ROC K S
We meet the young musicians (and
their head teacher) at Beijing’s Midi
School of Music
THE BUZZ
E MP E ROR ’ S N E W CLOTH E S
Part hollow man, part Dongbei pajamas
– an unidentified model sports an
avant-garde design by Hu Sheguang at
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
RA N D OM
NUMBER
…that’s the value, in RMB, of the 11 watches stolen at the point of a
plastic gun in downtown Beijing. The suspect, 38, made his escape
from Wangfujing’s Cartier store in a hijacked taxi, though he was
apprehended just over 20 minutes later. Police have reported that
the man, who is understood to be Malaysian, blamed his actions on
financial difficulties.
S E L F I E STIC KS F OR B I D D E N
i N F OR B I D D E N CIT Y
The Palace Museum is the latest major tourist site in China
to ban the use of selfie sticks. While some may construe
the move as an attack on hollow narcissism, officials have
put the decision down to more practical worries.
Deputy Director of the Palace Museum’s tourist
reception, Shen Lixia, told China Daily: “Selfie sticks will
cause safety concerns, whether for tourists or the exhibits.
It may touch the glass exhibition case and cause damage
to the cultural relics.”
The taking of pictures is still permitted, though visitors
will be required to use their arms or the assistance of
fellow sightseers.
b j e d i t o r @ u r b a n a t o m y. c o m
As k a L ao be i j i n g
Archeologists have unearthed one of China’s
largest tomb complexes in Daxing, south
Beijing. The 70-hectare site is home to 129
ancient tombs, thought to have been built
during the East Han, Tang and Liao Dynasties
from A.D. 25 to 1125. Although first
discovered to be of historical significance in
2010, the site’s most recent find was made
while digging for a planned residential
complex. One of the tombs belonged to Han
Xiandu, whose ancestral home was at the
Lelang commandery, located in modern-day
Pyongyang, on the Korean peninsula.
We met 65-year-old Zhao, a deputy director at the retired
personnel department of Beijing Jiaotong University,
during the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) finals.
Q u ot e o f t h e M o n t h
“The government is
taking action to give
back the blue sky
to our people, and
we are confident of
achieving that”
An official from the Winter Olympics Bid
Committee, Wang Hui, on ramping up the
battle against pollution if Beijing hosts
the 2022 games. Action taken toward
achieving ‘Olympic Blue’ (a sky color
believed to be similar in shade to ‘APEC
Blue’) is hoped to strengthen the capital’s
bid against the only other remaining
candidate, Kazakhstan’s Almaty.
PHOTO BY NOEMI cassanelli
O N E F OOT I N TH E GRAV E
What do you
think of the
Beijing Ducks
basketball
team?
“I think the Ducks played quite well this season. In
the finals [against Liaoning Leopards], the team with
the better defense will win, as both teams know their
opponents’ attacking style well. But that is not enough.
Beijing has something Liaoning doesn’t – a kind of spirit
that has developed in the team over the years, a spirit
that unites its members to get them through the most
difficult of times.
First of all, Beijing plays as a team. On the court, they
play better thanks to the spirit of teamwork. All of the
players hold together with an extraordinary rigidity,
including the foreign players. Lao Ma [Stephon Marbury]
is definitely the backbone of the whole team. The other
players – as well as all fans of the Ducks – appreciate and
speak highly of his vital role in the team.
The players acknowledge Lao Ma’s experience and
leadership, because they have benefited from it many
times. In the first game of the finals, five Beijing players
scored over 10 points – with ease, I may add – while
Liaoning’s key player, Lester Hudson, got far fewer than
he should, thanks to Beijing’s tight defense.
The second and most important part of the Ducks’
spirit is persistence. In this respect, the team has been so
positively influenced by Lao Ma. In victory or defeat, he
never gives up and keeps fighting until the last second.
This is rare and precious because many players lose that
ambition, refuse to keep running or waste the last few
seconds of the game when they realize it’s too late to
overtake their opponents. It’s nothing to do with physical
fitness but rather it’s their mental limits.
I think all other sports teams should learn from this
kind of spirit, especially the Chinese national football
team. Why do other countries like South Korea and Japan
always win the Asian qualification to participate in the
World Cup, while China can’t? It is not a coincidence that
they beat China all the time. Perseverance is the key.
When [Japan and South Korea] face the Chinese team,
they always show more tenacity than us. But Chinese
teams get easily flustered after losing early goals. When
that happens, they will lose it all.”
As told to Fahy Yen
ci t y | ta les
TALES OF THE CITY
The Long Ball Game
Xi Sets Sights on the World Cup
The facts speak for themselves:
a lone World Cup appearance,
a lowly FIFA world ranking
of 83 (that’s two ahead of
Cyprus), only three Chinese
players in top flight European
leagues… China’s track record
with football constitutes a
hefty loss of face for its fans,
if not a complete national
embarrassment.
To see the Chinese national
team one day win the World
Cup is the “ardent wish of the
whole nation,” according to
the state-owned Xinhua news
agency. Wishful thinking, or
the first step to a major shift in
world football? In the Olympics
remember, China went from
also-ran to the top of the
medals table in the space of a
generation. Who’s to say football
can’t be similarly improved?
In February, the State Council
General Office announced plans
to develop “a management
system with Chinese
characteristics,” an intriguing
proposition that promises to
completely revamp and upgrade
the coaching infrastructure at
grassroots levels.
According to the bold
government-backed plan, by the
end of this year, China will add
an extra 1,000 schools to the
current 5,000 elementary and
middle schools where football
is on the curriculum. By 2025,
those schools will number
50,000. The campaign aims to
get 50 million people actively
watching and playing football
by 2025. The eventual goal, it
states, is for China’s male team
to be Asia’s best and its female
team to top the world rankings.
Also included in that plan is the
more realistic target of China
hosting a World Cup.
Perhaps renewed hope was
sparked by China’s unexpectedly
good run in January’s Asian
Cup, where they topped their
group and were knocked out
by eventual winners Australia.
Or maybe the orders came
right from the top – Xi Jinping
has professed his anguish at
his nation’s ineptitude and has
made no secret of his dream
to see China lift the World
Cup. He is even reported to
have said that babies should
start being coached straight
away. The president’s graft
crackdown has extended into
the national leagues and under
his leadership the sport has
even been included in schools’
national curriculum.
It will be some time before
that new generation reaches
maturity, however. In a society
where many see sport as a
distraction from academic
studies, serious football training
will need to be accepted as a
worthwhile pursuit for kids. ExEngland international Ledley
King has coached in Beijing
as part of the Football Dream
campaign, which handpicks
outstanding young players to
train at European academies.
“The enthusiasm was there, but
development is needed,” he told
us, during a recent interview.
“The coaching is still a long way
off the West… good lads though.”
Others still doubt how
effective the reforms will be,
especially in cities such as
Beijing, where few schools are
equipped with football pitches
– and ball sports are forbidden
in public spaces. Sports writer
Zhao Zhen went deeper still
in an editorial on ifeng.com:
“I think people are too rushed
to applaud and cheer for the
policy.” He expressed a need
for reform across all sports,
doubting whether football
alone is transparent enough
to support change. “We can’t
expect too much for football,
when the whole sports system
is struggling in the swamp of an
all-state system.”
But overall, reactions to the
plans have been positive – even
from outside the footballing
world. “As someone who is from
the realm of basketball I must
say that I am very envious of
the plan,” confessed superstar
sportsman, Yao Ming, in a recent
press conference. KK & WP
W.W. C . D . | c i t y
What Would confucius do?
Modern Dilemmas, Age-Old Wisdom
I’m gay but I come from a traditional family that will never accept my sexuality. I am turning thirty
so my parents are keen for me to get married and are constantly setting up blind dates for me. But
I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I were to deceive a girl into marrying me, as it would ruin
us both. I’ve been making up excuses to avoid these dates as often as possible but I can never solve
the problem completely. What should I do?
I respect your bravery because you have
decided to explicitly reaffirm your sexual
orientation rather than fooling yourself and
marrying a girl you can’t love, which is still
common in China.
I’ll be frank with you – according to
Confucius, filial piety is one of the most
important virtues required to keep ethical
order within society. The responsibility to
have children is a fundamental element
of how he defines filial piety. Having no
descendants is described as one of the
gravest offenses to traditional Confucian
values. The famous Confucian scholar
Mencius once said: “There are three ways of
being an unfilial son; the most serious is to
have no heir.”
This was the traditional view, however,
and this doesn’t mean that I don’t understand
your situation. I believe that, difficult though
it is, you should still be forthright and honest
by telling your parents about your sexual
orientation. Today we value individual
rights. Gay couples are gradually becoming
more accepted by people in China. If your
parents can’t understand, maybe you can try
to convince them by showing them examples
of the many celebrities who promote gay
rights?
Last year, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said:
“I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being
gay among the greatest gifts God has given
me.” Other LGBT groups are also speaking
up bravely for their cause, such as Li Yinhe,
the well-known Chinese sexologist who
went public about her transgender lover last
December.
But what if people still don’t understand
or accept you? Or speak ill of you, even? You
need to learn to stay calm. When Confucius
was 60 years old, people around him could
not understand his idealistic dreams and
joked about him being “a dog that lost his
home.” Instead of being irritated, Confucius
showed huge amounts of endurance,
patience and tolerance towards people’s
misunderstandings.
I know it is hard. But you are already in a
hard situation and you have no other choice.
wang Xuejun is a lecturer at Beijing language and
culture University, specializing in chinese culture.
his most recent book is entitled teaching methods
of chinese language and traditional culture . send
your ethical dilemma for professor wang to bjeditor@
urbanatomy.com
The
Hist
boys
The Young Filmmakers Intent on Telling the
by Karoline Kan
1 0 | a p r i l 2 0 1 5 | w w w.t h at s m a g s . c o m
fe a t u r e | c i t y
tory
s
Story of China’s Great Famine
“I was born in 1989; I am sure all young
Chinese of my age are familiar with the Great
Famine. But to most of our generation – and
I include myself in that – it was simply an old
tale that our grandparents and parents used
to help teach us the value of our current lives.
People my age have no interest, and saw no
reason to go deeper into the real history.”
w w w.t h at s m a g s . c o m | a p r i l 2 0 1 5 | 1 1
ci t y | Fe at ure
When documentary film student Shu
Qiao first heard about the Folk Memory
Project, he assumed it was just another
extracurricular activity devised by his overzealous professor: “Something that would
take a few weeks, at most.”
Five years later, with his studies at the
Tianjin Academy of Fine Art long since
finished, 25-year-old Shu is still very much
involved in the project – in fact, he estimates
it’s still several years, perhaps even decades
away from completion: “It’s become
something like my life’s work,” he explains.
The ongoing project began innocuously
enough. Shu and 20 other young Chinese
film documentary students were assigned
the task of entering nearby villages to
interview people who had lived through, and
had memories of, the Great Famine.
“I was born in 1989. I am sure all young
Chinese of my age are familiar with the
Great Famine,” says Shu. “But to most of our
generation – and I include myself in that – it
was simply an old tale that our grandparents
and parents used to help teach us the value
of our current lives. People my age have no
interest, and saw no reason to go deeper
into the real history.”
Covering roughly a two year period from
1959 to 1961, the famine is thought to have
claimed the lives of 8-10 million people,
according to official reports. Shu’s former
professor and organizer of the project, Wu
Wenguang, himself an established and wellknown documentary filmmaker in China,
felt the subject was deserving of further
investigation.
“That period of history is discussed a
lot by artists and filmmakers, but what
was it really like?” he asks. “I found it
quite ridiculous, all those artists talking
about hardship from the vantage of their
comfortable studios in the city. They have no
idea at all.”
Despite Wu’s clear motivation, he never
foresaw the project taking off outside the
classroom – nor the willingness of his
students to become so personally involved.
As of December last year, the project has
seen 133 young participants from 20
provinces travel to 26 villages and interview
1,220 villagers. A total number of 30 short
documentaries have been completed and
shown in film festivals in more than 10
countries.
Wu ascribes the success of the project to
the villages themselves. Their heroism, as
Wu describes it, serves not only to highlight
their own history, but helps young Chinese
to reconnect with their roots. For Shu, the
initial spur was much simpler: “I was very
matter-of-fact about it, I wanted to discover
the reasons behind the tragedy. For example,
how much blame should be attributed to
natural disasters like drought?”
Over time, however, Shu realized that the
real story was not the cause of the tragedy,
“The whole village is wondering why you don’t find a
stable job in the city, but instead come here holding
a camera? You don’t understand how devastating an
effect this will have on you. You have to think about how
the authorities will react. This could change your life
dramatically”
Above | shu Qiao
interviews villagers in
Xupu county, hunan
but the lives of the villagers who survived
it – those people whose “stories had never
been told or recorded.”
Shu centered his research around his
grandpa’s village in Xupu County, Hunan.
With help from a number of distant relatives,
he began to piece together a timeline of
events.
“1958 was a harvesting year in Xupu,
but all the young men had left the village to
help smelt steel,” explains Shu, recalling the
villagers’ stories. “But since the harvested
grain would be shared by the commune, few
people left in the village were motivated to
help in the huge effort needed to work the
fields.”
Shu Qingyou, an elderly distant relative of
Shu’s, recounted a number of specific details.
“He explained how villages like his would
get caught in disastrous spirals. For example,
if a village harvested 400kg per mu [about
1/6 of an acre], the local cadre, in a bid to
gain favor, would exaggerate the figure.
The neighboring village, worried they were
falling behind, would then announce they
had harvested 500kg per mu. It was a vicious
circle,” says Shu.
“The local government would see the
figures, and ask for a certain percentage of
the total grain. But even if the percentage
was set low, it would still account for more
than the villagers could afford to give. Some
villages exaggerated their total harvest
to such a degree, that they
6 were left with
no grain once the required percentage
had been handed in. Initially, the village
that submitted the most grain would be
rewarded with cows, but over time, this
stopped too. Eventually, with no grain being
produced, people began to starve.”
In Shu’s documentary Shuangjing, I Am
Your Grandson, audiences are witness to the
difficulties faced by Shu in asking villagers
to recount their experiences. Shu went from
door to door, collecting stories and money to
set up a monument for those who died in the
famine.
“It was very frustrating in the beginning,”
says Shu. Among the 10 households he
visited during the first day, eight refused to
cooperate. “They were angry and confused,”
explains Shu. “They asked me: ‘Why are you
doing this?’ They thought it was meaningless.
I had to convince them otherwise. So I told
them: ‘Almost every family in this village lost
family members in the famine. This is a way
to honor their memory.’”
The idea of a film focusing on the lives
and experiences of individuals – rather than
the society as a whole, made many of the
participants nervous. In the film, Shu and his
grandpa are shown walking together along
a small country road, the old man furiously
berating his grandson: “The whole village is
wondering why you don’t find a stable job
in the city, but instead come here holding
a camera? You don’t understand how
devastating an effect this will have on you.
You have to think about how the authorities
will react. This could change your life
dramatically.” Although Shu didn’t heed his
grandfather’s advice, he does empathize.
“That generation experienced too much
tragedy. They have first-hand understanding
of the Chinese saying, ‘disaster comes out of
your mouth,’” says Shu.
These types of difficulties were faced
by almost every member of the project.
Wang Haian, a 24-year-old participant from
Shandong, explains: “Actually
this topic is
2
no longer taboo. I told [the villagers] that in
the city there are widespread discussions
on issues such as the Great Famine and the
Great Leap Forward. But they didn’t trust
me.”
Wang likens the process of building trust
to “crawling like a worm.” Unlike Shu, who
completed his initial documentary in less
than a year, Wang spent three years chatting
with villagers, helping them to farm and
showing them his footage, while repeatedly
explaining the meaning of the work.
In 2014, four years after Professor Wu first
launched the project, the aim was widened
to include other historical topics such as
land reform, the Cultural Revolution and the
Great Leap Forward. Many participants have
been so moved by their experience, they
have begun funding drives to help construct
village libraries and healthcare foundations.
Wang is currently securing money to build
a memorial. “I hope more young people
will remember history,” he says, by way of
explanation. And changes are taking place
too. Both Shu Qiao and Wang Haian spent
most of their young lives wanting to move
beyond the small towns and villages of their
parents.
“I think the idea of moving to a big city
and finding a stable job is a dream shared by
many young Chinese today. But this project
changed my relationship with my village, my
parents, my grandpa. The more I learn about
the village, the more I realize how little I
understood it,” says Shu.
Time, is running out, though. Many of
the survivors of the tumultuous events of
the mid-20th century are beginning to pass
away. “Each time someone in the village
passes away, a friend will call me and ask
for the tape of that person’s video – their
interview – to be sent to the village,” explains
Shu. “Through death, they have come to find
comfort in these videos.”
The result has been a gradual change
in attitudes. Now, people contact Shu and
request that he interviews them. “It’s a
complete reversal,” says Shu. “Recently, the
daughter-in-law of an 80-year-old woman
called me to ask whether I could interview
her mother-in-law,” says Shu. “She told me
her mother-in-law has lots of good stories to
tell. This type of thing means a lot to me,” he
adds. “I guess it’s why we started this thing
in the first place – to make it difference.”
ci t y | Fe at ure
Tesla’s Electric
Avenues Begin to Dim
Why High-End E-cars are Failing in Beijing
by W i l l P h i l i p p s
As we sit behind the wheel of a gleaming Tesla Model S in a Parkview
Green mall showroom, it’s fitting that, outside, a cloud of haze
hangs low over Beijing. Electric cars, whether made by American
manufacturer Tesla or by one of a handful of Chinese companies, are
symbolic of the eternal fight against the city’s pollution problem.
US-owned Tesla, one of the world’s leading ‘pure’ electric car
manufacturers, is worth an estimated USD25 billion and growing. Its
vehicles are the first of their kind with enough clean power under
the hood to be considered a viable substitute for petrol-powered
cars. But Tesla’s Beijing showroom, one of 15 centers in China, sees
a lone customer enter its doors during the hour we spend there.
Across the Mainland, Tesla is stuttering, with a reported 120 cars
sold each month – “unexpectedly weak” sales in the words of founder
Elon Musk. Last month, the company fired much of its top-level
management in China. So what went wrong?
China is considered a huge market for pure and hybrid electric
vehicles, due to the huge demand for cars and an acute need for
cleaner transport. The government and big business backs it – fleets
of all-electric taxis were slated for some suburbs of Beijing last year,
and this year tech giants like Tencent have expressed interest in
developing driverless E-cars. So why the drop in sales? The failure
has come as a surprise to many, but with Telsa’s standard model
costing in the high six figures – and few to no major public incentives
– even the cheapest Tesla remains a luxury product.
In the showroom, semi-enthusiastic salespeople talk us through
various specs and the practicalities of electric car ownership. In
China, the Model S has been on the market since April 2014 and
retails for RMB648,000 (in the US it’s USD70,000, a little over
RMB400,000, comparable to brands with well-established appeal,
like Audi or Porsche).
Much like an ordinary smartphone, the Tesla is charged through
a single power cable. According to the sales spiel, owners are able
to use an adapter to plug the car directly into their garage mains or
top up at one of 100 charging stations around Beijing (great, if you
happen to own a garage or live near a charging station, not so good if
you don’t).
China aimed to be home to 500,000 electric cars in 2011 but fell
well short of the mark – only 6,000 eventually made it onto the road.
The main deterrent was ‘range anxiety’ – fear of running out of power
due to a scarcity of charging points. Since 2014, however, sales have
begun to rise. The Beijing municipal government last year announced
plans to build 10,000 public charging poles across the city, while
newly purchased electric cars receive a 10 percent road tax break and
bypass the license plate lottery required for new petrol-driven cars.
Forbes reported that according to the China Automotive Technology
Research Center, electric vehicle sales were 30 times higher in
December 2014 than January 2014, surpassing even monthly sales
figures in the US.
But while Tesla hasn’t been able to capitalize, China’s domestic
electric car manufacturers have. According to the Ministry of Industry
and Information Technology, output of electric passenger cars rose
300 percent in 2014 from the previous year. The beneficiaries? BYD
and SAIC, whose cars retail for a fraction of the price of a standard
Tesla. BYD’s Qin, China’s top-selling electric car in 2014, costs just
RMB189,000.
Back in the Beijing showroom, which let’s not forget is located in
one of Beijing’s most upmarket malls, the displays of Tesla-branded
T-shirts and baseball caps give the impression of being in a sports car
showroom with a racing pedigree (we don’t imagine BYD sell many
logo-embossed polos). Maybe that’s the point, but even so, Musk’s
hope for millions of Tesla cars on the road by 2020 looks hopeful, if
not outright fanciful.
c h i ne s e u r b a n d i c t i o n a r y | c i t y
fe a t u r e | c i t y
renxing
/rènxìng/
任性
by M i a L i
Definition: adj. used to describe a wealthy person who spends their
money in an extravagant and often irrational way.
How to use it:
A: My neighbor took out all his savings in cash yesterday so he
could sleep on a pile of money.
B: Because why not, right? Everyone should be renxing once
before they die. Did he sleep well?
A: He was too worried about the money being stolen to sleep.
B: Ha, not so renxing after all! Until a few decades ago, opportunities for the Chinese people to
fulfill their aspirations – both large and small – weren’t plentiful.
They were either too poor or robbed of the means and liberties to
do so. Sweeping generalization, maybe, but you get the idea.
My compatriots of 30 years ago wanted to listen to the Beatles
and watch Hollywood movies, but such things were forbidden
due their bourgeois nature. They wanted to travel the world, but
exit visas were almost impossible to acquire. They wanted to own
home appliances and cars, but they were too expensive and supply
was too scarce. In fact, there was so little to aspire to back then,
that many people simply stopped aspiring. Focusing on what you
were actually allowed to do was altogether less painful.
Then things changed.
For a small number of enterprising and lucky Chinese people,
the opportunities returned. Despite sky-high taxes, imported cars
became affordable. You could fly to the other side of the world and
buy enough luxury Italian leather goods to fill the presidential suite
of a 5-star hotel.
Now you can devour Hollywood blockbusters and popcorn by
the bucket load and own every Beatles album in special edition
(even Yellow Submarine). They’re making up for lost time and then
some. Renxing is a word to celebrate those people. Literally meaning ‘to
indulge one’s every whim,’ renxing is a new and exciting philosophy
for the so-called fledgling Chinese middle class. They know it’s
childish, immature and decadent to a fault, but they don’t care,
because the way they see it, everyone deserves to be renxing at
least once in their lifetime. It’s renxing if you do whatever the hell you want – reason be
damned!
It is buying up all the tickets in the cinema so you can have it to
yourself. It is splashing out on a yacht when you live 500km from
the coastline. It is buying 52 new iPhones to make a deck of playing
cards. It is showing up at a prestigious university in New England
with a bag of money and demanding your kids be enrolled. Renxing is decades of pentup aspirations erupting
from the depths of China’s
unsettled past. The era of
Chinese scarcity is gone and
has been replaced by a period
of excess. (Hooray?)
By day, mia li is a news
reporter in Beijing; at night, she
tries to turn that news into standup
comedy.
style radar
LIFE & STYLE
Cov e t
Under the lens
Cray Cray for Prints
Cavalli’s New China Girl
Patterned clothes and playful
motifs are all the rage these
days – so much so that, often,
anything lower down the food
chain than a leopard spot looks
meek. Whimsical, bold and
China-inspired (its name is
‘Acupuncture’) this men’s shirt
by Shanghai brand Batabasta
is right on trend. Embrace it
boys – you’re going to look rad.
RMB800.
New China Girl is the name of Roberto Cavalli’s latest
collection, unveiled at Milan Fashion Week last month.
The Italian designer looked east for his Autumn/Winter
2015 line, presenting a sartorial vision influenced
by the modern spirit of China, such as Ming-vaseinspired floral prints on dresses and skirts, rather
than the hackneyed cliches. Other traditional Chinese
elements shone throughout the lineup: coats, trousers
and dresses featured gold pagoda buttons while long
overcoats sported cloisonné-enamel-inspired linings.
Maggie Cheung’s turn in Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood
for Love made an appearance too, inspiring a modern
windowpane check incorporated on quite a few
garments. Sitting in the front row was Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon actress Michelle Yeoh. That’s what we call
a collection with purpose – a very, very obvious one.
> batabasta.com, contact them directly
to order
S p ot l i g h t
to use light colors
to naughty things
up.
Mario Duyuchen,
Fashion Designer
If you could
dress a style
icon, who would
that be?
Can I say myself?
Rainy Pop
Design collection Seletti Wears
Toiletpaper ranges from quirky
to raunchy to surreal – it’s just
overall badass. An example? This
ultra-pop ‘lipstick’ umbrella.
Boasting bold advertising
graphics from the 60s, it’s sure
to make you stand out in the
rain and have you wishing for a
downpour. RMB380.
> www.10corsocomo.cn
What’s your background?
I spent my childhood in Jeju
Island, South Korea and moved
to many different places
growing up. I studied art and
design at the Accademia di
Belle Arti in Rome and, after
graduating, joined the World
Luxury Association as a PR. I
left that job for more fashionoriented roles – as fashion
director for a bespoke Dutch
men’s suits company and as
fashion host for the Trend
Group. I decided to go solo last
year, and launched my first
collection here in Beijing last
December.
What brought you to Beijing?
The desire to study modern
Chinese literature.
1 6 | A p r i l 2 0 1 5 | w w w.t h at s m a g s . c o m
For your debut fashion show,
you had ‘real people’ rather
than models walk the runway.
Why is that?
I wanted to show that my
clothes can be worn by anyone
– you don’t have to be super
tall and skinny to sport a piece
by Mario Duyuchen. I like to
think that my brand belongs to
ordinary people – yet when you
wear one of my creations, you
are no longer ordinary.
Your aesthetic in three words.
Simple, elegant, classic.
How would you describe your
style?
I am quite old-fashioned when
it comes to style. I like black
and white, solid hues and
silhouettes. Occasionally, I like
Do you have
any advice for
the local fashion
scene?
Less is more.
> www.marioduyuchen.
com
E d i t e d by Ma r i a n n a Ce r i n i /
Mad e i n C h i n a
Lalu
For many, the thought of going organic
feels like a confusing and expensive
business, whether it’s food, clothing or
lifestyle products. But don’t lose faith.
Among chemical charlatans and pricey
brands there are still those trusted
pioneers campaigning for products that are
authentically ‘green.’ Enter beauty brand
Lalu. Founded in Shanghai by Senegalese
Adja Lalu (Lalu being a nickname referring
to the young proprietress’ dreamy, wild
and funky approach to life), the venture
does homemade skincare products that are
chemical-free, 100 percent natural and so
divine-smelling you might be tempted to
eat them instead of smother them on your
body (papaya-mango body cream anyone?).
The range spans scrubs, creams and body
butters, all made with luxurious ingredients
like avocado, jojoba, coconut oil and sweet
almond oils.
The entrepreneur is also happy to
customize her recipes according to clients’
needs and skin types, and is currently
working on a spring selection influenced by
cocktails – think Piña Colada and Margaritainspired scrubs. A joy to use, each Lalu treat
is also incredibly affordable: scrubs go for
RMB88-98 a jar, while body lotions are
RMB120/160 each. A wholesome deal all
round.
> Delivery charges in Beijing range from rmB12-16. to
place an order, check lalu's Facebook page, contact
her at lalufood4skin@gmail.com, or add her on wechat
(Adjalalu)
ov e r h e a r d
“ F o r a n i n t e r n at i o n a l
b r a n d – p lu s
add gold into
t h e e q u at i o n –
a n d I t h i n k t h at
co m b i n at i o n i s g o i n g
t o a p p e a l i n C h i n a”
...said Chris Jones [somewhat clunkily, we
should add], an analyst for research firm
Canalys, on Apple’s decision to release the
Apple Watch in an 18-karat gold edition.
Priced at about RMB126,800, the timepiece,
which goes on sales this month, is expected
to tap right into China’s appetite for luxury,
and follows the popularity of the gold iPhone.
According to projections from the tech giant,
the PRC alone should push its global sales to
15 million units this year. Looks like President
Xi’s crackdown on conspicuous consumption
is not worrying the Californian corporation
one bit.
life & style | F e a t u r e
Zara
denim shirt, RMB359
> www.zara.cn
Diggin
Levi’s
workwear pencil skirt, RMB250
> www.levi.com.cn
Topshop
moto indigo selvedge boyfriend
jeans, RMB785
> www.topshop.com
H&M
denim jacket, RMB349
> www.hm.com
a p r i l 2 0 1 5 | w w w.t h at s m a g s . c o m
18 | A
ffa
e as thui o
rn
e | life & style
ng
denim
Zara Man
jeans, RMB359
> www.zara.cn
Spring‘s Ultimate Style
by Ma r i a n n a Ce r i n i
Diesel
denim jacket, RMB1,559
> www.diesel.com
Denim. It stands for the outdoors, freedom, casual and timeless cool. Its rugged, weathered
texture makes it almost rebellious – the antithesis of formal wear, the embodiment of a wild
spirit.
The enduring appeal means there’s a look for any time of the year, especially this inbetween ‘season’ that’s neither rain nor shine. The pencil skirt. The classic shirt. The skinny
jeans.
The fashion establishment has fallen for its ‘hip’ factor too, giving it a dressier makeover.
This season, Burberry sent smartly waisted denim jackets down the runway. Chanel
accessorized its models with domesticated denim flap bags.
Here’s our denim edit for the coming months – a perfect fusion of high-low style.
COS
denim shirt, RMB690
> www.cosstores.com
Lee
denim shorts, RMB790
> www.lee.com.cn
april 2015 | 19
w w w.t h at s m a g s . c o m | A
pushing up
The Lust for Luxury Lingerie in China
by Ma r i a n n a Ce r i n i
“For moneyed women, lingerie is a private, delicious secret“
f e a t u r e | life & style
Walking through Beijing’s financial
district – past women in trouser
suits, crisp white shirts and demure
accessories – the casual observer might
get the impression that working in the
once male-dominated industry involves
giving up traditional ideas of femininity
for a sterner, toned-down look. What the
passer-by doesn’t know, however, is that
underneath the uniform, those suited-up
women are probably wearing thousands
of yuan’s worth of lingerie.
High-end underwear is booming in
China. While the luxury sector has seen
an overall drop in sales, partly due to Xi
Jinping’s austerity measures over freespending officials, pricey undergarments
have joined handbags and watches as
a must-have item among high-powered
women and mistresses alike.
Once known as the world’s lowcost garment manufacturer, China is
now becoming a main consumer of
luxury lingerie. Total sales of women’s
underwear in China totaled RMB124
billion in 2014, of which 30 percent was
‘luxury intimate apparel.’ According to
market research firm Frost & Sullivan,
that proportion is set to increase by
18 percent between now and 2019, as
consumers shift from basics to fashion
lingerie.
It is a counter-phenomenon to the
slowing pace of other high-end markets
and a different, more discreet way to
flaunt one’s wealth.
“For moneyed women, lingerie is a
private, delicious secret,” says Irene Lu,
a designer of custom-made underwear
in Beijing and founder of luxury lingerie
label Pillowbook. “It offers them a way to
splurge without people having to know
about it – luxury next to the skin. It’s
almost empowering.”
Twenty years ago, Chinese women
had a handful of underwear choices:
most bought monochrome briefs or
high-waisted knickers in bulk, or picked
up a pair of cheap bras at their local
department store. Wary of looking showy
or overly sexy, female consumers would
rarely think of indulging in extravagant
lingerie. Now, a silk bra or strapless
bustier is seen as a fashion statement –
albeit an inconspicuous one.
“I spend more on bras and panties than
dresses these days,” says 35-year-old Li
Yang, a PR account executive browsing
the underwear selection at Stella
McCartney’s in Beijing’s Parkview Green
mall. “Feeling confident in great-fitting
lingerie can be a real boost to the ego.
And, in an office environment, it’s less
pretentious than sporting an expensive
bag.”
“Women have more money,” says
Matthew Crabbe, Asia-Pacific research
director for market research firm, the
Mintel Group. “With greater spending
power, they are becoming more
discerning. They are exposed to more
brands across a wider range of media,
and are now aware of more product and
brand choices.”
This has meant healthy competition
between local and foreign labels.
Domestic players like Beijing-based
brand Aimer (China’s ‘first’ lingerie
venture, founded in 1993), Hong Kong’s
Embry Form, and Shenzhen’s Enweis
and Eve’s Temptation have been offering
expanding ranges of racy, lace-laden
underpinnings to meet changing tastes
and demand, branching into special
lines and collections priced upwards of
RMB500 apiece.
Western counterparts have since
followed suit, with profitable results. In
January, Victoria’s Secret made its first
foray into the Chinese Mainland, opening
nine beauty and accessory shops. During
an analyst call last month, Victoria’s
Secret’s parent company, L Brands Inc.,
called China an “incredibly significant
market for us in the future,” hinting that
it wouldn’t be long before its underwear
range becomes available here too.
London high-end lingerie company
Agent Provocateur, a pioneer of
independent-spirited lingerie in the early
90s, recently revealed that sales across
its four China stores were at least 25
percent higher than expected. The label
entered the mainland in 2013 with four
boutiques and, according to CEO Garry
Hogarth, plans are in the pipeline to open
20 more stores in China over the coming
years.
Also known for opulent lingerie – silk
fabrics, exquisite packaging, feathers and
intricate details – Agent Provocateur’s
direct rival, La Perla, is performing
similarly well. Through sales of items
starting at around RMB1,000, the Italian
lingerie company’s overall revenue was
up 42 percent in 2014 and the brand’s
expansion across the Mainland is set to
continue with a handful of new openings
this year, including a men’s boutique in
Shanghai.
“Our Chinese clientele is financially
independent and often looking for a new
level of comfort when it comes to a bra
or a slip,” says La Perla’s Asia Marketing
and Communication Manager, Betty Peng.
“They demand value – a combination of
quality, service and price – rather than
just price alone. In that sense, the market
here is becoming increasingly similar to
the West, where consumers have a much
longer history of buying luxury lingerie.
The gap is getting smaller.”
The market retains intrinsically
Chinese characteristics, however.
“Some of our most popular items
in China are what we call ‘in-and-out’
garments – sleepwear that can also be
worn to the office, underneath women’s
suit jackets,” explains Peng. “Chinese
women tend to go for that kind of
product as they are still very careful
spenders. Value for money is one of the
main factors influencing local purchasing
trends.”
Labels are still experimenting with a
variety of targeted marketing strategies.
Over the last two years, the Italian
lingerie maker has cast Liu Wen and Ming
Xi – two of China’s most sought-after
models – in its ad campaigns (pictured
overleaf ).
Then there are the yearly Chinese New
Year collections produced by both Agent
Provocateur and La Perla, which suggest
that both brands are determined to adjust
their image and cater to local customers.
But interest in luxury underpinnings
can not be solely attributed to wealth.
Changes in societal and cultural attitudes,
from sex to beauty and lifestyle, have also
been pivotal to the sector’s growth. Irene
Lu of Pillowbook agrees.
“We are now living in a ‘have-it-all’
society, where women are more confident
about themselves and their sexuality and
aren’t afraid to experiment with lingerie
that’s frivolous or stylish,” she says.
“Underwear is almost becoming a way for
them to express themselves. Beneath a
boring shift dress, you could be wearing a
crimson plunge bra and a thong. There’s
a kind of freedom to it that you don’t get
with normal clothes.”
Lu’s customers range from twentysomething graduates to women in their
40s. It’s a similar target market – mainly
self-employed professionals, CEOs and
entrepreneurs – to more mainstream
retailers. They choose to buy Pillowbook
products (which all start at around
RMB1,000) because, she says, “they are
living a healthier lifestyle and care for
what they are wearing. I also use no
padding, and that’s resonating quite well
among Chinese clients: educated, modern
women no longer care for push-up bras.
They are confident with their bodies. The
mentality has definitely changed over the
last few years.”
Padded or not, pricey bras and other
fancy undergarments are becoming
an essential feature of many Chinese
women’s closets.
“Underwear is one of those guilty
pleasures I can never get enough of,”
says Li as she pays for two pairs of Stella
McCartney knickers and a silk nightie.
“It allows you to be a different person.”
Then, after a pause: “Agent Provocateur
is on this floor too. I think I’ll go take a
look.”
w w w.t h at s m a g s . c o m | A p r i l 2 0 1 5 | 2 1
life & style | a r r i v a l s
Scene
& Heard
wo rd s by Ma r i a n n a Ce r i n i
3
①
H & M Co n s c i o u s Co l l e c t i o n
H&M is not a big player in ‘fast fashion’
– it’s a giant. In fact, it is second only to
Inditex, owner of Zara, as the world’s
largest clothing retailer. So the fact
that over the last four years it has been
positioning itself as an ethical solution to
style is, simply put, pretty noteworthy. The
Swedish company is strengthening that
reputation with Conscious Collection, a
line of environmentally sustainable clothes
that has become a recurring feature for
spring. Launching April 16, the 2015 range
has actress Olivia Wilde as its new face,
and spans a selection of garbs inspired
by African, Asian and Indian cultures in
both cut and detail. Dresses are a focus,
along with hand-drawn prints created
especially for the collection. Each garment
and accessory is made of materials such
as organic silk, cotton and linen, as well as
recycled polyester, conscious leather and
Tencel (a natural man-made fiber). Fresh
and oh so spring-ready, this is just the ticket
for a wardrobe update as we enter the sunny
season.
> www.hm.com
②
Patag o n i a
Few labels are sticky enough to withstand
decades of trends. Outdoor clothing brand
Patagonia is one of them. The Californiabased venture has been around since 1973,
offering timeless, simple pieces made with
high quality materials, targeting sporty
types rather than fashionable ones. Recently,
however, the company has become trendy
itself (earning the droll nickname “Patagucci”
from some of its most committed fans) and
inspiring runway looks from both women’s
and men’s designers. It’s no surprise, then,
that its new flagship Beijing store shows
impressive retail ambitions. A sizable
space in Sanlitun SOHO, the shop is divided
according to accessories (we are really
digging their backpack selection), women’s,
men’s and children’s collections, with a
rustic-meets-industrial vibe throughout
the interiors. Within the store is also a
small coffee and juice counter and NBeer
microbrewery pub (see p59) – sign that
the brand is aiming to sell a whole lifestyle
concept, rather than just clothes.
> B1 sanlitun soho, Building 5, 6 gongti Bei lu,
2
③
Annakiki is a label someone like Lady
Gaga would probably love. Founded in
2011 by Hong Kong indie designer Yangzi,
it does garbs that are loud, whimsical
and incredibly eye-catching. Playing with
ruffles and pop motifs over mesh and
voluminous shapes, the vision driving the
brand is almost fantastical, a mix between
futurism and avant-garde. A far cry from the
saccharine sweet pastels usually associated
with spring, the spring/summer 2015 line
comes in a striking palette of black, red and
white, showing structured overcoats and
geometrical cuts for dresses and skirts. The
brand’s recently opened store in Sanlitun
Taikoo Li North reflects this color range,
with a stark decor of bright lights and
vermilion walls juxtaposed with black ones.
The entire boutique has an edgy, badass feel
that shuns sartorial conservativeness and,
frankly, makes for a refreshingly interesting
approach to style.
> sanlitun taikoo li north, nlg-42, 11 sanlitun lu,
chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路 11 号三里屯太古里北区
nlg-42 号 (6415 2366)
chaoyang 朝阳区工体北路 6 号 sanlitun soho 5 号楼
B1 (8590 0843)
3
1
photo by holly li
2
Annakiki
P. O . C . | life & style
LI U 2 6
Portrait of
China
wo rd s by Ma r i a n n a Ce r i n i
What do you do?
I work in
advertising, but
my real passion is
drawing – I mainly
do Japanese manga
and anime.
Give us a style tip.
Wear whatever
you want – as long
as it’s comfortable.
And a life one?
Mmm… just try
to live a happy
life. That’s all
we can wish for,
isn’t it?
collage
W h at ’ s n e w
Drumroll
Pitbull
All is not well in Westeros. The Lannisters
are stacking up debts, Daenerys is losing
control of her dragons, the Starks are
becoming increasingly endangered and the
White Walkers lurk. The carnage resumes
when Game of Thrones returns on April 12.
It’s supposed to be available on
v.qq.com for paid subscribers, but with
recent regulations, who knows.
After releasing eight albums last year,
Beijing-based musical madman Djang San is
back (again!) with his first release of 2015.
Experimental Electric Pipa sees him playing
around with the titular instrument using a
variety of pedals. Despite every song being
named ‘Experiment’ followed by the track
number, the disc is an engrossing listen.
Available at djangsan.bandcamp.com.
In The Porcelain Thief, American journalist
Huan Hsu sets out to recover prized antique
porcelain that his ancestors hid from
Japanese invaders by burying it near their
small Yangtze River hometown. Part memoir
and part cultural history, the former Seattle
Weekly writer explores China’s rich recent
history while delving into what it means to
be a Chinese-American in the motherland.
With a new album entitled Globalization,
it seems only fitting that Pitbull once again
stops by Beijing to perform his incessantly
popular brand of Miami party-rap. We
caught up with the man himself to discuss
sexy beaches, his forthcoming world tour
and how to make humble New Year’s
resolutions.
Congratulations on your new record
Globalization. How does it differ from
your past work?
Since 2009, I make resolutions every year
that I try very hard to follow. For 2015, it was
to make history – and I think Globalization is
very much a part of that. Those first albums
and hit singles were big breaks for me, but
I feel like I have really hit my stride on this
album. I have truly become Mr. Worldwide!
As Mr. Worldwide, where are some of
your favorite places to travel?
I have a new song called ‘Sexy Beaches.’
I love sexy beaches and I want to hit up
every sexy beach I can find in the world. I’ve
always believed the party is wherever you
and your friends are. Now that my crew and
I are in China, the party is right here.
You played some dates in China back in
2013. What’s going to be different this
time around?
Well, it’s bigger, better, newer and longer,
ha! Last time, we had some approval issues,
production-wise, when we toured China
[so we] had to adjust it a little bit. This year,
China will get the full show. Personally, I
try to bring a little piece of Miami to the
audience in every performance. It’s my
hometown and it’s part of me. I want to
share it with everyone.
Are you excited to be coming back?
This is really a great honor for me to be here.
When I was younger and starting out, I don’t
think I ever imagined coming through China
on tour, twice. Party!
What’s the wildest place you’ve heard
one of your songs playing?
Wildest situation? Heh, you know my motto
– single, bilingual and ready to mingle.
Penguins of Madagascar was really
successful here and ‘Celebrate’ went viral.
If you could voice any animated character,
who would it be?
They should make a Fievel movie – An
American Tail: Fievel and Rise of the Miami
Kings. I would totally be the voice of a Miami
mouse on the up and up.
Beatwise, what are you into these days?
I love anything that gets me excited and
makes the crowd want to party! I never want
to release something that somebody puts on
when they want to chill and relax. That’s not
me.
> rmB380-1,680; apr 1, 8pm-late; Beijing mastercard
center, 69 Fuxing lu, haidian 海淀区复兴路69号万事达
中心 (400 661 0151, en.damai.cn)
C a n vas s e d
Charlotte
McGowan-Griffin,
‘Metamorphoses’
British artist Charlotte
McGowan-Griffin looks at
metamorphoses, a theme dating
back to Roman poet Ovid and
later explored by the likes of
Kafka and Dali. Using a variety
of techniques, including paper
cutting, she not only represents
the transformation of one
thing into another, but also
considers the process as a
journey, an interpretation more
akin to the German word for
metamorphosis: verwandlung.
With her subtractive,
monochromatic approach,
McGowan-Griffin empowers
ordinarily passive paper with
subtle intensity.
> Free; tue-sat, 10am-8pm; until april
18; Ying gallery, 327 caochangdi art
Zone, cuigezhuang, chaoyang 颖画廊
北京朝阳区崔各庄草场地艺术区327号
(5722 0406)
PHOTO COURTESY OF ying gallery
H ao B u H ao
Hao
Bu Hao
February was a historic
month for China, as it
topped the global box office
market for the first time
ever. Spurred on by Spring
Festival hits like Chow Yunfat’s The Man from Macau
II and the Jackie ChanJohn Cusack blockbuster
Dragon Blade, the country’s
box office took in a record
USD650 million – USD10
million more than grossed
in the US.
The third season of House of
Cards has landed and China
tops the list of its pirates with
more than 60,000 downloads
and counting. The show was a
massive hit for Sohu last year
but recent regulations delayed
its release, forcing fans to find
alternative ways to get their
Frank Underwood fix (much
like Miss Zoe Barnes would).
A RELUCTANT
REDEEMER
If Om Unit Helped Revive Jungle,
he’s not Admitting it
by O s c a r Ho l l a n d
By the mid-noughties, drum ‘n’ bass and
jungle were genres that appeared to be
in steep, if not terminal, decline. The rise
of predictable breaks and club-pleasing
hooks – coupled with dubstep’s arrival as
electronic music’s pioneering genre du jour
– posed a serious threat to a scene that had
only survived through its continual ability
to evolve. But from the turn of the decade,
producers old and new were bringing it back
in from the cold.
Among those pushing up-tempo dance
music in bold directions was (and is) Jim
Coles, otherwise known as Om Unit. His
output over the past five years may have
flirted with multiple styles, but it is Coles’
experiments switching between full- and
half-time tempos – dubbed ‘slow/fast’ – that
placed him at the forefront of a new strain of
bass music.
In particular, tracks released under a
second pseudonym, Phillip D Kick, were
widely credited with being the very first to
fuse jungle with footwork, the frantic breed
of Chicago dance music that began sweeping
the electronic underground in 2010. Add
into the mix Coles’ own Cosmic Bridge
label – responsible for further promoting
the slow/fast sound – and a compelling
case emerges for the importance of Om
Unit in jungle’s rejuvenation. Yet, I face an
immediate problem in venturing this idea
to the London-based producer: he seems far
too humble to admit responsibility of any
kind.
“Mate, honestly, I wasn’t involved, so
I’m not an authority to speak on it. I kinda
have to take myself out of that argument
entirely,” he says, before deflecting attention
toward fellow producer dBridge, whose
Autonomic club nights, label and podcast
came to epitomize the stripped-back sound
developing at the fringes of drum ‘n’ bass.
“He is certainly someone who deserves that
respect. As for me? The way I see it is: I’m
just a fan of the music more than trying to
change anything. Sorry to shut you down!”
An inauspicious start to our conversation,
perhaps. But a second (and more
fundamental) difficulty arises when
attempting to associate Coles with jungle’s
supposed renaissance – he disputes the very
premise.
“I’m always a little suspicious when
journalism turns its head towards something
and says: ‘Ah, it’s having a resurgence’. I’m
like: ‘Well, not really,’” he laughs. “It’s just
that people have started writing about it
again. It’s been long enough that it can be
‘cool’ again.
“There are people that have been
dedicated to [drum ‘n’ bass and jungle]
for 25 years. For me, the music’s longevity
is down to pioneers who have stayed the
course. If you look at any of [today’s] flyers,
it’s pretty much the same names that you
would see back in ‘95. It’s those people who
have dedicated their lives to it and they are
f e a t u r e | a rt s
“Jungle isn’t having a
resurgence; people have just
started writing about it again.
It’s been long enough that it
can be ‘cool’ again”
responsible for forming this core.”
It was one of those perpetual flyer
fixtures, the scene’s godfather Goldie, who
offered Coles a chance to develop his sound.
Om Unit’s second release on the veteran
producer’s Metalheadz label – last year’s
Inversion – was arguably his most energetic
to date, combining lurking bass with flurries
of clattering snares. And although still not
a pure jungle record, it is the closest he has
come to producing one. But rather than
crediting the EP’s direction to working
with one of drum ‘n’ bass’s most important
labels, Coles attributes it to his own sense of
unfinished business.
“I had free rein and I made the record as
a kind of homage to my own childhood: my
troubled teen years,” he explains. “It was a
way of reconnecting with that and it was
quite healing actually. I started raving when
I was 18 – so that was 1998 – and no-one
was really playing jungle at the time. I made
[Inversion] for that 15-year-old listening to
mixes who was too young to really make any
serious music or get signed.”
Musical tropes stretching back to jungle’s
early roots are evident in the record’s
influences. But the genre’s history also
transpires in a very literal sense – because
as well as providing guidance on the
“philosophical aspect” of the record, Goldie
gave Coles access to his sizeable sample
archive.
“They were sounds there that he’d
collected himself from back in the day. There
were samples off other records and I’ve even
got stems and vocal parts from [Goldie’s
1995 debut] Timeless – stuff I probably
shouldn’t have! I didn’t really use a lot –
using it like salt and pepper is the best way
of describing it – but it certainly helped me
to inform the sound.”
We proceed to talk about why footwork
never achieved the commercial crossover
of electronic scenes before it, and what
emerges is a clear difference between our
trades. It is the journalist’s inclination to
deal in genres, categorizing sound in order
to understand and convey it. But aside from
finding such classifications “not
important,” Om Unit has avoided
sticking in any one camp since
his electro-fused breakout The
Timps EP. Coles’ reluctance to
identify with jungle’s revival
reflects his wider belief that
music is hybridizing.
“We’ve gone from music
evolving in this linear process
– from jungle blowing up, to
garage blowing up; then a few
years later you had dubstep,
and then house became a ‘thing’
– to now, where I feel like…” he
pauses. “I think things are a lot
more co-existent. They’ve sort
of shifted 90 degrees to a point
where everything is in parallel
and I don’t know if time is
even that important any more.
I think it’s about individual
artists and labels that have a
sound and an idea and a belief
in a certain aesthetic, whether
it is a big-room pop sound or
experimental noise. People are
a lot more accepting of music
outside their own sphere.”
This openness is seemingly
shared by the promoters
bringing him to Beijing. The
Syndicate may have built their
reputation booking some of
drum ‘n’ bass’s biggest players,
but they have shown a recent
enthusiasm for widening
horizons through genre-defying
headliners like Deft and Beijing’s
own Howie Lee. It comes as little
surprise therefore, to learn that
Om Unit’s set at Dada is likely to
stray across the spectrum.
“I do have a specific style that
I tend to DJ, which is new dubs
from myself and by peers, stuff
on Cosmic Bridge and some of
my back catalogue,” he says.
“I enjoy playing 140 [BPM] as
well – so either some classic
dubstep or newer stuff on that
tip. Maybe some classic jungle
and footwork vibes. I mix it up.
It’s usually a journey.”
Free with skyscanner app, rmB50
without; april 11, 9pm; Dada (see
listings for details)
f e a t u r e | a rt s
Out by the Fifth Ring Road, next
to the distinctly un-rock ‘n’ roll Beijing
Academy of Agriculture and Forestry
Sciences, long-haired students smoke
cigarettes, instruments strapped to their
backs. It’s the first day back at the Midi
School of Music. A furious drum solo rings
out from one of the rehearsal rooms while,
in a nearby classroom, twenty-somethings
sit with guitars on their laps, eagerly looking
towards their teacher.
Most of the 300 students – along with the
3,000 or so Midi graduates before them –
hope to follow in the footsteps of some of the
school’s more famous alumni. Troubadour
Xie Tianxiao and members of Second Hand
Rose were once enrolled here, while music
luminaries like Miserable Faith, Yaksa and
Nine Treasures also formed on campus. But,
for now at least, a more achievable goal is
being named ‘Mr. Midi,’ a title bestowed on
students who complete all nine grades of
the music exam system inspired by Britain’s
Rock School.
Although not a guaranteed path to success
in this difficult industry, the Mr. Midi system
helps young musicians develop their careers.
The successful graduates will have their
information posted online, allowing other
students to contact them directly for lessons,
according to the school’s headmaster Zhang
Fan. “We want our graduates to teach
students and we are aiming to have 1,000
Mr. Midi’s in China in the next five years so
they can teach more Mr. Midi’s,” he explains.
Indeed, a life of rock ‘n’ roll stardom is not
necessarily the goal for all, like 25-year-old
Bowen Cao, a jazz and funk drummer who
plays with the student band Danaotiangong.
From Left to Right | Midi School students Bowen Cao,
25; Lu Cheng, 25; Runze Zhang, 20; and Da Fei, 24
On Campus at the Midi
School of Music
by A n d re w C h i n a n d S o p h i e Z h a n g ,
i m a g e s by Na o m i G o d d a rd
A R T S | fe at ure
“they may have
studied poorly
in school
before because
they didn’t like
subjects like
math. But they
chose Midi
School because
they love music”
“I’ve never aimed at becoming a rock
star,” he explains. “In my view, when a
rocker becomes a star, they have no choice
but become a part of the commercial chain.
Music is never about consumption. I am
quite idealistic about it – I’d rather be a lowkey musician who devotes all of his heart
toward creating music. If people in the
field recognize my music, I'd see this as my
biggest achievement.”
Since opening in 1993, the Mainland’s
first modern music school has helped
countless young musicians forge professions
of all kinds. Under Zhang’s stewardship, the
Beijing Midi School has expanded from a
three-month to a two-year program, with an
additional two-year option for exemplary
students. The godfather of Chinese rock, Cui
Jian, was an early teacher here (once leading
rehearsals for free) while SMZB co-founders
Wu Wei and Zhu Ning discovered punk
rock at the school before kickstarting an
underground music revolution in their home
city of Wuhan when they returned.
A passion for music is the school’s lone
requirement with Zhang noting that the
country’s junior and middle schools lack
strong music education programs.
“At every opening party, I tell new
students that they may have studied poorly
in school before because they didn’t like
subjects like math,” Zhang says. “But they
chose Midi School because they love music.
They just study and are happy because they
found their language and a place to put their
energy and passion.”
One such troubled student, 20-year-old
guitar major Zhang Runze [no relation], did
not finish high school, though his enthusiasm
for learning music is evident: “I have never
felt more motivated. I hated learning during
my high school years, but at Midi I study
really hard,” he says.
Others have sacrificed more stable careers
to pursue their passion. Da Fei, 24, who plays
gothic rock and darkwave with the band
EverKey, dropped out of an international
commerce college in his sophomore year to
join the school against the will of his parents
(a resistance faced by all the students we
speak with).
“For me, Midi Music School is a sort of
utopia,” he says. “The people I meet and
live with here all share a kindred ambition
and interest with me. I feel free because
everything I talk and learn about are the
things I love. When I go back home, people
around me only talk about trivial stuff like
getting married, earning money and so on. It
can be boring, suffocating even.”
With practice rooms open from 8am
to 10.30pm, just moments away from the
campus residences, the Midi School is a
musical haven. Programs cover music theory
and composition, with students expected to
learn disparate genres, from blues to jazz
Above left | Head teacher Zhang Fan
Above center | A student practices drums in
the school grounds
Below | The school's main building
fusion. But the schedule can be punishing.
Students must pass rigorous tests and
dedicate huge amounts of time to rehearsing,
says 25-year-old blues guitarist Lu Cheng,
who is also a member of Danaotiangong:
“We seldom visit downtown areas in Beijing.
We spent most of the time here, learning
and practicing. The curriculum is very
demanding.”
In their second year, all students must
form a band and perform at one of the
monthly parties held in the campus’
livehouse. Famed alumni occasionally
swing by for intimate free shows and the
school’s best bands are rewarded with an
even greater level of exposure, thanks to the
growth of the school’s own Midi Festival.
Originally a showcase for student bands,
it has become a May holiday tradition that
set the template for Mainland music festivals
and paved the way for competitors like
Strawberry Music Festival, JZ Festival and
Zebra Festival. After being held on school
grounds for four years, Midi hit the big time
in 2005 when 46 bands played to tens of
thousands in Haidian Park. Growing revenue
from ticket sales and sponsorship allowed
for bigger bookings, providing the school’s
young talent (normally the most recent
graduates) with the chance to play alongside
some of China’s biggest acts in front of huge
crowds.
The Qing Stage is still devoted to student
bands from across the country battling in
the China College School Competitions. It’s
part of headmaster Zhang’s goal that “every
Midi Festival has 20 percent new bands.” The
standard is high and students like Lu Cheng
know that competition for a slot is fierce.
“You have to compose enough songs of
high quality and also be good at playing,” he
says. “But without any doubt, we all want to
be on that stage in the future.”
The future of the festival may hang in the
balance this year however, as the school
awaits confirmation of the venue. The Public
Security Bureau is increasingly strict with
licensing large events – an understandable
reaction to the New Year’s tragedy in
Shanghai – but the headmaster has a backup
plan. Although expanding the event helped
accommodate international acts like Britpop
stars Suede and funk legend/slap bass
pioneer Larry Graham, Zhang is ready to
bring the festival back to the school campus
if need be.
“A lot of young people want that feeling
of the early Midi Festivals,” he says. “At the
time, it was like utopia. No tickets, very
cheap drinks and the musicians played for free. It was
like a big family.
“At least more and more Chinese people have a chance
to taste what a festival is like: a relaxed and free place
where people respect each other while being cool
and happy. And the bands are original and gritty – not
Chinese TV pop.”
Nonetheless, the commercial popularity of televised
talent competitions has seen the school evolve with
the times. A vocal program has recently been added to
the curriculum to complement the popularity of the
shows, although Zhang notes it’s not solely for pop.
With students hailing from as far afield as Tibet and
Taiwan, the Midi brand may also be expanding. As Zhang
considers opening a second branch in Shenzhen, a playat-home music instruction book series is scheduled to be
released by People’s Music Publishing in mid-May that
will assist music teachers across the country.
“Once you follow the series to study, students can play
almost any style, from heavy metal to funk to Latin,”
Zhang says.
Yet it is a lifelong passion for rock that continues to
drive Zhang. Sitting in his office, he gregariously recounts
being one of the first Mainlanders to be exposed to
Western sounds when his father (who was among
the first to leave the country for a research exchange
in Melbourne) returned to China in 1981 with two
90-minute cassette tapes of songs recorded from vinyl by
his Australian friends.
After months of playing air guitar on a broom, Zhang’s
mother bought him the real thing. His teenage years were
spent writing music and winning school competitions.
Like many of his students, college wasn’t for him. While
he majored in foreign trade, Zhang spent his first postgraduate years “being lazy at home and making music.”
With no equivalent to the Midi School at the time, it
was fortune that threw him an opportunity in 1993. It
was then that his time spent hanging out at the country’s
first music instrument company – the Midi music store –
paid off.
“The boss asked if I wanted to be the director of
the school they set up,” he recalls. “I agreed because I
thought I could use the music instruments for free.”
Rock in China has grown immeasurably since. Zhang
uses 14th century classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms
as an analogy to describe the transformation: the 1990s
were like the Shu Han Kingdom “where there were three
big guys,” and its current state is the Cao Wei Kingdom
“where there are 200 guys.”
It’s an underestimation – there are believed to be more
than 2,000 student bands active around the country. So
does this first-generation rocker ever jam with his young
charges?
“No, I’m the director,” he says with faux sternness. “To
be honest, I’m not as good as the students.”
midi Festival is scheduled for may 1-3; for more details as they
become available, visit www.thatsmags.com/beijing.
A R T S | fe at ure
THE Want generation
A Chinese Millennial Reviews Eric Fish‘s
New Book, China‘s Millennials
by Ka ro l i n e Ka n
When American journalist Eric Fish started
teaching at a Nanjing university in 2007, the
then 22-year-old found himself drawn to his
students’ stories. Some were just a few years
younger than he was, yet the experiences of
these so-called ‘millennials’ – a generation
to which I myself belong – seemed unique to
China.
But as Fish became more familiar with
just how good our lives are when compared
to our parents’ and grandparents’, he also
uncovered the distinctive difficulties we face.
Armed with “fascinating stories that needed
to be told,” his forthcoming book China’s
Millennials provides a new perspective on a
generation that has come to reflect the social
changes unfolding in modern China.
Across four chapters, the author analyzes
the opportunities and challenges my
generation encounter through the real-life
tales of those he came to know. He frames
their stories around the defining features of
growing up in China: from the nationwide
college entrance examination, the gaokao,
to mandatory military training in school,
junxun; from how we choose our future
careers to the gender inequalities we face at
marrying age.
But as well as considering societal
pressures, China’s Millennials is very much
a book about this country’s politics. One
cannot be understood without the other. And
believing it to be impossible to coherently
write about the wider topic of ‘Chinese
youth,’ Fish uses the interaction between
China’s millennials and politics as a more
precise frame of reference.
“I purposely focused on how politics
is affecting youth and how youth
are affecting politics, because it is a
symbiotic relationship,” he tells me. “The
subject of Chinese youth is far too big to
comprehensively cover in one book. Even
trying to comprehensively cover just the
political aspects is perhaps a bit pretentious,
but that was what I wanted to narrow my
sights on.”
But is this focus misleading, given the
pervasive stereotype of Chinese millennials
as being largely apolitical? Indeed, Fish
himself admits that when he asks young
people about politics, it’s rarely high on their
list of concerns, if at all. How much of a role
does politics really play in our lives?
“Politics is a funny thing in China. The
government has done a good job over
the past two decades backing away from
visibility in day-to-day life, but politics is
never really too far away… especially in
arenas concerning youth,” Fish explains,
using the gaokao – which many people
consider totally apolitical – to illustrate his
point.
Most high school students obsess over the
“Like Americans [Chinese
millennials] have become
disillusioned in finding that
the realities of adulthood in a
post-recession world aren’t
quite what they expected”
exams as a necessity for higher education
and a successful career. Fish argues that few
have any concept of how high-stakes testing
has provided a form of social control for
Chinese rulers for over a millennium: “It’s
hard to escape politics. A lot of big issues
that may not seem political actually have
very big political implications.”
As well as the gaokao, China’s Millennials
also discusses the impact of other major
state strategies on young people, such as
the One-Child Policy – which has aggravated
the gender imbalance and put pressure on
children to care for their parents – and the
hukou system which keeps rural youth from
keeping pace with their urban counterparts.
Fish also addresses cultural challenges,
like the entrenched gender stereotypes
that prevent women from mirroring men’s
economic progress. These problems, he
argues, may often stem from China’s success,
as people’s expectations outpace the
realities of the country’s development.
Fish’s book gives me a chance to reflect
on my own childhood and views on topics
like education, careers, marriage and the
pursuit of freedom. As a Chinese millennial,
I experienced most, if not all, of what he
presents in his work. I agree that, while
many young people in China would not
list politics at the top of their priorities,
it influences every aspect of our lives.
Corruption too, has a drip-down effect and
may lie behind many of the things that we
complain about.
My peers and I ignore injustices in our
lives but treat unfairness as an inevitable
part of the human condition. We know
that our routes to success may be blocked
by corruption, compromise or the need to
betray our original intentions, yet every
year millions of us still fearlessly join the
“army that marches across the single wood
bridge” (as the civil service examination
is often described). Most of the time, we
notice problems but choose not to challenge
them. Instead, we carefully calculate the
potential gains and losses before attempting
change, or simply try to figure out how to
benefit from corruption. Challenges to the
status quo are viewed as the actions of the
depressed losers who fail to benefit from it.
It is this trait of our generation that I find
depressing. But when viewed in a wider
context, we may find that the challenges
facing the Chinese millennials are shared
by our contemporaries worldwide. In 2006,
Jean Twenge’s book on American millennials,
Generation Me, concluded that our young
counterparts in the US are more tolerant,
confident, open-minded and ambitious than
those before them. But they are also more
Fiction
positive about us than
cynical, depressed, lonely
many Chinese: “[They] are
and anxious. Fish sees
definitely starting to speak
this parallel as a valuable
up more and are becoming
consideration.
less afraid of pushing
“You can recognize
change.”
a lot of the same
“The stereotype, for a
tendencies in Chinese
long time, has been that
millennials today,” he
this generation only cares
argues. “Like Americans,
about money. But that’s
they were brought
not broadly true anymore.
up during a period
A lot of youths, especially
of economic boom
among the growing
with somewhat lofty
middle class, are starting
expectations, but then
to care very much about
started to become
less material things like
disillusioned when [they
Author of China's Millennials,
the environment, various
found that] the realities
Eric Fish
social causes, spiritual
of adulthood in a postendeavors and even politics.
recession world weren’t quite what they had
“There [also] seems to be growing
expected. Both young populations are facing
empathy for those who’ve been left behind
similar problems of higher unemployment,
amid China’s growth. These all seem to be
devalued college degrees, wealth inequality,
positive trends,” Fish says. But he can only
lack of direction, lack of meaning and a
wonder how they’ll develop in the coming
higher entrance fee for the status and the
years – as do I. “In recent Chinese history,
dreams that their parents had.”
positive trends have had a way of being
This paints an unpromising picture of
abruptly halted from above. Hopefully that’s
my generation. So, as someone who grew
not how it will pan out this time.”
up outside China and has instead observed
it from up close, does Fish see hope for
China’s millennials? In fact, he proves more
Beijing bestsellers
COLORLESS TSUKURU TAZAKI AND HIS YEAR-HB
BEST
OF ME MOVIE
TIEuses
IN of stem cell therapy, US-born Dr. Quinlan has himself
As well as
researching
potential
RUNAWAY
(NOBEL
2013)to ”rejuvenate and replenish“ depleted cell lines
undergone
anti-ageing
treatment
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (JANE AUSTEN VINTAGE)
PENGUIN MC- THE GREAT GATSBY
CHRISTMAS CAROL (PENGUIN ENGLISH)
ONE DAY
THE LONGEST RIDE
RIVER TOWN
HARD-BOILED WONDERLAND AND THE END OF THE WORLD
Non-Fiction
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2015-HB
FOCUS: HIDDEN DRIVER OF EXCELLENCE
101 STORIES FOR FOREIGNERS TO UNDERSTAND CHINESE PEOPLE
WHY MEN MARRY BITCHES
CHINESE STUFF
FINGER LICKIN'FOOD-HB
PANDA GUIDE BEIJING
HAPPINESS OF PURSUIT-TPB
THE ART OF WAR
FINDING YOUR ELEMENT
Art & Design
IT’S NOT HOW GOOD YOU ARE, IT’S HOW GOOD
YOU WANT TO BE: THE WORLD’S BEST SELLING BOOK
MONET OR THE TRIUMPH OF IMPRESSIONISM-HB
FASHION DESIGN COURSE
DENIM STYLE-HB
THE DESIGN BOOK-HB
IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY
LUMINOUS INTERIORS-HB
DIY FURNITURE 2
THE 1000 DOT TO DOT BOOK
A LIFE LESS ORDINARY-HB
Children's Books
MAZE RUNNER MOVIE TIE-IN
STEP INTO READING: THOMAS & FRIENDS: RAI
LAND OF STORIES #3 GRIMM WARNING-TPB
GS SPACEMICE #2 YOU'RE MINE, CAPTAIN!
WHERE'S WALLY TOTALLY ESSENTIAL TRAVE-HB
PAPER TOWNS
HARRY P & PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
USBORNE FIRST ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE-HB
USBORNE PEEP INSIDE ZOO-BB
BUILDING MATH FLUENCY, GRADE 1
Shop 3B201, Zone 3, China World Mall, No.1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District T:(+86 10) 8535 1055
Shop LG50, Indigo, No.18 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District T:(+86 10) 8426 0408
Shop Units S2-14a-b,No.19 Sanlitun Road Chaoyang District T:(+86 10) 6417 6626
www.pageonegroup.com
weibo.com/pageonechina
site.douban.com/pageone
ARTS | Art beijing 2015
N ational A gricultural E xhibition C enter
全国农业展览馆
VIP preview on April 30 / RMB100 / 16 East 3rd Ring Road North, Chaoyang
4.30预展专场只面对vip嘉宾和邀请媒体 / 单馆票50元三馆通票价100元 / 朝阳区东三环北路16号
Over the
past 10 years, Art Beijing
has established itself as the
biggest (and arguably most important)
art fair on the Mainland. And with a yearly
attendance of 50,000 this isn’t just a playground
for rich dealers.
The three-day event features a heavy focus on
homegrown talent, making it something of a
barometer for the state of Chinese art, both
stylistically and commercially. As the fair prepares
to return to the National Agricultural Exhibition
Center, we begin with a profile of Art Beijing’s
Founder and Director, Dong Mengyang,
before giving you our pick of the best
galleries and exhibitors from
the 160 set to attend.
A R T S | fe at ure
ar
by Os c
Hollan
d
With his dark turtle-neck and on-trend haircut – SHAVED ON
the sides and carefully swept to the right – Art Beijing’s Director Dong
Mengyang looks every bit the part. In a painting-strewn meeting room at the
organization’s Wangjing office, he lights a cigarette and leans to the side of his
chair, legs crossed, in a position he’ll assume unwaveringly for the next hour.
Dong could be excused for disregarding humility, given that he founded
what is arguably the Mainland’s most prominent and influential art fair. But as
the annual event approaches its 10th installment, he’s keen to maintain some
perspective on what’s been accomplished.
“I don’t want to talk much about [the anniversary],” he begins with a smile.
“For me, 10 years is too short for us to have anything to say about what we’ve
achieved and experienced. It’s just a process for us to grow and develop.”
The fair’s figures may have to speak on his behalf. With over 50,000
visitors last year, Art Beijing is now larger than many of its more renowned
counterparts in the West (Art Basel in Switzerland, the godfather of art fairs,
attracted only 10,000 more). This year, 160 galleries and exhibitors will
descend on the National Agricultural Exhibition Center, displaying their work
over 25,000 square feet. And all this in a country with a comparatively fledgling
art market.
Art Beijing can take some credit for the scene’s development due, in part,
to its focus on young domestic artists. While this year’s exhibition will feature
foreign imports such as European antique furniture and Russian oil paintings,
it is still predominantly Chinese. Last year, 70 percent of exhibitors were from
the Mainland. Dong’s self-professed goal is to curate something unique to
China, not simply to reproduce fairs found in the West and elsewhere in Asia.
Investing in domestic talent (and art in the capital specifically) appears to be a
genuine part of Art Beijing’s mission.
“I have a teacher who once lived in New York and has now moved back to
Beijing. He told me that those were the two world cities he liked the most,
because both have so few indigenous people. They are inclusive to various
cultures, needs and possibilities. That’s exactly what Art Beijing is doing right
now,” he says, while admitting that it will take time for the capital to emerge as
a major player in the art world.
“Look at the development of Western art. Take the time from the Barbizon
School [19th century realists] to the impressionists as an example and you
find that the Roman Empire wasn’t built overnight. Wave after wave of artists
and artworks appear and disappear, but they always have a place in history.
Future demand will be driven by education about art history, from classicism
to modernism, and it will take a long time.”
But Art Beijing cannot be seen as a purely creative endeavor. The fair is as
much a place for business as it is for absorbing the artwork displayed. Deals
made over the four days will collectively run into the hundreds of millions of
yuan. But the director hastens to stress a distinction from the big-spending
crowds at Asia’s other established art fairs (he describes Hong Kong’s arm of
Art Basel as “boisterous and meaningless”).
“Beijing is a cultural hub in China that attracts wealthy people and people
in the art industry. But there was a lack of ordinary people in the exhibition,”
recalls Dong, while maintaining that the RMB100 ticket price is not designed to
be prohibitive or profit-making, but simply to set a threshold of interest among
visitors (“ordinary people can be too curious about everything and we only
have limited time”).
With a focus on young artists and a range of low- and mid-range price tags,
Dong claims that accessibility is paramount. He argues that the changing
profile of the fair’s visitors reflects a widening appreciation for art in China.
“The biggest change over the past 10 years [of Art Beijing] is that lots of
investors are moving out and instead, many individual customers are coming
in. That is the right way for the industry to thrive. Investors were just trading
the artworks for more money. Now, a group of people have emerged as real
collectors. They will hang these artworks on the walls out of a real love for art.
Seeing this, I believe that China has a future,” he says.
“The owner of a gallery in Tokyo told me that after his
father passed away, he took out the accounts and found
a huge number of transactions happened in 1948, an
otherwise bleak year in post-war Japan. This inspired me
– as long as there is a group of wealthy people who have
taste, there can be an art market.”
But many in China lack the wealth to buy even the
cheapest works on display. Ordinary Beijingers have
indirectly helped support the fair through funds given by
the capital’s Municipal Government – so is Art Beijing truly
for them? I am interested to know whether Dong – who has
organized art fairs since the early 1990s – agrees with Xi
Jinping’s statement that art must serve both the people and
socialism itself.
“I certainly agree with him. Over the years however,
‘serve the people’ has become overused and many have
become tired of it,” he says. “Maybe I interpret this
differently from President Xi as he stands at a higher level.
But for me, it is very realistic.
“You can’t survive if you don’t serve the people. We need
to know what people here want. Art Beijing serves this
end as well. I don’t think we should just imitate Western
styles. We need to have our own things. We envy Western
civilization and maybe that is why we fall short right now.”
The fair is certainly responding to changes in taste. Its
2013 event introduced a classical art section – a response
to increased demand for ink paintings – and this year sees
a new concurrent display for sister brand Design Beijing.
Describing the fair’s selection as “always multi-faceted,”
Dong sees the expansion of work on display as crucial for
Chinese art’s development. This thinking was behind the
decision made three years ago to merge the company’s
three fairs (contemporary art, fine art and photography,
which had previously been displayed separately) into a
single event.
“The Western market has a motley assortment of art
forms as a result of its sophistication,” he argues. “There
are so many subdivisions. We haven’t arrived at that step so
I pulled them together to set up a platform, allowing people
to have the access to these artworks and schools.
“We have just got rid of poverty and accumulated some
money, so there has to be a process. As the first step, I
want to create a unified art market here, featuring Chinese
elements and characteristics. Then we can talk about
embracing the world as a whole. Meanwhile, it is also for
Westerners to understand ancient Chinese culture.”
The regular references to the West could give an
impression of insecurity. But over the course of our
conversation, what emerges is Dong’s apparent dedication
to replicating the success of Western art, not its style. The
goal of the fair, as he describes it, is exemplified by the
criteria used to select participating galleries.
“Do they really push forward the development of art? Is
it an institution that makes contributions to the Chinese art
market? These are the only two restrictions.”
A R T S | fe at ure
1
艾米李画廊 A m y L i G a l l e r y / 郭剑犀牛布面油画 | R h i n o ; O i l o n c a nv a s , 1 5 0 × 1 5 0 c m G u o J i a n 2 芳草地画廊 Pa r k v i e w G re e n A r t / 夏航不锈钢 | M r. W h o
( 2 0 1 4) ; s t a i n l e s s s t e e l , 2 0 0 × 1 4 0 × 8 c m ; X i a Ha n g
3
东京当代艺术俱乐部 / To k yo Co nt e m p o ra r y A r t C l u b | 李禹焕始于线矿物颜料、胶水画布 Fro m L i n e ( 1 9 7 9) ;
m i n e ra l p i g m e nt a n d g l u e o n c a nv a s , 1 3 0 × 8 9 c m ; L e e U fa n
d e l a s i e s t e ( 2 0 1 4) ; a c r y l i c o n c a nv a s ; A n s a t u
c a nv a s , 1 0 0 × 1 0 0 c m ; Wa n g Fa n s e n g
廊 Ne w Co nt i n e nt a l G a l l e r y / 阿毛
6
5
4
天泽画廊（法国） Tre s o r A r t G a l l e r y ( Fr) / 安萨图（法国） | 午休时光丙烯画 6 0 × 6 0 c m He u re
季节画廊 A r t S e a s o n s / 王梵僧西行小憩布面丙烯 | A B re a k o n t h e We s t wa rd Jo u r n ey ( 2 0 1 4) ; a c r y l i c o n
程昕东画廊 C h e n g X i n d o n g / 师建民宋徽宗 | H u i zo n g S o n g ( 2 0 1 4) ; i n k p a i nt i n g , 8 8 × 1 7 3 c m ; J i a n m i n S h i 7 新大陆画
爱慕
纸板彩色铅笔 | Ad m i re ( 2 0 1 2 ) ; c o l o r p e n c i l o n p a p e r, 7 3 × 1 0 3 c m ; A m o u 8 玉兰堂 L i n e G a l l e r y / 颜石林夏花铸铜
化学着色 & 实木 | S u m m e r F l o we r ( 2 0 1 5 ) ; wo o d a n d c o p p e r c o l o r i n g , 1 3 5 × 4 5 × 4 5 c m ; Ya n S h i l i n 9 K 空间 K .G a l l e r y / 庞茂琨镜花缘之八布面油画 | F l o we r s i n
t h e M i r ro r 8 ( 2 0 1 4) ; o i l o n c a nv a s 1 6 0 × 1 1 0 c m ; Pa n g Ma o k u n
10
北京现在画廊 B e i j i n g A r t No w G a l l e r y / 王劲松长征摇滚纸本重彩 | Lo n g Ma rc h Ro c k ' n’ Ro l l
( 1 9 9 0) ; c o l o re d a c r y l i c a n d g o u a c h e o n x u a n p a p e r, 4 5 × 1 2 0 c m ; Wa n g J i n s o n g
原曲画廊 O r i g i n a l S o n g G a l l e r y / 韩巨良德国蒸汽机车 B 1 X H Z- N 布面油画 |
11
T h e G e r m a n St e a m Lo c o m ot i v e B 1 X H Z- N ( 2 0 1 4) ; o i l o n c a nv a s , 6 0 × 8 0 c m ; Ha n Ju l i a n g
1
2
4
3
6
5
7
9
8
10
11
COVER STORY
40
S TAT E O F T H E A R T
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F G a l er i e U rs M e i l e , B e i j i n g
“You have a product and it
doesn’t matter if everybody
says ‘this is shit,’ you try
to convince [collectors] of
what it is. That is my job.
It’s not my job to tell the
artists what to do”
It is approaching 10pm aboard the last flight
of the day from Beijing to Hong Kong. To my
right, a smartly-dressed man in his mid-tolate thirties is arguing with a female member
of the cabin crew. “Seriously, how can anyone be expected to travel like this… surely
you can find me a seat elsewhere?” says the
man. The cabin crew member, ever the professional, remains unmoved. Casting around
in search of a potential ally, the man leans
towards me, gesturing at my seat: “I mean,
seriously?!”
I am over a foot taller than my seatmate
and afforded considerably less legroom. “It is
cramped,” I reply.
The man, his face red and flustered, presses on: “I was supposed to be in first class,
but they’ve overbooked… the seats are all
filled with art industry people, you know the
types.” He pauses to loosen his tie. “They’re
all flying in for the Art Basel thing.”
I nod. “Makes sense, I suppose.” The cabin crew member excuses herself and walks
away. It is over three hours before we are due
to arrive in Hong Kong. I consider closing my
eyes and pretending to sleep.
“Bunch of shit though, isn’t it, modern
Chinese art?” he continues, not waiting for
an answer. “I don’t know why anyone would
waste their time with it.”
I shrug and raise my eyebrows in apparent
agreement.
“So tell me,” says the man with a smile.
“What are you doing in town this weekend,
business, pleasure, little bit of both..?”
“I’m there for the Art Basel thing,” I reply.
There is a pause. The man looks at me
quizzically, waiting to see whether I’m joking
or not. I am not joking. “You had me fooled
there for a minute!” he says finally, his smile
suddenly returning. “Hahaha, good one!”
~
If contemporary Chinese art is a joke, it’s
difficult to know who exactly is in on it – and
who the joke is on. For the first two days of
Art Basel’s five-day run in Hong Kong, members of the public are prohibited from entering the fair. Officially, this is known as the
preview period – “an opportunity for the
press and art world to gain an advanced look
at the works on display” – though in reality, the days following the preview are little
more than an obligatory appendage. All the
real business of the fair – the buying, selling
and high-powered socializing – takes place
in those first frenzied 48 hours. By the time
the public arrive on the Sunday, most of the
artwork has been sold – and the complimentary champagne drunk dry.
Founded in 1970 by Swiss gallery owners
41
Trudi Bruckner, Balz Hilt and Ernst Beyeler,
Art Basel has grown in size and influence
over the decades to become the world’s leading contemporary art fair of its type, with
annual events held in Basel, Miami and as
of 2013, Hong Kong. Its rise in prominence
mirrors that of the ongoing commodification of modern art and its emergence, alongside property, as an exclusive form of global
capital. Last year, worldwide art sales totaled
53.9 billion US dollars, a record high, with
China – and new Chinese money – accounting for almost a quarter of all transactions.
This coming together of extreme wealth
and modern art is best captured in Art Basel
Hong Kong’s VIP collectors lounge. It is here,
alongside booths selling private jets and diamond jewelry, that minor European aristocrats rub shoulders with newly-minted petty
tycoons from China, while sipping flutes
of Ruinart champagne. It is also the place
where I am due to meet 32-year-old Chinese
conceptual sculptor Hu Qingyan (“It’s very
anonymous, no one will bother us,” reasoned
Hu).
Despite the international platform the
fair provides young artists, Hu had seemed
largely disinterested in the event when we
met in Beijing several weeks ago. During
that conversation, Hu had described the
COVER STORY
Hu Qingyan
fa r r i g h t
Narrative by
a Pile of Clay 81-200
[2012-2013]
Hu Qingyan
Hong Kong fair as a necessary part of the modern industry, something that artists “had to do.” (This is the second
consecutive year that Hu’s works have been displayed at
Art Basel).
Today, Hu appears similarly unenthused. His wife –
who had traveled down with him from Beijing – has fallen
sick, and not yet left their hotel room since arriving. Hu
meanwhile is “very tired,” having spent last night at a
party for prominent collectors, organized by his gallery.
Sipping on a coffee and dressed in neatly pressed dark
denim, Hu’s sensible appearance – his hair is cut short,
his glasses standard issue – is in marked contrast to the
absurd, flowery opulence of the VIP gallery. I wonder,
does he feel comfortable in this world?
“I think I have the ability to adapt to new environments,” replies Hu. “For me, mainland China is full of all
these conflicting elements,” he says, stretching his hands
out wide. “It’s a big weird factory in which lots of ridiculous things exist at the same time. People come here to
see strange art, but it is reality that is truly strange.”
In person, Hu is sharp and wry, giving him an outsider
quality, even among artists. Unlike many young Chinese
artists whose careers are accelerated, in part, through
family connections, Hu was born to a farming family in
rural Shandong. His parents, he tells me, still have no
real idea of what he does.
“They understand it in
terms of how much energy
I have to use. If, for example, I carry something
heavy, then it’s ‘work,’
which I suppose is true.”
Nor is the artwork he
produces in any way commercially-minded. In a
market geared towards the
middlebrow tastes of extremely rich men, it is no
shock to learn that giant
polymorphic sculptures
sell for less than paintings
of gracious women that
can be fitted neatly onto
the wall of a luxury apartment. “Most of my works
are enormous and heavy,”
says Hu. “But this can be a
problem for the collectors
and eventually affect the
sales. Last night a number of collectors asked
whether I would consider
making a smaller version for them. It’s something I’ve
thought about – making smaller pieces – but not for the
benefit of collectors. The decision has to be an artistic
one and right now, I prefer to work to a larger scale.”
Hu’s sculptures are absent from this year’s fair. Instead,
his gallery has chosen to display a limited edition set of
40 photos, depicting his ongoing project: Narrative by a
Pile of Clay [pictured right], in which Hu repeatedly molds
and remolds a block of clay into varying objects over the
course of several months. The piece is valued in the tens
of thousands of US dollars, a relative steal, in the context
of Art Basel, where most works sell for upwards of several
hundred thousand.
“If I was really concerned about money, I wouldn’t
42
have chosen this profession,” says Hu. “You know, there
are many faster and easier ways to make money in today’s
China.”
It is nearing midday and neither of us have yet to properly appreciate any of the art on display. I suggest that we
should maybe take a walk around. Hu agrees and we set
out into the second floor of the fair.
Beyond the rarefied confines of the VIP lounge the
atmosphere is comparably hectic. Popular booths are
crowded, with collectors throwing questions at gallery
owners – the majority in putonghua Chinese. “It’s too
noisy and too full of people to really appreciate the art”
says Hu, moving aside as a stern-looking woman strides
past us, gallery worker in tow, talking loudly on her phone
about the “wall power” of “good Japanese abstracts.”
“It’s like Toys ‘R’ Us for the global one percent,” I say
to Hu. He nods sagely, though I am not convinced he understands the reference.
We walk in no particular direction, through clusters of
tanned European men in Giorgio Armani suits and Gucci
loafers, and uniformly tall, waif-like women, until we find
ourselves at the booth for the Beijing-based Long March
Space. Inside, a large number of mainly Chinese collectors are talking furiously – to each other, over the phone,
and to the gallery staff.
At the center of their
attention, a large painting
shows a cluster of arms
thrust upwards through a
cloud, hands outstretched
against a dark blue background. The work, Cloud
Layer by young female
Chinese artist Yu Hong, is
thought to be among the
most sought after pieces
at this year’s fair.
“How much do you anticipate this painting will
go for?” I inquire.
Noticing my press accreditation, the sales
representative
appears
reluctant to offer an exact
price. Revealing the valuation of a piece is considered gauche, even at Art
Basel.
“It’s a highly desirable
work, by an up-and-coming talent,” she explains.
“It has received a lot of
interest from some exceptionally renowned collectors,
we are very confident of it selling.”
~
With Hu declaring time on his Art Basel appearance, I
arrange to meet with the director of his Beijing gallery,
Urs Meile.
Prior to my arrival in Hong Kong, an art critic friend
had told me, somewhat derisorily, that in China, “galleries are kings, and the artists serfs.” Swiss-born, silverhaired Meile, who was among the very first international
gallerists to focus on Chinese art, is often described as
‘Beijing art royalty.’ His self-titled gallery, designed by Ai
Weiwei, is one of the few art spaces listed in Beijing guide
books and tourist guides. I am curious, how does Meile
P H O T O S ( PA G E S 4 2 - 4 2 ) C O U R T E S Y O F G a l er i e U rs M e i l e , B e i j i n g
below right
“If I was really concerned about
money, I wouldn’t have chosen
this profession... You know,
there are many faster and easier
ways to make money in today’s
China”
43
COVER STORY
view the role between gallery and artist?
“That’s a very interesting and good question,” says Meile, taking a few seconds to
consider his answer. “It is not for us to tell
the artist that they should use more red
[paintings that use the color red sell for more
than paintings that don’t]. But we are the
first people whom they communicate with if
they do something. They tell us about their
thoughts, ideas and theories – and we give
them our feedback. If you just work within
four walls, you have to talk about what you
are doing. This exchange, among people with
the same interests, is essential.”
At this point our conversation is interrupted by the arrival of e-commerce billionaire Jack Ma, who, along with a sizable
entourage, strolls into Meile’s booth. Meile
pauses for a moment, before excusing himself and heading into the scrum.
Several minutes later, Meile returns,
seemingly unmoved. “Now, where were we?”
“Have you looked at something and wished
it was more commercially viable?” I ask.
“No,” replies Meile, matter-of-factly.
“Because that would be the death of an artist. It is not like craftsmanship, there should
be no instructions.”
“So, it is fair to say that your job is to lead
“Chinese art is changing, but trends come
and go. People buying
art today, may find
that in the future it
has no value”
44
the market?”
“Correct. That’s very precise. It is the other way around,” says Meile.
“You have a product and it doesn’t matter
if everybody says ‘this is shit,’ you try to convince [collectors] of what it is. That is my job.
It’s not my job to tell the artists what to do.”
He continues: “For many people, who
travel from across the world for this event,
the fair is an opportunity for a catch-up, to
talk to the guys you know, and of course to
make new contacts as well. It’s those contacts and the sales they help produce that
are the most significant [...] I remember in
the late 90s there was this idea that art fairs
were not so important anymore. Then five or
so years ago it all changed. Now they are the
most important part of the industry. I am in
the selection committee for Art Basel Hong
Kong, and this year we had over 600 applications.”
Meile eventually helped choose a total of
233 galleries from 37 countries and territories, the worldwide reach lending credibility
to the event’s reputation as Asia’s only true
international art fair. Yet for all its global
posturing, it is the exhibition’s proximity to
the Mainland that has come to define it.
“It is very clear to everyone here that there
P H O T O S ( PA G E S 4 4 - 4 5 ) C O U R T E S Y O F C H E N JIAY E
is a young generation of Chinese, aged between 25 and 40, that is now seriously collecting Chinese contemporary works,” says
Meile.
“They really do their homework, they are
educated and sophisticated and they know
what they are buying. But, equally, you have
to know to whom you are selling. If a piece
is resold at auction [a regular occurrence in
China] it will fetch three or four times the
price of what we sell it for. This is very destabilizing. The most important thing for an
artwork is to be represented in the top collections. I have to be able to tell a real collector from a trader, that is very essential in the
Chinese art world,” he says.
“But aren’t most Chinese collectors essentially newcomers?”
“True, true,” replies Meile. “In the West,
we know a lot of people, so we can easily tell
a true collector from a trader, but here the
market is still growing, which creates more
difficulties for us. Honestly, selling something to somebody you don’t know can be
quite dangerous.”
I leave Meile and wander into the fair unaccompanied. The works on display are varied – in the space of an hour I pass both a
60s Picasso [USD6 million] and a used sock
above
Chen Jiaye
left
Te a r i n g - S e r i e s 1 6 ;
oil on canvas [2014]
Chen Jiaye
45
on a plinth [“several thousand dollars US,”
according to the ambitious gallery owner].
Trade appears brisk and few booths are unoccupied – most are crammed full. Strolling
between collectors, it occurs to me that never before have I been in the company of such
concentrated wealth. Everyone looks so well
moisturized, their faces perfectly hydrated,
their skin clear and bright. There is a definite
air of jollity about the place, of effortlessness
and ease: everywhere, people are laughing,
slapping one another on the back and congratulating each other. Nowhere do people
appear anxious or concerned that they may
have just wasted several hundred thousand
dollars on a “bunch of shit.”
Near the Shugo Arts booth, a Tokyo gallery specializing in works by Japanese artist Masaya Chiba, I meet a young man from
Shenzhen wearing designer sweat-pants and
a chunky gold watch, who introduces himself by his English name, Michael. “I have
very specific tastes,” he tells me in strong
American-accented English. “I find it very
hard to describe what I like.”
“Do you like that?” I ask, pointing towards
a large drawing of several sliced bananas ornamented with throbbing red veins.
“Yes,” says Michael barely looking at the
COVER STORY
46
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F B O E R S - LI G E LL E R Y, B E IJIN G
above
Xu Feng
left
Flashback 42; oil
on canvas [2014]
Xu Feng
47
COVER STORY
~
My attempt to keep a running mental tally
of the money I hear being spent stops around
the six million mark. The energy at the fair
is high – everyone, it seems, is on a winning streak at the casino. Works for several
hundred thousand dollars are purchased as
if they are everyday items in a supermarket.
The constant churn of activity is at times
overwhelming.
It’s nearing close by the time I meet with
Chinese artist Xu Feng. A classically-trained
painter, Xu has become well-known for his
abstract works that fuse elements of traditional landscape painting with hypertechnology. The results, weirdly sensory
and psychedelic, have proven popular with
European collectors and especially lucrative
for his Beijing-based gallery Boers Li. Xu’s
paintings are valued at around USD200,000
but are usually purchased as part of a set.
Although only a few years older than Hu
Qingyan, Xu is a relative veteran of the international art fair circuit.
“I think the most important thing is the
sense of security for everyone involved,” he
says, referring to the current pick-up in market value of Chinese contemporary art.
“The price of contemporary work is usually pegged to its quality. Everyone will have
his own judgment on what’s good and what’s
bad. Art is fashionable right now, in both the
West and China,” he tells me.
I tell him how a lot of the contemporary
art that I’ve seen exhibited at the fair appears relatively apolitical and inoffensive –
interior design for the global jet-set.
“Chinese artists have abandoned Mao
iconography and the giant panda motifs,”
explains Xu, crossing his legs and adopting
a more relaxed, thoughtful posture. “Artists
must innovate – and a new generation is
emerging. The art market today is the natural outcome of globalized capitalism. But if
this process goes too far – if these diversified
images begin to adopt too much in the way
of certain Western elements – then Chinese
artists become just another set of factory
workers, making Western goods.”
~
In the evening, I travel across town by taxi
to meet Michael at the warehouse party in
the industrial suburb of Chai Wan, but by the
time I get there he has already left.
I recognize several gallery owners and collectors from earlier in the day and strike up a
conversation with a young gallery salesperson. She is drunk and talkative.
“Do you think some of the art is overpriced?” I ask her.
“For you, maybe,” she yells into my ear,
over the sound of screeching guitars. “But if
it wasn’t that price, we wouldn’t be able to
cover our costs, you know. The cost of ourbooth is around half a million US dollars, not
including transport costs, insurance, hotels
for staff – even the lighting costs extra.”
“What about the artists?” I ask, moving
the conversation away from loud speakers and towards the back of the warehouse.
“How much do they make?”
“Our artists get half, but I think that’s
above average,” she replies. “If you think
that most average-sized booths cost at least
half a million dollars US, then you need to
clear a million just to break even.”
The music comes to an end. In front of
me, a drunken middle-aged man – probably
a collector or gallery owner – his face covered in sweat, continues to dance, seemingly
oblivious.
“How do you ensure that?” I ask her.
“You make sure the artists bring stuff rich
people want to buy,” she tells me, in a voice
that suggests I am a moron for asking.
~
It is mid-afternoon on the Sunday by
the time I arrive back at the fair. With the
doors now open to the public, the crowd has
swelled to several thousand. Everywhere,
people are stood posing for selfies.
I head to the top floor to meet Chen Jiaye,
a young Beijing-based artist and together we
traipse from booth to booth, occasionally
stopping to look at a work – or more often
than not, the people looking at the work.
There is a strange zoo-like effect at play –
and I am reminded again of Hu’s observation, that reality is stranger than art.
Chen who graduated from the prestigious
Chinese Academy of Fine Art (CAFA), is exhibiting work at a nearby art fair considered
by many to be a lesser, lower-league version
of Art Basel. I ask him how the event is going
and whether he’s sold any works.
“I haven’t sold anything yet,” replies Chen.
“But the experience has been interesting.”
I find it interesting, strange even, that
Chen’s work is not selling – or, more to the
point, not being displayed at Art Basel. How
much is success in the art world due to luck –
and how much is due to talent?
48
right
Cloud Layer; acr ylic
on canvas [2014]
Yu Hong
We are now joined by Chen’s friend and
former classmate, Lu Chao. Lu’s work is also
on display at Art Basel, though there appears
to be no real rivalry between the two young
artists.
“Chen is a very talented painter,” Lu tells
me at one point, slapping his friend on the
back. “His work is really unique.”
During our previous meeting in Beijing,
Chen (whose works focuses, in his own
words, “on how modern consumerism is distorting our sense of tradition and history”)
had told me he felt fortunate to remain
somewhat outside of the industry. In the
midst of the consumer-driven craziness of
Art Basel’s main exhibition room, I wonder
if he still feels the same way.
“Of course I’d like my art to be widely appreciated, in places such as Art Basel, but for
me, the most important thing is that I am
able to direct all my energies and passions
into my art," says Chen. “Money is of no real
importance.”
He continues: “Chinese art is changing,
but trends come and go. People buying art
today may find that in the future it has no
value. It is impossible to know.”
Perhaps Chen’s subverted and damaged
reinterpretations of ancient Chinese paintings are too subtle, too nuanced for a mass
market? Lu Chao, whose own work has
proved popular with collectors at Art Basel,
disagrees. “I think the market will come
around to Chen, of course,” he says. “He has
a good gallery behind him,” the two young
artists laugh.
The three of us, having walked aimlessly
for over an hour, getting in the way of other
people’s photo opportunities, eventually
wind up back at the Long March Space booth.
Without my press pass, and flanked by two
Chinese artists, I am mistaken for a gallery
owner.
“It’s a fascinating, exquisite work, isn’t it,”
begins a sleek female salesperson.
“Where has Cloud Layer gone?” I ask. “The
painting with all the hands?”
“Sold!” says the woman. “The collector
wanted it shipped right away. This is the replacement image by….”
“How much did it go for?” I ask, interrupting her point.
“For the Cloud Layer? 207,000 US dollars,”
says the woman excitedly, while rubbing
her fingers together imitating the painting:
“Money, money, money, money!”
a d d i t i o n a l t r a n s l a t i o n b y z h a o j u a n ya n g
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F L O N G M A R C H S PA C E , B E IJIN G
work. “I thought about buying it.”
I ask what sort of budget he has. Michael
shrugs: “I don’t know, like 500,000 dollars...
maybe more, maybe less. Depends on the
quality, you know. Depends on the details
and things.”
It’s hard to know whether Michael is the
real deal or full of shit, but that appears
true of most people at the fair. He checks
his phone and asks whether I’m going to the
closing party tonight.
This is the second time someone has mentioned this party to me in the last hour. “But
it’s only Saturday,” I reply. “Art Basel doesn’t
end until Wednesday.”
We swap details and Michael promises to
send me the address. Two minutes later he
sends me a smiley face emoji, followed by
the address of a warehouse party headlined
by Beijing band Queen Sea Big Shark.
“Money, money,
money, money!”
49
You know how at Starbucks they
sometimes write a ridiculous
(and incorrect) name on your
coffee cup? Apparently it’s so
you photograph it, share the
confusion/hilarity with your
friends on social media and
inadvertently give Starbucks
free advertising. That’s exactly
how we found this ‘drink’: the
absurd Cotton Candy Larimar
Corona (RMB58). Found at
Korean chain Nine Road Pizza,
it’s a cotton candy shandy (beer
dunked in lemonade) with blue
coloring. Imagine walking into a
tough Shaanxi boozer with one
of these in your hand…
ge
During the three years I’ve spent
eating, drinking – and writing
about eating and drinking –
in Beijing, the enduring trend
has to be the hipster indie
place transitioning to the
Sanlitun big leagues. Home
Plate, The Rug, Great Leap…
there are many – the latest is
Palms L.A. Kitchen and Bar.
We had doubts initially about
the Korean Mexican fusion,
but it’s proved unbelievably
popular. Deservedly so. They’ve
announced a new branch in
Sanyuanqiao. Just think, 20
years down the line these
brands could be household
names all over China…
Is the popularity of these
places helped by a lack of big
Western chains arriving in the
PRC? Many are nowhere to be
seen in Beijing (Taco Bell? Pret
a Manger?) but some are trying.
Like Pizza Express, which is
following up on its Taikoo Li
branch (pictured below) with a
new restaurant in Raffles Mall,
Dongzhimen.
Can Mr. Shi’s Dumplings be
considered a chain yet? He’s
opened a store on the XindongLu-to-Taikoo-Li back alley,
where we hope the alfresco
bootleg booze peddlers, like
Jazz Graden [sic], will open
up again for the summer. Just
around the corner, opposite
Yashow, Tavalin Bagels make
a triumphant return, while in
Taikoo Li North the Bao House
truck is back at The Opposite
House. Finally, the Meatball
Company is opening a store
next to 4corners in Houhai
(Sanlitun branch: late 2017, we
expect). WP
im a
o f f t h e b e at e n p l at e
by h
oll
y li
grapevine
nibbles
> Available at nine road pizza, solana
mall, chaoyang 朝阳区蓝色港湾速度披
萨 (5905 6369)
H e a d -to - H e a d / Throat Lozenges
VER sus
Fisherman’s Friend
Golden
渔夫之宝
Available at 7/11, RMB8
金嗓子喉片
Available at 7/11, RMB7.8
First impressions
Dusty, like something you might find at the
back of your grandpa’s bathroom cabinet.
Golden in name and appearance. Glazed
and shiny, like a medicinal marble.
Consistency
Strong and unyielding, not something
you want to bite into.
Packs a serious punch, powerful enough to
sooth an industrial chimney. Has a taste all
of its own that is impossible to place.
Taste
Crunchy, like a hard piece of candy or a Chinese
Jolly Rancher.
Urbane, slightly sweet, though again with a
taste all of its own. Very pleasant and quite a
bit milder than the Fisherman’s.
Verdict
The Golden is good, but if you’re caught short in a storm with a hacking cough while
sailing the high seas, it’s the Fisherman’s Friend you’ll want to reach for. SG
T h e y Sa i d I t, W e R e a d I t
ba rt i sa n s
Quanjude
This month Emilie, barista at Rager Pie.
It’s huge and there
were so many
people, but I’m
not sure about the
ambience – it was
basically just full
of old people. The
service was pretty
good, but I guess
they were just
looking for that
15 percent service
charge.
The food is
really nothing
special! And
the service
can’t compare
to places
where they
don’t charge
tips! It’s like
you owe [the
waiters]
money…
really, it’s like
IMAGE by Holly li
Ever wondered what the kids these days think of some of Beijing’s long-standing
eat-and-drink establishments? To give you an idea, we’ve handpicked and translated
some comments from popular ratings site dianping.com. This month: time-honored
Tiananmen Square Beijing duck restaurant, Quanjude.
In winter it’s
like Dongbei
in there – it’s
freezing! The old
ayi waitresses
are like drones.
But since you’re
here to eat the
duck, I suppose
the service isn’t
that important.
We ordered
a half duck
for three
people, and
we only ate
a bit, since
it tasted like
eating pure
lard – just so
greasy.
NEWS BITES
Whisky from Taiwan named world’s best single malt
Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique, from Taiwan’s Kavalan distillery, has been named
the world’s best single malt in this year’s World Whiskies Awards, trouncing
contenders from Scotland, Japan, Ireland and a host more. Reportedly China’s
sole distillery, Kavalan only began distilling nine years ago and reported a 50
percent growth in exports last year due to its fast-growing popularity. Master
blender Ian Chang says that heat from a tropical island such as Taiwan can
speed up the maturation process and create a mellower whisky. (Good luck with
that, Scotland.) Bottles of Kavalan can be purchased from jd.com, starting at
about RMB400.
The Drinks. Rager Pie’s coffee selection varies
depending on which beans are in season and available
for import. When we visit, this includes Kenya Kirinyaga
single-origin light roast espresso followed by an
Indonesian Mendling Blue Batak dark roast shot. Both
varieties are imported by Coffee Gospel Roasters in
Shanghai, where Rager’s barista Emilie learnt the art and
science of coffee.
Tasting Notes. The jet-black Kenyan Kirinyaga has
that rusty orange crema (foam head) that we usually
associate with intense bitterness. Not so. “It’s really
more of a sour flavor,” Emilie tells us. “It’s all personal –
different palates will be reminded of different flavors.”
It’s quite complex – one moment we think we’re getting
a hint of grapefruit before an earthy coffee flavor bullies
its way back in. The Mendling Blue Batak has a richer,
roasted bean flavor, and is drip filtered through a mad
professor glass contraption. “This variety is more
balanced, with a nutty flavor. Although lighter than the
Kenyan Kirinyaga, it actually has a stronger flavor.”
The Barista. If brewing jargon (and high prices)
puts you off artisan coffee, then Rager is a good option.
Emilie is meticulous (beans are weighed on scales,
water temperatures are checked) but Rager doesn’t take
itself too seriously: “True, like many people in China
my first cup of coffee was a Starbucks Americano, but
since training at Coffee Gospel I’ve developed a love
for the amazing breadth and versatility of coffee. I love
experimenting and letting other people try my creations.
When [partner and Rager chef] Wilson opened up the
store I knew we had to have coffee to go with it.” Despite
the odd devil motif and 90s grunge track playing, rage
seems to be the furthest thing from the relaxed Emilie’s
mind – until we suggest putting sugar in the espresso
that is. WP
> rager pie, 10 fensiting hutong, dongcheng 东城区分司厅胡同10号
(186 1405 5548)
Ray’s
Burrito
Odyssey
How a Love of Mexican Food Led to an Unlikely
Friendship Between One of America’s Top Celebrity
Chefs and Beijing Restaurateur Ray Heng
I nt e r v i e w by St e p h e n G e o rg e
Beijing-born Ray Heng, owner
of popular local Mexican restaurant
Sand Pebbles Lounge in Wudaoying
Hutong, spent much of the harsh
Beijing winter in the even harsher
climes of Chicago, where he worked
under the mentorship of top
celebrity chef Rick Bayless at the
famed Frontera Grill restaurant.
We sat down with Ray (over some
tacos, naturally) to find out how
the trip came about – and what the
experience has taught him.
Have you always been a fan of
Chef Bayless?
I’ve been reading his books and
watching his DVDs for as long as I’ve
been in the restaurant business. He’s
been my biggest inspiration. Just
eating at his restaurant was a dream,
so to actually be a part of it, to be
working there was something else
altogether.
How did the opportunity arise?
I visited his restaurant [Frontera
Grill] last year, during a trip to
Chicago. Chef Bayless wasn’t there
at the time, so I left a few bags of
Sichuan chilies as a gift and left
a note, explaining that I was his
biggest fan, that I was from China,
and it would be a dream come true
if I could one day meet him. I gave
the gift to the duty manager, who
promised to leave it on his desk. I
thought that would be it. Hopefully
he’d try the chilies. End of story.
But a couple of months later, I
get this email from his culinary
director explaining that they would
be visiting the US embassy in Beijing
and would I like to meet? I couldn’t
believe it. I actually pinched myself
to check that I wasn’t dreaming.
Eventually, when the time came,
we met at his hotel. It was quite
late in the evening, and Rick was
hungry, so I took him to some local
restaurants, Lu Gang [Xiao Zhen]
and Bellagio, basically the types of
places that I usually hang out at late
at night. We ended up staying out
all night talking, we got along really
well, and so the next day I invited
him to my restaurant.
He was really amazed that this
Chinese guy is making Mexican
food in Beijing, using real Mexican
tortillas with real Mexican taco
fillings. He tasted our chorizo,
our carnitas, our tacos – he liked
them all. We talked about recipes
and preparation and he gave me
some tips on how to enhance the
color, how to improve the taste and
how to keep things fresh. He also
interviewed me for his podcast.
We ended up hanging out again
that night. One of my friends owns
a Beijing duck restaurant – so we
visited there, and I took him on a
tour of the kitchen to check out the
roasting process.
Again, I thought this would be
the end of it, but then he asked me
whether I’d be interested in coming
out to visit his restaurant in Chicago
and seeing what they do there. The
problem being, I was – I still am in
fact – really busy. We’d just opened
a third location [El Gran Bocado, in
Shunyi], and the trip didn’t really
seem possible. I was working flat
out.
But something said you had
to do it?
Yeah, I had to go, no matter what,
even if it meant my restaurants here
in Beijing had to close for a while
– I had to go! And so in January my
wife and I arranged to take some
time out and head over to Chicago.
The weather was crazy, much colder
than here in Beijing. Minus 10 to 15
fe at ure | e at & drink
Clockwise from far left | ray heng at work in the frontera grill kitchen;
ray and his wife pepper, pictured alongside rick and deann bayless in
chicago; ray and rick together in el gran bocado, beijing; and bayless’
team at work behind the scenes at frontera grill.
degrees every day. To make matters
worse, I’m staying like 30 miles out
at a friend’s house in the suburbs, so
I have to get up at 6am each day and
catch the train to make sure I can
start at 9am.
That seems a little early?
That’s when they start the prep. All
the prep chefs at Frontera are really
good people, really helpful. They’re
always willing to answer questions,
show you what they’re doing and
how they’re doing it. I wanted to
learn the entire business from top to
bottom. I’d also stay on for another
few hours once the prep guys had
left, to watch the guys making the
food each evening. That was truly
mind-blowing. These guys are doing
something that I tell my chefs never
to do: they’re working in complete
silence. No verbal communication
whatsoever. Yet they’re perfectly
in sync. They’ve worked with each
other and chef Bayless for 20 years.
Five people, serving 300 to 500
guests. Every night. Not a wrong
move between them. It’s crazy. The
kitchen itself is not that big, but it’s
incredibly efficient.
How big is the gap between what
these guys are doing and what
you’re doing?
It’s big… it’s beyond big. They’ve got
decades worth of experience, the
whole process has become a fine art.
For example, they even make their
own hot chocolate, using their own
Mexican cacao beans. It’s a complete
system. Ninety-five percent of all the
waste from the entire restaurant is
recycled. They’re even turning their
used cooking oils into bio-diesel
to fuel all the trucks that transport
the ingredients to the restaurant.
They grow all their own microgreens, everything is organic, the
garlic, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, you
name it – even the meat is sourced
from small local organic farms. It’s
basically the exact opposite of the
model you typically find here in
China.
How has this impacted on what
you’re doing in Beijing?
The trip taught me a lot. I’ve
readjusted the whole kitchen – it’s a
lot more efficient now. I’ve tweaked
the menu, added new things and
refocused my energies.
The way I see it, you can buy
anything in this world, except for
experience – experience has to be
earned. I want to keep pushing
myself, keep improving, keep
learning. Chef Bayless is 60. He’s
keeping fit, doing yoga at the
weekends, traveling, sampling new
recipes, trying new things. Thirty
years from now, that’s where I want
to be.
e at & drink | Fe at ure
e at & dr ink | r es taur a n t s
Charcoal
So Hot Right Now
!
by N i k o l a i B l a c k i e , i m a g e s by Ho l l y L i
Price
RMB150-300 for meal,
RMB25-45 for beer
Who’s Going
Bearded Shunyi biker
gang dudes and their
kiddies
Good For
Craft beer minus the
hipsters
“The yak ribs, flown in from Yunnan,
are a falling-off-the-bone, meltin-your-mouth kind of deal”
What topic of conversation do we hear over and over
while sat at Charcoal’s bar? How the long-suffering
residents of Shunyi – where this new barbecue/
microbrew is located – have been waiting an eternity
for a place like this. We’re inclined to agree. As arguably
Beijing’s only suburb, Shunyi – The Great Beyond, where
your gated compound dreams become a Fifth Ring Road
reality – has been a haven for heavy-walleted CEOs,
diplomats and mid-life crisis biker gangs for some time
now. They might be the antithesis of hipster, but surely
they deserve their own craft beer and BBQ hang-out?
As befits the name, the place screams barbecue.
The decor is stone, iron and wood (blackened in the
bathroom for the charcoal effect). Wallpaper? Don’t be
ridiculous. There aren’t even many walls – just glass
separating diner from kitchen and drinker from brewery.
It is studied utilitarianism – the wood for the smoking
oven is piled up in a ‘wood library’ (stacked in varieties
of peach, pear, apple and hazelnut wood).
On to the food: all meat is sourced from either local
farms or trusted suppliers, and presumably chosen
based on how good it tastes when cooked over charcoal.
The locals at the bar are all in agreement – the food
tastes good. The 21-day dry-aged beef rib-eye is our
favorite (RMB148 for 250g or RMB258 for 500g). The
jerk chicken (RMB88/half, RMB128/whole), smoked
in a converted duck-roasting oven, has gloriously moist
flesh beneath tasty skin, while the yak ribs (RMB188),
flown in from Yunnan, are a falling-off-the-bone, meltin-your-mouth kind of deal. Salads are available but – as
admitted by the restaurant – unimportant (we expect
they don’t taste so good roasted over charcoal).
Smack in the middle of the restaurant, and central to
Charcoal’s appeal, is the brewery – all twelve gleaming
vats worth. It’s the new flagship brewing operation for
Arrow Factory, whose beer you may well have tried
at Stuff’d or The Vineyard Café. The brewpub marks a
partnership with the teams responsible for Kro’s Nest
and The Corner Melt. The beers are priced competitively,
coming in small and large sizes ranging from RMB25
for a small (250ml) A Whiter Shade Of Pale wheat to
RMB45 for a pint (460ml) of Seeing Double IPA. With the
new facility, Arrow Factory promises us a wider range
of consistently high-quality beer, which they’ll need to
keep up with the high standards set by the likes of Great
Leap, Jing-A and Slow Boat. There’s more of a traditional
European influence than the aforementioned brewers
though – the Longbow Men Session Ale (RMB40/30)
and Blonde on Blonde Belgian Ale (RMB40/30) we could
drink all evening long. And we’re quite happy to do so
at Charcoal. We’ve come all the way from downtown so
might as well make a session of it – how much is a taxi
back to Chaoyang again?
Opening times TBA, west end of Qingyuan Sanjie,
Houshayu,Shunyi 顺义区后沙峪罄园三街西口 (6040 8911)
Restaur a n t s | e at & drink
satan's hot dog
A Diabolical Idea
!
by W i l l P h i l i p p s , i m a g e by Ho l l y L i
Price
Hot dogs RMB19-29
Who’s Going
White collar goths,
clandestine
missionaries
Good For
Just hot dogs really
Sanlitun SOHO is one of the
least hellish places in Beijing.
An increasing number of its
lots are being filled with shops,
restaurants and offices and yet
it’s always blissfully quiet. The
sleek glass towers are pleasing
on the eye, there are decent
toilets and, as far as we can tell,
there’s not a hint of eternal fire
and brimstone.
Which is why we think it’s an
odd choice that the antichrist
has set up a hot dog restaurant
here, and a pleasant little one
at that. We’re expecting flame
decals, a red color palate
and Iron Maiden’s Number of
the Beast on repeat, but the
only hell motif is a mural of a
prancing devil in a suit.
With its green branding and
exposed brickwork, Satan’s Hot
Dog looks a bit like Subway…
in the same way that salt
looks a bit like sugar. However,
Satan’s has just enough novelty
ornaments to elevate it above a
run-of-the-mill Subway clone.
Amateurish photo collages of
celebrities eating hot dogs,
coat hooks shaped like dog
butts (available in IKEA, fyi),
Wrigley’s chewing gum on
the menu (to prevent Hell’s
mouth breath, RMB3), and an
interesting poster proclaiming
Satan’s healthy approach to fastfood: wholegrain bread, fresh
ingredients, open kitchen etc.
But does that make the dogs
any good? (Subway can harp
on about healthy sandwiches
all they like, but it doesn’t stop
them tasting pure evil.) Well,
we dive straight in with the
main event: the Satan’s Hot Dog
(RMB29), a thick, juicy sausage
– we’d say an ungodly nine
inches plus – alongside a few
pickles, wrapped in a robust
bread roll. The sausage has a
homemade texture and look,
but it’s a bit flavorless. (And the
translucent skin has not been
taken off – you wouldn’t get that
in heaven). The bread is decent
though – slop enough ketchup
and mustard on and you have
something worth a repeat visit.
It doesn’t compete with the kind
of artisan dog you might find at,
say, a Beijing craft beer festival
– but compared to the halftime
hotdogs at Gongti Guo’an games
they are divine. The veggie and
regular (both RMB19) options
are less exciting – stick with the
Satan.
It all adds up to a solid little
hot dog place, although we still
find the branding confusing.
(The staff are positively
angelic.) “Temptation is the
devil’s greatest weapon… [it’s]
not a crime, have you had your
Satan today?” the walls ask. Our
reckoning: it was set up by a
born-again Christian, with the
aim of subverting the devil’s
image, to laugh in the face of evil
with mediocre fast food. The
Christmas carols playing over
the sound system are the give
away.
daily 11am-9pm; 6-116, 1/f, sanlitun
soho, 8 gongti beilu, chaoyang 朝阳
区工体北路8号三里屯soho6号商场1楼
6-116室商铺 (5785 3813)
Caravan
The Camel’s Back
!
by O s c a r Ho l l a n d , i m a g e s by Ho l l y L i
Aside from the occasional Mongol sheep bought for slaughter, those
on the caravan trails linking Beijing with the Silk Road lived on an
uninspired diet of oat and millet flour. Scurvy was a common problem
on camel trains. Too few fruits and vegetables, apparently.
It was a tough existence and the opening of the Peking-Kalgan
railway in 1909 cemented the humble caravan’s demise. But, over a
hundred years later, it returns to Beijing by way a new venture from
CuJu owner Badr Benjelloun... on its logo at least. Two camels face in
opposite directions and – given that the food is an almost even split
between Moroccan and Cajun – perhaps one of them is headed for
Louisiana.
And how times have changed. Caravan may not boast a fruit-andveg-heavy menu but there is just enough vitamin C here to keep
scurvy at bay. Better still, there is an abundance of Mongol meat this
time around. Almost all of it is slow-cooked and benefits from hours’
worth of preparation time – Benjelloun must relish having a kitchen
bigger than his entire first premises.
His unhurried approach pays dividends. The shredded duck sat
atop the penne du batou is tender, well-paired with a marinara sauce,
and emboldened by a Cajun kick. More successfully, the slow-roasted
mechoui lamb almost falls off the bone; an excellently cooked shank
lent a sweet twist by a honey and raisin glaze.
Elsewhere, the fare hints at contrast and combination. We try a
decent Cajun chicken salad that balances spice with flavors prone to
dominating, such as onion and horseradish (the latter in the form of
a creamy remoulade). On the sweeter side
of the menu, the banana flambe with rumraisin ice cream excels on the hot/cold front,
two courses, RMB150 for
with cracked pepper adding a little more
three; lunch set: RMB68
complexity.
for two courses, RMB98
Neither desert nor oasis, the interior
for three
is tasteful enough. Dark woods and reds
Who’s Going
offset cream walls lined with black-andHungry diplomats,
white photographs, giving the restaurant
camel-pullers, Badr’s
something of a Mediterranean taverna-vibe.
mates
The focal point is a rather charming central
Good For
bar, its main surfaces and shelves made from
Slow-cooked meat,
a repurposed siheyuan door.
avoiding scurvy
But the food alone will surely secure the
restaurant’s place in the capital’s dining carousel, for now. With
plenty of nearby embassies and faithful CuJu-ites willing to venture
out from the hutongs, we suspect this Caravan won’t be off anywhere
soon.
Price
Dinner set: RMB120 for
mon-sat 11am-11pm, sun closed; 44 guanghua lu, chaoyang 朝阳区光华路44号
(8563 0801, www.caravanbeijing.com)
r es taur a n t s | e at & drink
Park 17
Close to Maturity
!
by W i l l P h i l i p p s , i m a g e s by Ho l l y L i
Italian Park 17 is a restaurant that strives to belong to
a grown-up scene – as you might expect from someone
who is one away from 18. Unlike many new openings in
Beijing, it’s not trying to make any grand statements and
it doesn't have a gimmick – like, say, offering the biggest
selection of Amalfi coast limoncello in China. It feels
organic – it hasn’t just looked at Beijing and thought:
what do we need to do to fit in here?
Located in the Sanlitun South courtyard complex (aka
the trendiest parking lot in Beijing), a multi-level dining
space creates depth and a lack of photos on the menu
creates something resembling a real Italian restaurant.
The food, of course, resembles real Italian too, but
right off the bat, it does feel a bit like it was made by nonItalian natives. That’s partly due to the fact the menu
is not particularly adventurous, although that’s not an
indicator of quality, which on the whole is good. It’s
also to do with size – most dishes we try here are huge,
starting with a flowery tomato and mozzarella salad
(RMB78). Size, naturally, can suggest inadequacies in
other departments, but the tomatoes are fresh and the
mozzarella suitably spongy, not rubbery. Aside from that,
the warm seafood salad with avocado, lemon and parsley
(RMB138) has plenty of squid and the wood-oven
roasted asparagus, wrapped in prosciutto and topped
with fontina cheese (RMB88), is an extremely good take
on the theme of veg wrapped in bacon.
Between courses we discover that the name, Park
17, is reference to the fact that in the future, the menu
will offer up to 17 different set menu options. Too much
choice? We stick with a la carte and up next is pizza,
topped with spicy salami, broccolini and house-made
ricotta (RMB128). The base has that nice garlic pizza
bread crunch to it. For pasta, we opt for a rigatoni with
meatballs and smoked chili tomato ragu (RMB128),
which is the sort of warming comfort pasta you want to
be able to make at home as your go-to.
We finish with crispy beef short rib with grilled
broccolini and smoked chili-chianti glaze (RMB348). This
might win the most points for ambition – it’s a huge slab
of beef imported from Australia and the chianti glaze is a
nice touch, but if you have just a simple chunk of beef it
needs to be perfect to really sing. Park 17’s comes close
but no cigar. It’s representative of a place that does better
when it sticks to something less ostentatious. That’s
something of a rarity in Sanlitun – so we hope Beijing
takes to it.
Price
RMB200-300 per person
Who’s Going
Beijingers who’ve
vacationed in Italy
recently
Good For
Flexibilty – we’d bring a
date, our colleagues or
our parents here
daily 11am-10pm; inside the sanlitun south complex, chaoyang
朝阳区工体北路4号机电院内停车场西侧 (6586 1889)
IMAGE by Holly li
e at & dr ink | r es taur a n t s
Price
the bar bq
Does What it Says
Platters from about
RMB50-150 per person;
burgers RMB35-50
Who’s Going
Pool-playing carnivores;
drinkers at The Bar
Good For
Inducing meat sweats
In the mid-90s, British wood-dye
manufacturer Ronseal (or more
specifically its advertising agency)
coined the timeless slogan: “It does
exactly what it says on the tin.” It was
a no-nonsense catchphrase for a nononsense product.
Other commercials promised
domestic bliss to those with clean
laundry, unbounded happiness to
consumers of carbonated drinks,
and irresistible sex appeal to
the underwhelmingly averagelooking, but Ronseal won over DIY
aficionados with its refreshing,
unapologetic bluntness.
So while Sanlitun’s The Bar BQ
must surely have the most unoriginal
name since ‘The Bar’ (found one
floor above, in what we can only
presume is called ‘The Building’),
it’s nice to know exactly what we’re
getting – a bar and a barbecue. Ergo,
we will be served alcohol and meat.
The space has barely changed
since the previous incarnation, By
the Tree, so we can trundle through
with relative haste: stone floor, pool
table, sports trophies and interior
archways. Time for cooked carcass.
We indulge in the all-meat combo
(RMB195, feeds three to four), which
features two types of ribs, two of
brisket and a rather dense sausage.
This is meant to be a dry barbecue
and it’s certainly that – a little too
much for our liking – although
snippets of succulence can be found
in the chopped brisket and rib
tips, both of which are the platter’s
highlights.
A saucy remedy is the obvious
solution. The Texas and Memphis
varieties are too sweet for these
palettes but the Kansas City brings a
certain richness found lacking in its
bottled brown friends.
So The Bar BQ is, for now, doing
exactly what it says on the tin. But
there’s potential for more. With
a little sauce-tinkering and some
slightly juicier cuts, it may find itself
better placed to challenge the more
established names in the world of
Beijing barbecue.
daily, 5pm-late; 2/f youyi youth hostel,
sanlitun back street, chaoyang 朝阳区友谊青
年酒店2层 (6415 9954))
ba rs | e at & drink
Nbeer pub
Man’s Best Friend
Price
Pale ales dominate the lineup, which
features a brooding Season IPA (RMB40)
and our personal favorite: the crisp and
refreshingly floral Summer IPA (RMB40).
The Chocolate Stout (RMB40) lacks both
subtlety and richness – it’s almost coffee-
All beers fall in the the
RMB35-50 range
Who’s Going
Thirsty shoppers, people
with no friends
Good For
Pale ales of the India
‘No Beer No Friends’ reads the somewhat
threatening slogan welcoming customers
to NBeer Pub’s second location. Lest you
forget – without the inebriating effects of
fermented vegetable matter, you will remain
boorish, unattractive and so consumed by
self-doubt that you could barely sustain
pillow talk with a prostitute, let alone the
genuine companionship of fellow humans.
Better get drinking then.
Emerging as one of the better domestic
brewers in Beijing’s foreign-led craft beer
revolution, NBeer has made 13 drafts
available to help ease your loneliness.
IMAGE by Holly li
variety
like in consistency – but we can vouch for
the general quality of the brewer’s output
through regular appearances at Beijing’s
beer festivals (on our part as well as theirs).
But what differentiates NBeer Pub from
the growing horde of competitors is its
aesthetic. Instead of mood lighting and
shades of deep wood, this feels more like a
beach bar with its high stools and novelty
bottle display. And while most craft beer
taprooms allow the din of informed chatter
to fill the air, NBeer Pub lures you in with
Sinatra-esque swing before unleashing
Elephant Man: “A’right real badman nuh
wear people pants… Kick out yuh shoes
because yuh foot dem nuh cramp,” he
suggests.
The dancehall veteran makes a valid
point. But he cannot distract us from the
bar’s defining characteristic – it’s in Sanlitun
SOHO. Inescapably so. The shopping complex
is visible through the storefront-style
windows and drinkers are only separated
from neighboring stores by a wall of hanging
ropes. This is not necessarily a bad thing,
though it seems more suited for a post-shop
refuel than a full evening session.
daily 10am-midnight; b1-625, tower 6, sanlitun soho,
8 gongti beilu, chaoyang 朝阳区工体北路8号三里屯
soho6号商场b1-625 (136 8330 8384)
steampunk
Subculture Vultures
If Vice magazine
can make itself
the millenials’
Who’s Going
favorite with
Steampunks, regular
witty dissections
punks, regular Joes
of western
Good For
subcultures, then
Cheap drinks before
we’ll be damned if
hitting up a livehouse
That’s Beijing can’t
do so in China. Sure,
we don’t have many to riff on – post-ironic
cyber-crusties and futurist bohemians aren’t
big here – and the one we do have, hutong
hipster, seems to have ruled the capital for
longer than the Qing dynasty did. Steampunk
bar suggests there’s some level of obscure
subculture to be found, though. And what a
deliciously weird one the steampunk is. It’s
not quite at Japanese octopus porn levels of
weirdness, but it’s considerably edgier than
a head-to-toe Hello Kitty get-up.
Upon entering, we’re met by the owner
(member of the band Black VA – they make
their own instruments, natch) and his
jewelry designer friend, Danyi, who looks
like supermodel sorceress. They describe
steampunk as an aesthetic that marries
Price
IMAGE by Holly li
Drinks around RMB20-30
19th century industrialist steam-powered
machinery with the studded leather of
traditional punk (think Edward Scissorhands
listening to The Ramones), but minus the
anti-establishment middle finger, judging
by the hosts, who are lovely. The owner
has hand-made a series of moving metal
contraptions from repurposed bike wheels
and metal tubing which adorn the walls.
They make us their signature drinks
– Steampunk #1 and Steampunk #2
(both RMB30), which are essentially just
sweetened alcohol plus mixer. The rest of the
fridge runs the standard gamut of imported
beers and they are inexpensive – a Vedett is
only RMB20. As the rulebook dictates, the
bar is located within walking distance of the
Gulou-to-Dongzhimen thoroughfare, just off
Jiaodaokou Nan, and is a touch larger than a
shoebox. Yet, in a city where the Steampunk
population might not even reach double
figures, why go any bigger?
daily 5.30pm-late, Xiang’er hutong and Jiaodaokou
nan dajie intersection, dongcheng 东城区交道口南大
街与香饵胡同交口 (139 1022 8025)
COMMUNITY
communi t y | t iger fat her
Slumber party season
When 8-year-old Girls do Everything but Slumber
by Tre v o r Ma r s h a l l s e a
“The group of girls bounced from party to party, a bit like Regency-era
aristocrats through the London social season, though a bit more like a
crowd of pill-crazed youths going from rave to rave”
They say all your formative, life-establishing years are a pathway of preparation for
the day you finally step up and play your
part in human evolution. This is the phrase
I use – usually when cleaning vomit or
some such mess – to put a grandiose hue on
the fairly commonplace event of becoming
a parent.
When I was a younger, less tired man, as
a daily journalist I sweated under deadlines, occasionally grilled national leaders
and went toe-to-toe with the odd angry
sportsman/national icon.
But none of this came close to readying
me for the awesome power, the fury, the
heaving human mass of energy that is an
8-year-old girl’s sleepover birthday party.
There’s been a glut of them lately. Our
Evie’s friends all seem to have been born
in the same month. Whatever it was that
triggered we parents to get jiggy with
each other in mid-2006 – my money’s on
the World Cup – this Spring Festival was
slumber party month. This group of girls
bounced from party to party for several
weekends, a bit like Regency-era aristocrats through the London social season,
though a bit more like a crowd of pillcrazed youths going from rave to rave.
Our turn came late in the season. Hosting
kids’ parties is stressful, but in my case, the
pressure was really on. The previous weekend’s bash was high-society indeed. There
was nail-polish, make-up, hairdressing –
it was effectively a makeover sleepover, I
guess in case these 8-year-old girls were
just so bored with their ‘look.’ There was
even a printed menu, featuring “shrimp in
pink sauce” and a cheese plate!
All very well for them. I made it clear to
Evie the menu for her party would feature
photos of pizzas and a big phone number.
This was partly because, adding more
pressure, I’d be the only adult around for
most of it, my wife having to work until the
evening. Thankfully it was quickly clear
the girls were just intent on partying like it
was 2009.
It also helped that our party was a select
affair, with four guests. This is because
Evie is an awkward little thing with no
friends.
No, she’s great, but a few people were
away for Chinese New Year, we had limited
space and… who would want more than
four guests anyway?! (The sleepover after
ours hosted 13 kids! I’d have fled that after
an hour, solo host or not.) In any case, it
seems five girls is more than enough to
cross the threshold for madness and noise.
Our theme being Harry Potter, Evie
wanted “pin the tail on the Hippogriff,”
which I learned is a mythical creature
that is half-horse, half-Newt Gingrich. We
thought it might be fun instead to throw
the tail at the Hippogriff, so I bought a dartboard. Once the game was over, the kids
removed the Hippogriff and just played
darts, possibly unaware it’s not usually
played by cute little girls but by fat beerswilling Englishmen in pubs. As they excitedly hurled sharp metal spikes through the
air, they were as happy as I was terrified.
After a treasure hunt, which prompted
screaming and running even though these
girls weren’t actually competing with
anyone, it was pizza and movie time. The
pizza was easy. Each girl requested Margherita, except one, who asked for cheese, not
knowing it was also called “Margherita.”
However, letting the kids choose which
Harry Potter movie to watch proved only
one thing: you should never let kids decide
which Harry Potter movie to watch. The
debate took hours, and would still be going
on had I not finally drawn a number out of
a hat in what I excitedly marketed as “The
Great Harry Potter Lottery.”
By now it was getting late, but the cake
would have to wait for the pizza. I’m not
sure many parenting manuals recommend
stuffing kids with cake and icing at 9pm,
but this was arguably unavoidable. Unarguably, it really gave the party a late kickalong.
Intent viewing of the movie gave way
to – well, a running and screaming redux,
as the kids telepathically called together
a noise-a-thon. I also hadn’t realized how
much 8-year-old girls can sweat!
But all went quiet for The Arrival of the
Rude Word – a part in the movie when
someone says “the B-word.” This sparked
a lively debate on the spelling of ‘bitch,’
which then, in a switch only 8-year-olds
can master, became a debate about the existence of God. Then, the sublime craziness
returned, until it was time for the ridiculous – trying to herd this lot into a shower.
“Do you want a shower?” my wife asked
an American girl unused to Australian accents.
“WHAT?” the girl screamed. “DO I
WANNA SHOUT?”
“NO – A SHOWER,” my wife had to yell
back.
“OH. NO THANKS. BUT CAN I SHOUT?”
We told her she could, evidently.
Finally, the mob was corralled in one
bedroom, for more shouting. I’m not sure
when they dropped off, as I was asleep before they were. But I think they had a good
time, though I wonder what they told their
folks: “We played darts, and the lottery, I
learned how to spell ‘bitch’ and that there’s
no God.”
Trevor Marshallsea was a foreign correspondent in
Beijing in the 1990s and returned a decade later. This
time around he stays at home to grow the kids. Read
more of his domestic adventures at www.thetigerfather.
com
advertorial | communit y
Character Building Stuff
CEC Education Helps Children Reach Maturity
by Je n s B a k k e r
A Hurun Media report in 2014 found that
up to four out of five wealthy families in
China want to send their children abroad
to study. Last year, the number of Chinese
students moving overseas increased by
11 percent from the previous year. A lack
of trust in Chinese education? Maybe, but
it also stresses the importance of an allencompassing education that prepares
students for an increasingly international
word. That’s doesn’t just mean working
with people from different countries, but
adapting to different countries’ customs
and conventions.
In an interview with China Daily, a father
was quoted as saying: “We value all-round
development and quality-oriented education… and by sending [our children] abroad,
we also hope to broaden their horizons and
give them the chance to be independent.”
And as that multi-faceted style of education starts to influence schools around the
world, it’s never too early to start thinking
about how your child is best prepared for
international higher education. Englishspeaking environments, melting-pots of
cultures, balancing new social lives with
academic challenges – it is as much a test of
character as it is intelligence.
This is exactly the philosophy that newly
opened Character Education Center (CEC)
adheres to. “While we are sending our
children to better schools or international
institutions, do we and the faculty really
understand what the education system
should provide for our children?” they ask.
While many parents focus on particular
subjects – math, science, English, dance,
music, etc., which can overburden a student with ‘data’ to process – CEC suggests
a more practical and organic learning pro-
gram to supplement your child’s education.
The center’s syllabus differs from traditional learning in that the classes focus on
individual character traits, such as responsibility, independence and diligence, instead of a traditional subject-based course,
which students might find overwhelming
when running concurrently with regular
studies. “Good character traits are like
roots to a child’s life,” the experts from CEC
tell us. “Our mission is to plant and nurture these fundamental attributes in order
to help children learn how to make good
choices in the future. Without outstanding
character, a child can’t reach their highest
potential.”
Children are taught through activities
that focus on reading clubs, public speaking, drama, songs and group discussion.
Adding these extra dimensions to your
child’s education provides a great platform
for an easy transition into learning in a
foreign country or international school.
Classes are taught entirely in English and
always in small groups – allowing teachers
more time to focus on individual students’
needs.
With enrollment now open in the Beijing branch from ages 5-12, we recently
attended the center’s open day at their
Lido branch. Senior education consultant
and CEC chief consultant, Jemina V. Vallee,
was on hand to talk. She joined CEC from
EtonKids, which she co-founded and helped
develop the curriculum for from 20042012.
One topic mentioned was bullying and
violence among children in the classroom.
Needless to say, being on the receiving end
of such ill treatment can greatly effect a
child’s future development and have fun-
damentally negative effects on attitudes
to study and the classroom environment.
With CEC’s course, students are taught to
have the awareness to intervene when they
see bullying, tell a teacher when they are
being bullied and understand for themselves how detrimental it can be.
At the heart of CEC is its course curriculum – the Character First Education course,
which was developed in America under
Strata Leadership, the world’s largest
character-based leadership development
program. Their aim is to teach and encourage positive social values.
Through a range of fun, engaging, positive, practical, and research-based lessons,
students are guided towards building the
character and competence needed for success. Over 100,000 teachers and instructors around the world now use the course.
Each curriculum unit offers approximately three hours of step-by-step instructional material on a specific character quality. Carefully researched lessons include
discussion, exploration, memorization, activities, stories, projects, and games, which
are designed to reach all kinds of learners:
auditory, visual, tactual and kinaesthetic.
Inclusiveness is at the core of CEC’s education, which they ensure is the best possible
platform future success.
if you’d like your child’s academic career to get off to a
head start, cec will be happy to consult you on various
options available for your child. contact via phone
on 8457 8996 or 8457 8928 or over wechat, user id:
cec84678928. character education center, room 204,
Building 7, 9 fangyuan Nanli, chaoyang 朝阳区芳园南里
9号楼7号院丽都水岸会所二层204室
Events
WED APR 1
nightlife
SPORTS
Hike: Walled Village to the Little West
Lake
After taking a quick look at the thick
walls of what were once Ming Dynastyera barracks, you will be taken on an
easy stroll through chestnut orchards
on the way to a stretch of the nearby
Huanghuacheng Great Wall.
> RMB400 (RMB360 for members);
8.30am gathering at Lido Hotel
Starbucks or Liangmaqiao subway station pickup at 8am (Online booking and
more information www.beijinghikers.
com)
Gig: ‘Still Smiling’
Teho Teardo & Blixa Bargeld, a TransAlpine connection (Italian and German)
between two sonic geniuses, who bring
their unique live collaboration project
‘Still Smiling’ to Beijing. Best described
as chamber pop, with a touch of electro,
lyrics are sung in English, German and
Italian. Presented by Goethe-Institut
China.
> RMB 80 (RMB50 presale before March
31); 8.30pm; Yugong Yishan (see Listings
for details)
FRI APR 3
DJ: Audioeyes featuring Djuma
Soundsystem
Guest DJ Mikkas, better known as Djuma
Soundsystem, is a Norwegian beat controller who plays warm beats and melodies that fall somewhere the techno,
house and disco catergories. We’ll just
call is dance – which is exactly what
you’ll fell like doing. Support from Migas
resident, Nassdak.
> RMB50; 10pm till late; Migas (see
Listings for details)
WED APR 8
GIG: SISQÓ
Believe it or not, it’s been over 15 years since R&B singer Sisqó burst into the limelight with his orchestral ode to skimpy underwear, ‘Thong Song.’ You may be equally
surprised to hear that he’s back with a new album, his first since 2001’s Return of
Dragon. And for a final revelation: new disc Last Dragon received some rather good
reviews – the New York Times suggesting that Sisqó “still has plenty of fire.” The
superstar’s China club tour brings him to 8MM, a venue gaining a reputation for bigname bookings. Expect a rip-roaring journey through his discography, though we
can guess which song song song song sonnnnng people are going to be waiting for.
> Presale RMB150 (VIP RMB400); Wed April 8, 8MM, WF1-WF2, Landmark Towers
Bldg. 2, 8 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang 朝阳区东三环北路8号亮马河大厦2号楼WF1WF2室
APR 1-26
nightlife
ARTS
SAT APR 4
Gig: Nathaniel Gao Jazz Quartet
A key contributor to the local jazz scene,
both as co-leader of the quintet Red
Hand and leader of his own quartet and
trio, Nathaniel Gao is a saxophonist and
composer worth seeing.
> Free; 10pm-1am; East Shore Live
Jazz Café, 2/F, 2 Qianhai Nanyan Lu,
Dianmenwai Dajie, Dongcheng地安门外
大街前海南沿2号楼2层 (8403 2131, eastshorelivejazz@gmail.com)
THU APR 2
Party: Pillow Fight
Are you ready for the annual
International Pillow Fight day at MAO
Livehouse? Good. Bring your friends and
arm yourself with pillows ready to hit
the ones you love (and hate). Live music
Gig: The Shanghai Restoration Project
The Shanghai Restoration Project creates
high-energy electronic beats rooted in
modern day Chinese culture. In addition
to their most popular song, they’ll play
some new tracks from latest release The
Classics. Expect a mix of electronica, rap,
improvisation, and jazz vocals.
> RMB150 (RMB120 presale: yoopay.cn/
event/20150403); 9pm; Yugong Yishan
(see Listings for details)
Gig: Spring Fever
A feast of electrifying local talent makes
for an all-night-long rager, with some
of your favorite food vendors supplying sandwiches and snacks to keep you
fueled up for rock.
> RMB60 (RMB50 presale); 9pm; Dusk
Dawn Club (see Listings for details)
NIGHTLIFE
Gig: The Harridans
Psychedelic, bombastic, moving… The
Harridans promise you a sound like no
other. Catch the Beijing-based rock outfit
at DDC. (Bonus fact: ‘Harridan’ is an old
French term for a scolding hag.)
>RMB 50 (door), 40 (presale); 9pm; DDC
Gig: Ikonika
Described by British media as “a rare
female face in the male-dominated
world of dubstep”, Ikonika combines
melodic synth patterns, driving drums,
unorthodox song structures, and – oh
yes – plenty of hot, steamy bass.
>RMB60; Dada (see Listings for details).
NIGHTLIFE
Exhibition: Momentum
Spring season in Ubi Gallery starts with
an exhibition of three jewelry artists
from Beijing. Song Xinzi, Li Yu and Zhao
XiaoMu are alumni from the jewelry
department of the Beijing Institute of
Fashion Technology whose works present the exploration of material and the
interaction between art and technology.
> Free, 11am-8pm; Ubi Gallery, 62
Yangmeizhu Xiejie, Dongcheng东城区杨
梅竹斜街62号 (6301 2382)
Gig: Yuck
Critics have likened London-based indie
rockers Yuck to Dinosaur Jr., Pavement,
My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth.
The band has two full-length releases
under their white studded belts.
>RMB 150, (RMB120 presale); 9pm;
Yugong Yishan (see Listings for details)
from Multi-Ego, The Sweet Escape and
Collision Dreamer. Lucky draw for traveling tickets to South Korea/Phuket Island.
> RMB100, RMB80 (presale); 8-11.30pm;
MAO Livehouse (see Listings for details)
NIGHTLIFE
NIGHTLIFE
Gig: The Beijing Beatles
Hard not to love these guys – rocking
night out guaranteed. Beijing’s very own
John, Paul, George and Ringo play an extensive medley of Beatles classics.
> RMB 50 (RMB40 presale); 9pm; Dusk
Events are editors’ picks of the best
activities and are not comprehensive. To
list an event, email bjevents@urbanatomy.
com. For some details, see Listings.
SAT APR 11
DJ: THE SYNDICATE – OM UNIT
First off, if you missed our in-depth interview with Om Unit, get yourself back to
the Arts section (page 26) and have a read. Because now we’re going to tell you
about the best thing about the bass pioneer’s trip to China – it’s completely free.
That’s because The Syndicate is teaming up with global travel website Skyscanner
to provide you a night of free fun (drinks not included) at Dada. All you have to do
is download the Skyscanner app – through iTunes, Android Store or WeChat (tianxun_cn) – and show it at the door. If you are without smart phone (Nokia-philes
and conscientious objectors included) then it’s RMB50 to get in. Support comes
from Blackie, Kay C, Donkey Tonk, Chole and Elemental.
> Free with Skyscanner app, RMB50 without; Saturday April 11; Dada (see Listings
for details)
DJ: Dim Sum Disco features Juhstynn
Juhstynn (aka That’s Beijing’s very own
marketing guru Justin Culkin) may well
be the sexiest man currently on Beijing’s
music circuit. When not leading his team
at this very publication, he can be found
in the city’s clubs playing his trademark
ladykiller house sets, with a hint of
thinking man’s disco. Support (as if he
needs it!) from Dim Sum Disco residents
Boflex and Crystal Bones.
> RMB 30 (free before 11pm); 10pm till
late; Migas (see Listings for details)
ARTS
Concert: Elizabeth Leonskaja Piano
Recital
A highly sought after Russian concert
e v ents
pianist, Elizabeth Leonskaja is known
for her elegant playing style. This recital
features works by composers such as
Beethoven, Shubert, Liszt and Brahms.
> RMB50-300; 7.30pm; National Centre
for the Performing Arts, 2 Xi Chang’an
Jie, Xicheng 西城区西长安街2号 (www.
chncpa.org)
nightlife
Workshop: Beijing Opera Mask Making
Each of the main characters in traditional
Chinese Opera wear a unique style of
makeup, known as Lianpu. Join this class
to make your own Lianpu while learning
a bit about traditional Chinese culture
along the way.
> RMB30; 1.30-3.30pm; CLE classroom,
Room 605 (6th floor), 9 Jianwai SOHO
Building, 39 Dongsanhuan Zahonglu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区东三环中路39号建外
SOHO东区9号楼605
COMMUNITY
Film: The Land of Many Palaces (2014)
Screening, with director Q&A, of documentary The Land of Many Palaces. Made
by Ting and Adam in 2014, who cane
together over a mutual desire to explore
the unprecedented changes occurring
in Chinese society today. Please reserve
online.
> RMB60 (Culture Yard Students RMB40);
7-9.30pm; Culture Yard, 10 Shique
Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区石雀胡同10号
(8404 4166, cultureyard.net)
THU-SUN APR 9-12
ARTS
Opera: Der Rosenkavalier
Der Rosenkavalier is one of Richard
Strauss’ most famous operas, a story
about love and marriage set in 18th century Viennese aristocracy.
>RMB 100-880; 7.30pm; National Centre
for the Performing Arts, 2 Xi Chang’an
Jie, Xicheng 西城区西长安街2号 (www.
chncpa.org)
SAT/SUN APR 4/5
EAT/DRINK
Eat: Easter Brunch at Capital M
Capital M’s Easter brunch is a treat for
the whole family. Tuck into a delicious
brunch on the terrace in the spring
sunshine. Easter eggs, hot cross buns
and lots of Easter treats for little ones.
Reservations required. Call: 6707 2727.
> RMB 248/288; 11.30am-3pm; Capital M
FRI APR 10
COMMUNITY
Workshop: Taichi Class
Whether young or old, and no matter
where you’re from, Tachi could be the
ideal physical exercise. Prepare yourself
for joining those practicing in the park
with this free indoor session.
> Free;1.30-3.30pm; CLE classroom,
SOHO东区9号楼605 (Reservations required in two days advance: 5869 5800
or email info@chinaledu.com)
SAT APR 4, 11 & 25
COMMUNITY
Tour: Beijing Electric Bike Tours
A great way to see huge swathes of
Beijing from ground level without completely tiring yourself out. Guides are
well trained in the rules of the road too,
so safety is ensured.
> For more information visit www.bjebiketours.net
NIGHTLIFE
SUN APR 5
NIGHTLIFE
Gig: Liu Donghong & The Sand
Liu Donghong is an experienced Chinese
singer songwriter, who’s been gigging
since 1998 (round about the time this
magazine first came into existence, in
fact).
> RMB80 (RMB60 presale); 9pm; DDC
COMMUNITY
Film: Easter Parade (1948)
Classic Fred Astaire and Judy Garland
musical from waaaay back in 1948. A
nightclub performer hires a naive chorus
girl to become his new dance partner in
order to make his former partner. Music
by Irving Berlin.
> RMB 75; 5pm; Capital M (see Listings
for details)
MON APR 6
COMMUNITY
Workshop: Chinese Calligraphy
Mao once said that if you haven’t learnt
the art of Chinese calligraphy then
you’re not a real expat in China (or
something like that). In this workshop,
you’ll be introduced to the history of
clerical script and be guided to create
your own works of art. All equipment
provided; free tea and coffee; Please
reserve online.
>RMB160 (Culture Yard Students RMB80
RMB); 1-4pm; Culture Yard, 10 Shique
Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区石雀胡同10号
(8404 4166, cultureyard.net)
TUE APR 7
COMMUNITY
Sat Apr 11
Gig: The Seven Mile Journey
Word of post-rock’s popularity in Mainland China is spreading fast to Europe –
currently riding that wave is Danish outfit, The Seven Mile Journey. Ahead of the
band’s nine-city tour, which is their first in China, we get the low down on the
band’s direction with member Henrik Bang.
On standing out as a post-rock band...
When we started, we were mainly inspired by bands in the hard rock genre. We
have always focused on keeping these hard rock elements in our music – or at
least our interpretation of it – while combining them with post-rock elements.
On their live shows...
Our main objective is always to deliver the intensity of the music with absolute
dedication, giving each audience member the freedom to absorb the music in the
way that makes sense to them.
On the importance of song structure...
We rarely make adjustments as we want to stay true to the original compositions.
When the songs are created we focus on limiting the instrumentation so four
people can perform them live. We make sure that the few instruments we sometimes add in recordings never drive the songs, so it doesn’t feel like something is
missing when we play shows.
With this is mind, we also construct our albums with almost everything being
played and recorded live in the studio, to try to achieve a more authentic and
intense sound.
On their songwriting process...
The main theme and storyline of the songs are often established before entering
the rehearsal room. Then, almost all of the actual music is created through jamming sessions, where each member contributes. Songs like ‘Theme for Elthenbury
Massacre’ and ‘When Blizzards Are Afraid’ serve as chapters to the overall storyline that link the albums and journey together.
> RMB80-120; Apr 11, 9pm-late; Yugong Yishan (newnoise.taobao.com; Alpine
Decline support)
DJ: Timmy Regisford
The Detroit Series is back and honored
to open the 2015 series with a real
house legend: American DJ and producer, Timmy Regisford, who goes by the
name ‘The Maestro’ in some circles.
> RMB 50; 10pm till late; Migas (see
SAT APR 11
COMMUNITY
Eat/Drink: Great Leap Back Alley Chili
Cook-Off
Popular one this. Get down to the OG
Great Leap hutong pub as amateur (and
some not so amateur) Beijing chili chefs
battle it out for cash prizes and, potentially, their faces in this very magazine.
That’s Beijing entered last year and performed poorly – you can find us at the
bar this time.
> RMB150 (includes sample of all chilis and two beers) 2-6pm; Great Leap
Brewing Original #6 (see Listings for
details)
NIGHTLIFE
Gig: Hutong Yellow Weasels
Beijing favorites, the Weasels, play
danceable, foot stomping tunes and
downhome melodies that evoke nostalgic summer nights in the Appalachian
hills. Wonderfully incongruous for
downtown Beijing’s hutongs, then.
> RMB50 (RMB40 presale); 9pm; Dusk
SUN APR 12
COMMUNITY
Workshop: Beginners Mahjong
Mao once said that if you haven’t
e v ents
spent an afternoon learning the classic
Chinese game of mahjong, then you
haven’t really visited China (or something like that). Learn at the Culture Yard,
where local Beijing Mahjong experts
will pass on their skills and share some
knowledge about the game’s history.
Please reserve online.
> RMB120 (Culture Yard Students
RMB40); 10am–12pm; Culture Yard, 10
Shique Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区石雀
胡同10号 (8404 4166, cultureyard.net)
Workshop: Smart Air – Build Your Own
Air Purifier
Learn how well masks and filters really
work, and assemble an effective DIY air
purifier that is as effective as those big
brand units that cost an arm and leg.
Please reserve online.
> RMB250; 2-3.50pm; Culture Yard, 10
Shique Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区石雀
胡同10号 (8404 4166, cultureyard.net)
community
Gig: Sleepmakeswaves with Special
Guest 16MINS
Sydney instrumental post-rock/prog
quartet Sleepmakeswaves have played
all over the world, touring with some
of the scene’s biggest acts, like 65daysofstatic, Tortoise and Mono. This
spring marks their long-overdue first
Asian tour (which includes nine dates in
China) to support second album Love of
Cartography.
> RMB 120 (door) / 80 (presale); 9pm;
Yugong Yishan (see Listings for details)
DJ: Grand Theft China Tour
Versatile Canadian producer and DJ
Grandtheft is known for huge, clubshaking performances. He’ll be at 8MM,
a club quickly building a reputation for
big-name bookings.
> RMB 120 (door) / 80 (presale); 8MM,
Building 2, Landmark Towers, East Third
Ring Road, Chaoyang 朝阳区东三环北路9
号亮马河大厦2号楼 (东三环路边)
TUE APR 14
NIGHTLIFE
Gig: The Adrian Kelly Quartet Live
With wild electric sounds blended with
the more traditional textures of jazz, this
electro-jazz quartet draws on diverse influences such as Miles Davis, Stravinsky,
Stockhausen, and Squarepusher.
> RMB 50 (RMB40 presale); 9pm; Dusk
Gig: Tzusing
Shanghai-based producer Tzusing hits
the road in support of his second EP on
globally respected label, L.I.E.S. Records.
Leaning towards the darker heart of
industrial techno, he’ll take on Dada before heading to shows in Russia. Support
comes from Beijing’s own Fratricide and
Immune.
> RMB50; Dada (see Listings for details)
WED APR 15
COMMUNITY
Workshop: Peking Opera
In this workshop, you will learn the history and classic stories of Peking Opera,
one of the most popular forms of traditional culture, with 200 years of history.
Try your hand at this workshop session.
If it’s free, there’s nothing to lose, right?
> Free; 3.30-5.30pm; CLE classroom,
SOHO东区9号楼605 (5869 5800, info@
chinaledu.com, www.chinaledu.com)
THU-SAT APR 16-18
COMMUNITY
Fair: Edible Oil and Olive Oil Expo
To ‘add oil’ is a lucky thing. So there
should be no place more auspicious than
the pithily-named 12th International
High-end Health Edible Oil & Olive Oil
Expo. Maybe you’ll find a new supplier
or business partner. Even if you don’t,
you’ll get the latest developments from
the edible oil industry. If that’s your
thing.
> Free; 9am-4.30pm; China International
Exhibition Centre (CIEC), 6 Beisanhuan
Donglu, Chaoyang 朝阳区北三环东路6号
(150 1100 5702, 2355821754@qq.com ,
en.oilexpo.com.cn)
THU APR 16
NIGHTLIFE
DJ: Gulou Double Decker
A session of dangerous new sounds at
the Temple/Dada upstairs/downstairs
duplex. Live sets from Lonely Leary and
Mammals upstairs at Temple, while
downstairs in bass cage Dada, there are
DJ sets from Inner Mongolian producer
& DJ Muren, iimmune, Dee & Doubao,
Dizzy Barrels, and DJ Kill (Mafeisan’s
Yangyang) and more.
> Free; 9pm till late; Dada (see Listings
for details)
FRI APR 17
NIGHTLIFE
Party: Funk Fever’s Six-Year
Anniversary Jam
The Funk Fever crew returns from a
short hiatus to celebrate their sixth
anniversary. In honor of the occasion,
they’ll be throwing down some serious
surprises and giveaways, as well as your
usual dose of delectable funk and soul.
> RMB 50; 10pm and later; Migas (see
SUN APR 19
BRITISH SCHOOL OF BEIJING
CHARITY FASHION SHOW
It may be another five months until the return of London Fashion Week but that
doesn’t mean you have to wait around for your British fashion fix. Need some
inspiration for your spring/summer wardrobe right now? Then get yourself over
to The British School of Beijing (BSB)’s Shunyi campus for Lights Out, a fashion
show organized by Year 12 students – Amy Wei, Ella Malibiran, Eduarda Borba
and Julia Torres.
Having teamed up with a range of high-profile sponsors and designers, including Givenchy and Li-Ning Sports, this promises to be the real deal. Models of all
ages (from preschoolers to staff) will take a range of fashion items to the catwalk, in addition to singing and dancing performances from students. And if you
were wondering about the name Lights Out, then the free glow stick that comes
with each ticket may hint at the event’s theme. We’ve been told to expect dim
lighting and a neon décor. Glow-in-the-dark dress code is encouraged, though
not mandatory.
For those already wowed by the fact that four IB students could pull off such
an event, then here’s the really impressive fact: it’s all for charity. All money
earned from the fashion show will go to one of two charities, as part of the
schools Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) program. First is the Little Adoption
Shop, a pet shelter in Shunyi where one man and just three employees care
for over 300 dogs with serious health conditions. The second is The Tanzania
Foundation fund, which helps to improve living standards for impoverished local
children in an orphanage in Tanzania.
The community is already getting behind the event by making donations and
offering free services. Fashion sponsor Laurent Falcon, who owns eponymous
hair salons in Sanlitun and CBD, will be responsible for all the models’ hair and
makeup. He’s also put forward a donation to the show’s good causes. So buy
your ticket and give what you can. If you’re feeling generous, then get yourself
a VIP ticket to enjoy the show with Champagne and a prime runway-side seat.
Additionally, all tickets will provide access to other fun activities, beginning from
4pm. Free catering and free flow beverages also sweeten the deal.
> VIP ticket: adults (RMB200), students (RMB150), regular ticket: adult (RMB150),
secondary student (RMB100), primary student (RMB70), lap infants (free); show
6-7pm, activities from 4pm; British School of Beijing, Shunyi campus (see Listings
for details)
Gig: Rolling Bowling Release Party
Rockabilly trio Rolling Bowling celebrate
the release of their newest vinyl with a
party at School Bar. Expect plenty of fun
and dancing with these 1950s-inspired,
counter-culture aficionados.
> RMB40; 9.30pm; School Bar (see
SAT APR 18
COMMUNITY
Tour: Under Siege With Beijing
Postcards
Make your way down to Capital M to
hear about the summer of 1900, when
4,000 foreigners and Chinese lived under
siege from radical mystic rebels for 55
days. Beijing Postcards will lead you into
the old Legation Quarter and tell stories
of the bombing of the French Embassy,
the wavering Qing Court and how
200,000 bullets flew into the sky without
finding a single target.
> RMB 200; 2pm; Capital M (see Listings
for details)
Market: Spring Fling Fashion and
Lifestyle Pop-up Market
Shop the spring collections of independent Beijing-based designers at this
one-day pop-up market in Aotu Studio.
Featuring jewelry from Design by Jet,
Bekkas Dzines and AMULET by D; fashion from PALMA Boutique and Made by
Mir; ceramics from Ubi Gallery; art and
homewares from Teibido Studio and
Studio Henny van Nistelrooy, and others.
Cash only.
> Free; 2-7pm, Aotu Studio, Beixinqiao,
Toutiao 67, Dongcheng东城区北新桥
头条67号 (183-1097-4605, dcdurfee@
yahoo.com)
NIGHTLIFE
Gig: Release Party
Pop-inspired electro punk outfit Heat
Mark celebrate their new EP with a
e v ents
release party. Having added a drummer
to the lineup last year, expect bigger
sounds from these School Bar stalwarts.
> RMB40; 9.30pm; School Bar (see
community
SUN APR 19
COMMUNITY
Tour: Beijing Qipao Tour
This Beijing tour will examine how the
qipao was originally used as a tool of
oppression by the Manchurians and how
the film industry encouraged people to
look down on this traditional style of
dress. You’ll also meet some of the best
qipao producers in Beijing and explore
how the clothing is viewed by Han
Chinese in the present day.
> RMB390, RMB290 for kids; More information: 138 1777 0229, info@newmantours.com, www.newmantours.com
NIGHTLIFE
Gig: School Bar Fifth Anniversary
Snapline, Steely Heart, Hot Waves and
legendary Japanese punks Jet Boys will
help School Bar celebrate five years as
one of the capital’s go-to venues for rock
‘n’ roll.
> Free; 9.30pm; The School Bar (see
NIGHTLIFE
Gig: Atlantic Attraction
Dutch indie rockers Atlantic Attraction
are a four-piece with a love for analogue
synthesizers and traveling the world on
tour. The band finds takes inspiration
from the likes of acts like Foals, Kavinsky
and The Boxer Rebellion, so a good one
for fans of British indie.
> RMB 40(door)/30 (presale); 9pm; DDC
(see Listings for details).
SUN APR 26
COMMUNITY
Kid: Drama Games
A morning of drama, games and theater
sports, kids will work on their improvisation, role-playing and creativity. Theatre
mistress Emma Johnston will begin with
warm-up games, before moving into a
range of activities for aspiring actors. For
ages 5 and up.
> Free, 11am, reservations required:
6702 2727 or reservations@capital-mbeijing.com; Capital M (see Listings for
details)
ARTS
Concert: Harry Potter – Chinese
Orchestra of Film
This symphony concert will feature pieces found in classic films like Harry Potter,
Captain American, Mission Impossible
and Chariots of Fire.
>RMB 80 (up to 500); 7.30pm; National
Centre for the Performing Arts, 2 Xi
Chang’an Jie, Xicheng 西城区西长安街
2号
THU APR 30
NIGHTLIFE
THU APR 23
NIGHTLIFE
Gig: Suffocation
US band Suffocation are widely regarded
as one of the godfathers of death metal.
Their fusion of technicality, groove and
sheer unrelenting brutality has been imitated but never quite duplicated. They
arrive in Beijing as part of their Despise
the World tour.
> RMB 360 (door) / 280 (presale before
April 23); 8pm; Yugong Yishan (see
Listings for details).
FRI APR 24
NIGHTLIFE
DJ: Alvaro
Also known as Jasper Helderman, Alvaro,
has actively been involved in electronic
music for more than five years. With an
evident devotion to his unique sound,
the DJ’s fan base continues to grow.
> RMB100; Elements Club, 58 Gongti
Don, Chaoyang 朝阳区工体西路58号工
体西门院内
FRI/SAT APR 24/25
NIGHTLIFE
DJ: Los Residentes All-Stars
The very best DJs of Los Residentes combine to kick-off an even bigger summer
season at the newly re-fashioned Migas
terrace. The space’s transformation is
not to be missed, so come up and shake
what you got on the dance floor with
the Beijing skyline as your backdrop.
> RMB 40; 10pm and later; Migas (see
SAT APR 25
COMMUNITY
Charity: 3e Charity Community Day
Get rid of all those old toys, books and
skinny jeans that used to fit. As well as
the table top sale, Roundabout Charity
Store are hosting a book fair. Plenty of
activities and games for kids who aren’t
so keen on shopping.
> Free; 10am-12pm; 3e International
School, 9-1 Jiangtai Xilu, Chaoyang
朝阳区将台西路9-1号 (to book a
table for RMB100, please email
community@3einternationalschool.
org; all table fees donated to
Roundabout Charity; 6437 3344,
www.3einternationalschool.org)
Apr 11, 12, 24 & 25
Tour: The Story of Communism in
China, with Bespoke Beijing
Standing outside an inconspicuous brown building near Temple Restaurant, it’s
hard to believe that it was once the hotbed of Chinese Communist thought. Yes,
this little-known former university is where a 25-year-old Mao Zedong would busy
himself arranging books in the tiny library; where outspoken dean Chen Duxiu
(later the founder of the Party) would publish copies of controversial journal La
Jeunesse in an attempt to galvanize young minds like Mao’s into action; and where
the May 4 Movement – a student protest against the Treaty of Versailles – would
take shape. We learn all this and more within just 30 minutes of Bespoke Beijing’s
latest public walking tour, ‘The Story of Communism in China.’ And then some.
The company’s expert Frank is an articulate and engaging guide and, crucially,
a local. The more the tour develops, the more questions you feel compelled to
ask – especially since he’s not afraid to address the topics you worry might usually
offend. A guide of 14 years (he’s toured presidents and CEOs), he says his own
understanding of the topic was accelerated by the fact that foreign visitors always
asked the same questions: “What do you think of Chairman Mao? Why do people
in China still worship him so much?”
“I think it’s a lifetime’s work to answer those questions well,” he adds. “When
my grandfather died, my father didn’t show any emotion. But when Chairman
Mao died my father wept. I just couldn’t understand why… and it took time for my
father to know the answer to that question too.”
The tour spans three sites in a bid to explain the Party’s past, present and future: the old Beijing University, the beautiful former residence of Song Qingling
and Tiananmen Square. And, through a series of key players – from the aforementioned university dean to the Song sisters, Sun Yatsen and Mao himself – we slowly
unfold the backstory of one of the world’s most talked-about political parties. If
you live in Beijing and want to know what you’re talking about at dinner parties,
this one’s a must.
> Bespoke Beijing’s ‘The Story of Communism In China’ Tour takes place on
Saturday 11, Sunday 12, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April. Tickets cost RMB300/
person. Email info@bespoke-beijing.com to reserve your space or go to www.bespoketravelcompany.com to buy online.
Party: Long Shen Dao and The
Partysquad
To celebrate the release of a new joint
track between the Chinese reggae band,
Long Shen Dao and the Dutch DJ duo,
The Partysquad, get down to Tango to
hear them perform the song (and a few
others).
> RMB150 (door), RMB100 (presale);
10pm-4am; Tango Third Floor, 79,
Hepingli Xijie, Dongcheng东城区和平里
西街79号糖果三层 (186 1125 7960)
Gig: The Riot
School bar hosts a night of indie rock
from Swedish band The Riot, with support from Secret Club.
> RMB50; 9pm; School Bar (see Listings
for details).
EVERY TUE
COMMUNITY
Film: British Comedy Month
For those who love that quirky British
sense of humor. Four movies lined up
this month: Borat (April 7); Life of Brian
(April 14); The Lady Killers (April 21); In
the Loop (April 28).
> Free, 8-10pm; Là-Bas Bar, 34
Jiaodaokou Bei Santiao, Dongcheng 东
城区交道口北三条34号 (185 0004 1765,
chalffy@163.com)
EVERY THU
NIGHTLIFE
Gig: Irish Music night
Beijing’s foremost Irish band, Blackwater,
play an open session from 8 to 10pm.
Irish music videos follow the rest of the
night.
> Free, 8-11 pm; Paddy O’Shea’s, 28
Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Dongcheng 东城
区东直门外大街28号
CITY SCENES
Conjoined triplets win golden tickets (also conjoined) to receive life-changing
operation in Korea, but not before an equally life-changing buffet at The Hilton
Beijing Wangfujing.
The cast of director Michael Bay’s upcoming Scooby Doo high-fashion remake is
finally unveiled at W Hotel’s Ladies’ Night.
Superglue
mishap doesn’t
derail DJ’s
performance
at RELEASE’s
White
Valentine
party at LIV.
The professor takes out his research team to celebrate the discovery of
groundbreaking red-wine-to-white-wine formula at Craft, Crowne Plaza Lido.
Cosplay biker chicks still manage a smile after discovering that the ice cream
they ordered at Jue Creative Market was in fact artisinal mashed potato.
Mass wedding or the Kempinski’s Vienna Ball? Only you can decide.
Weekly Specials
Happy hours
Meal deals
Brunch
Food and Drink
Ladies' nights
MODO Urban Deli
Here at That’s Beijing our favorite mealtime isn’t breakfast, lunch, dinner or even
brunch – it’s the picnic. A meal out in summer sun, with the sweet aroma of
grass and the even sweeter aroma of daytime drinking… what’s not to love? (The
sweat and insect-infested underwear, maybe?) Anyway, it might only be April,
but we’re already in picnic mode, and there’s no better place to stock up than
MODO Urban Deli.
Not only does it provide handy picnic packs (RMB200/300/400 gets you food
for two, cutlery and a map, in a handy tote bag), but its menu has recently had a
complete makeover so there are all sorts of new dishes to try. We’re recommended the South American steak sandwich. “It tastes like a hug from a samba dance
instructor,” Anna from MODO tells us. “Tender beef cubes with sweet roasted onions and peppers, melted cheese and guac in a crispy baguette. Pairs well with
half a roasted veggie quinoa salad.” For a sweet deal, try the set for two: share a
salad, pasta and grilled main, with two glasses of wine, all for RMB298.
> Daily 10.30am-10pm; MODO Urban Deli (see Listings for details)
M O N DAY to FR I DAY
Monday
Mai Bar
Buy two cocktails, get one free.
> 40 Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng 东城区
北锣鼓巷40号 (138 1125 2641)
Monday to Thursday
XIU
Buy-one-get-one-free on selected drinks,
6-9pm.
> 6/F, Park Hyatt Beijing, 2 Jianwai Dajie,
Chaoyang 北京柏悦酒店, 朝阳区建国门外
大街2号6楼 (8567 1108)
Monday to friday
One East
Two-course set lunch: RMB118/ per
person, 12:00-2:30pm.
2/F, Hilton Beijing, 1 Dong Fang Road,
North Dong Sanhuan Road, Chaoyang
朝阳区东三环北路东方路一号北京希尔顿
酒店2层 5865 5030
Great Leap Brewing
11:30-2pm, free soft drink or juice with
any burger or salad or add RMB5 for a
Pale Ale #6.
> At Xinzhong Lu branch only, (see
Hagaki
Set lunch, 11.30am-3pm, Bento style
lunch set from RMB58 with no service
charge.
5-10pm, Daiginjo Sake promotion,
RMB550 / 150 Bottle / Carafe.
> 1/F, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳
区酒仙桥路22号1层 8414 9815
Jing Yaa Tang
Set lunch, RMB88/person, 4 for 3.
> Bldg 1, The Opposite House, 11
Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路11
号瑜舍酒店1号楼 (6140 5230)
Agua
Agua’s new set lunch menu is RMB118/
person for three courses.
> RMB118/person, Mon-Fri, 12pm2:30pm, Agua, 4/F Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun
Beilu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯北路81号那
里花园4楼D308号 (5208 6188 )
Greyhound Café
Only RMB28 for a Tsingtao or Bud, and
RMB38 for a mojito or dry martini, 5-7pm.
> Greyhound Cafe (see listings for
details)
Village Café
Set Lunch, RMB98+15% (3 courses),
RMB88+15% (2 courses)
> 11.30am-2.30pm, Bldg 1, The Opposite
House, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳
区三里屯路11号瑜舍酒店1号楼 (6410
5210)
Monday to Saturday
Twilight
Mon-Sat before 8pm and all day Sun,
RMB20 off cocktails.
> 0102, 3/F, Bldg 5, Jianwai SOHO, 39
Dongsanhuan Zhong Lu, Chaoyang 朝
阳区东三环39号建外SOHO5号3层0102室
(5900 5376)
Tuesday
Flamme
Two-for-one steak all day.
> 3/F, S4-33 Sanlitun Taikooli, 19 Sanlitun
Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯
太古里南区3层S4-33 (6417 8608)
El Gran Bocado
Just RMB10 per taco – order as many as
you want.
> 1/F, Just Make Bldg, Xingfucun
Zhonglu, Chaoyang 朝阳区幸福村中路杰
作大厦1层 (6416 1715)
tuesday to Friday
S.T.A.Y Restaurant
Three courses including coffee and tea
for RMB388/person with 15 percent
service charge, 11.30am-2.30pm.
> Level 1, Valley Wing, Shangri-La Hotel,
29 Zizhuyuan Lu, Haidian 海淀区紫竹院路
29号香格里拉酒店1层 (6841 2211-6727)
Mosaic
Buy-one-get-one-free pizza every
Wednesday lunchtime at Mosaic.
> Daily 12pm-2am; 32 S. Sanlitun St
(Behind/North of Yashow Silk Market),
Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯南32号楼临街店
(137 1883 7065)
Xian
Whiskey night, discounts on special
selected whiskeys.
> All night, 1/F, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区酒仙桥路22号1层 (8414
9810)
wednesday
thursday
Great Leap Brewing
All day Wednesday, one select beer at
RMB25.
>At Number 6 Courtyard branch, (see
Domain
Happy Burger’s Day, 2 for 1 Burger
promotion.
> 10.30am-2pm, 2/F, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu,
9830)
Mao Mao Chong
Cocktails RMB35, 7-11pm.
> 12 Banchang Hutong, Jiaodaokou Nan
Dajie, Dongcheng 东城区交道口南大街板
厂胡同12号 (6405 5718)
Elements
Free mojitos, champagne and cosmos,
9pm-1am.
> 58 Gongti Xi Men, Chaoyang 朝阳区工
体西门58号 (6551 2373)
4Corners
Ladies get 15 percent off red wine.
cheap shots and drink deals at 4Corners’
weekly celebration of KTV.
> Dashibei Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区石
杯胡同7号 (6401 7797)
Opus Terrace
Ladies enjoy free cocktails; on Fridays, it’s
bachelors night, where chaps get 50 percent
off beer and burgers at the same times, 5-8pm.
> Opus Bar & Terrace, 48 Liangmaqiao
Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区亮马桥路48号
(5695 8888)
Friday
Mesh
House Champagne buy 1 bottle get 1
free.
号瑜舍酒店1号楼 (6410 5220)
e v ents
E v ery day
Parlor
Daily 6-8pm, buy one get one for free.
> 39-8 Xingfuercun, Chaoyang 朝阳区幸
福二村39-8 (8444 4135 )
The Big Smoke
Daily 4-7pm, 20 percent off all cocktails,
house wines and beers.
> 57 Xingfucun Zhonglu, Chaoyang 朝阳
区幸福村中路57号楼利世楼 (6416 2683)
Blue Frog
Daily 4-8pm, buy-one-get-one-free all
drinks.
> Daily 10.00am-late. Sanlitun: Level 3,
S2 Tower, S2-30 Taikoo Li, Sanlitun Lu,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区三里屯路太
古里3层S2-30 (6417 4030) Additional
branches in Jiuxianqiao and U-Town (see
www.bluefrog.com.cn for details)
Centro
Daily 5-8pm, two-for-one deals.
> Shangri-la’s Kerry Centre Hotel Beijing,
1/F, 1 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区光
华路1号香格里拉北京嘉里中心大酒店1层
(6561 8833 ext. 42)
Feast (Food by East)
Works for dinner, 2 course RMB168+15%
with a glass of wine or soft drinks.
> 5.30-10.30pm, 2/F, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu,
9820)
Flamme
Cocktail, beers and wine by the glass are
50 percent off from 3-7.30pm daily.
> S4-33, 3/F, Sanlitun Taikooli, 19 Sanlitun
Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯
太古里南区3层S4-33 (6417 8608)
Modo Urban Deli
4-7pm cocktails and house wine RMB25
and beer RMB15.
> S10-31, 3/F, Bldg 8, Sanlitun Taikooli
South, 19 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区
三里屯路19号三里屯太古里南区8号楼S1031 (6415 7207)
Mosaic
4-8pm daily happy hour.
(137 1883 7065)
Mosto
6-7pm discounts on cocktails, wine and
beer.
> 3/F Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Beilu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯北路81号那里花
园3层 (5208 6030)
NOLA
3-8pm. Sun-Thu, half price on Pabst
Blue Ribbon, Tsingtao and all cocktails
including daiquiris.
> A-11 Xiushui Nanjie, Jianguomenwai
Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国门外大街秀水
南街A-11 (8563 6215)
R Lounge
Daily 6-9pm, two-for-one standard
drinks and cocktails.
> 4/F, Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel,
61 Dongsanhuan Zhonglu, Chaoyang 朝
阳区东三环中路61号北京富力万丽酒店4
层 (5863 8112)
Transit
Daily 6pm-7:30pm, two-for-one.
> N4-36, Sanlitun Taikooli North, 11
号三里屯太古里北区N4-36号 (6417 9090)
Isola
11:30am-3pm. Lunch for RMB138.
3-6pm Fashion high tea
5-8pm Happy hour, two-for-one on
selected drinks
6-10:30 Dinner set menu, 2-course
RMB238, 3-course RMB258.
> N3-47, 3/F, Building 3, Taikoo Li North,
Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路11号院太古里
北区N3-37和 47商铺 (6416 3499)
Bene Restaurant
Daily 11.30am-2pm. RMB98 includes
antipasto with main course, pizza or pasta.
> Sheraton Dongcheng, 36 Beisanhuan
Donglu, Dongcheng 东城区北三环东路36
号 (5798 8888)
Cafe Sambal
Nasi Campur Malaysian set: two meats
and vegetables each, varying daily. With
soup, appetizer for RMB78. Curry sets
from RMB55-65
> See Listings for details
Beijing Marriott Hotel
Daily 11.30-2pm, dumplings, noodles
and desserts, including juice or tea,
RMB118. Sun/Sat 11.30-2pm, dim sum,
lobster and unlimited beer, RMB168.
> 26A Xiaoyun Road, Chaoyang 朝阳区霄
云路甲26号北京海航大厦万豪酒店(5927
8888)
Vivid
Daily, 6pm-10pm, two-for-one drinks.
> Vivid, Level 5, Conrad Beijing, 29 North
Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang 朝阳区东
三环北路29号北京康莱德酒店5层 (6584
6310)
Transit
Daily 12pm-2.30pm. Choice of
appetizers, mains, rice or noodles with
dessert for RMB88.
> N4-36/37 Sanlitun Taikooli North, 11
Factory (By Salt)
Until Sep 30 order summer BBQ
catering, from RMB150pp
> Factory A1 North, 797 Middle Street,
798 Art Zone A, Chaoyang 朝阳区
798艺术区A区七九七中街01#商务楼北楼
一层1号 (010 5762-6451)
Weekend
saturday
Great Leap Brewing
All day Tuesday and Sunday, one select
beer at RMB25.
>At Xinzhong Lu branch, (see listings for
details)
R Lounge
Selection of drinks for free all night.
> 61 Dongsanhuan Zhong Lu, Chaoyang
朝阳区东三环中路61号北京富力万丽酒店
4层 (5863 8241)
sunday
Great Leap Brewing
All day Tuesday and Sunday, one select
beer at RMB25.
>At Xinzhong Lu branch, (see listings for
details)
The Village Cafe
Sun 3:30pm-sold out. Sunday roast
RMB98 (+15%; 50% off for kids under
12)
> The Opposite House, Building 1, No. 11
Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路
11 号院 1 号楼瑜舍酒店
Qi
Sun 11.30am-2pm, all-you-can-eat dim
sum including one double-boiled soup
for RMB288 per person. Add a bottle of
Dom Perignon for RMB1988 for two.
> Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street,
Jinchengfang Dong, 1 Jinrong Jie,
Xicheng 西城区金城坊东金融街1号 (6601
6666)
Senses and Prego
Sun 11.30am-3pm, Retrolicious Champagne
Brunch, international and Asian specialties
with free flow champagne, wines, cocktails
and juices for RMB 458. Prices subject to 15
percent service.
> The Westin Beijing Financial Street, 9B
Financial Street, Xicheng 西城区金融大街
乙9号(6629 7810)
Seasonal Tastes
Sun 11.30am-3pm Unlimited buffet for
RMB428-498 per person plus 15 percent
surcharge.
> Westin Chaoyang, 7 North
Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang 朝阳区东
三环北路7号(5922 8880)
Sureño
RMB228 for 2 courses, RMB328 for 3
courses. Supplement RMB150 for free
flow cocktails; supplement RMB200 for
free flow Champaign (all prices subject
to 15% service charge)
号瑜舍酒店1号楼 (6410 5240)
Vasco’s
Sun 11.30am-3pm, international buffet
with free-flow champagne for RMB458
plus 15 percent service charge.
> Hilton Beijing Wangfujing, 8
Wangfujing Dongjie, Dongcheng 东城区
王府井东街8号(5812 8888 ext. 8411)
saturday to sunday
Eudora Station
Sat-Sun 10am-3pm, breakfast buffet with
one main and free flow juice or coffee
for RMB98.
> Opposite Lido Palace, 6 Fangyuan Xi
Lu. Chaoyang 朝阳区芳园西路6号(6437
8331)
Agua
Sat-Sun, Agua’s Infinity Weekend Brunch
is RMB298 for infinite food, plus RMB168
for free flow drinks.
> 12-2:30pm (free flow until 3pm),
Agua, 4/F Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Beilu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯北路81号那里花
园4楼D308号 (5208 6188)
Migas
Migas rocks two different brunch
options: Saturday, grilled meat heavy;
and Sunday, paella heavy (both RMB210,
+RMB138 for 2hrs free flow cava, coffee,
tea soft drinks).
> Daily 12pm-3pm; Migas 6/F Nali Patio,
Sanlitun Beijie, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯
北街那里花园6层
Aroma
Sat-Sun 11.30am-3pm, international
buffet starting at RMB518 plus 15
percent service charge.
> Ritz-Carlton Beijing, 83A Jianguo Lu,
China Central Place, Chaoyang 朝阳区建
国路83甲(5908 8161)
Mosaic
Sat-Sun 11.30am-4pm, Middle-Eastern
style brunch in Sanlitun.
(137 1883 7065)
Café Sambal
Sat-Sun, RMB98, Café Sambal is rolling
out weekend brunch. Three courses plus
coffee, tea or fruit punch.
> 43 Doufuchi Hutong, Jiugulou Dajie,
Dongcheng 东城区旧鼓楼大街豆腐池胡同
43号 (6400 4875)
Sui Yuan
Sat-Sun and public holidays 10.30am2.30pm, unlimited dim sum for RMB128
plus 15 percent surcharge.
> Hilton Double Tree, 168 Guang’anmen
Waidajie, Xicheng 西城区广安门外大街
168号 (6338 1999 ext. 1726)
listings
OPEN DOOR
restaurant
The Hot One Hundred
About This guide represents our editors’
top 100 picks, and includes some That’s
Beijing advertisers. Restaurants rated(*)
have been personally reviewed by our
experts, and scored according to the
cuisine, experience and affordability.
CHINESE
photo by holly li
Contemporary & Mixed Cuisine
indian kitchen
Naan Stop
You, fair readers of That’s Beijing, voted Indian Kitchen as your favorite Indian
restaurant at our Golden Fork Awards last December. And what good taste
you all have. With some of the most authentic curries in the city (which arrive
with some genuinely friendly service), we find it difficult to stay away from
this place. Don’t miss our latest find, the potato masala (RMB40), which is
rich, complex and served with one of the biggest dosas we’ve ever seen (for
the uninitiated, that’s a crispy crepe made from rice batter and black lentils).
Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find all the classics, from rogan josh to dopiaza.
But if you fancy straying from the usual, might we suggest a dish that we’d
never tried before – the masala crab (RMB150 per 400g). Get on your plastic
gloves, grab your crab fork and get digging. There’s a meaty bounty to be
found inside the beast and the pairing with dark spices is divine.
> Daily 11am-2:30pm, 5:30-11pm; Indian Kitchen (see Listings for details)
8 Qi Nian 祈年8号 (Cantonese/Sichuan)
The New World Hotel’s flagship restaurant
has classic Chinese cuisine in abundance,
as well as some vitality-restoring medicinal
soups. (Their decent wine list is just as
effective.)
> Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:15pm, 5:30-9:30pm, Sat/Sun
12-2:45pm, 5:30-9:30pm; 2/F, New World Hotel, 8
Qinian Dajie, Dongcheng 东城区祈年大街8号新世界
酒店2层 (5960 8822)
Bellagio 鹿港小镇 (Taiwanese)
A favorite among the city’s hip and young,
this swanky Taiwanese restaurant chain is
the place for mountainous shaved ice desserts and creamy bubble teas.
> 11am-11pm; 6 Gongti Xilu Chaoyang 工体西路6
号 (6551 3533) see www.bellagiocafe.com.cn for
more locations
Din Tai Fung 鼎泰丰 ¥ (Taiwanese)
This Taipei-based franchise impressed Ken
Hom enough to call it one of the best 10
eateries in the world, back in 1993. Famous
for its dependably delicious xiaolongbao
or little steam buns. Book ahead, there’s
always a long wait.
> Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5-10pm, weekends
11.30am-10pm; 24 Middle Street, Xinyuanxili,
Chaoyang 朝阳区新源西里中街24号 (近渔阳饭店)
(6462 4502) > Additional branches in Shin Kong
Place; Parkview Green; Grand Pacific Mall Xidan;
Modern Plaza Zhongguancun; see www.dintaifung.
com.cn for details
The Horizon 海天阁 (Cantonese Beijing
Duck) **
Kerry Hotel’s Chinese restaurant has
widened its predominantly Cantonese
and Sichuan horizons to include dim sum,
double-boiled soups and Peking duck – and
the roast bird here really is fabulous.
> Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5:30pm-10pm 1/F, Beijing
Kerry Hotel, 1 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区光华路
1号嘉里中心1层 (8565 2188)
Jing Yaa Tang 京雅堂 (Chinese, Peking
Duck)
Resembling something between a nightclub and a theater, the Opposite House’s
basement restaurant proves to be more
than just style over substance with their
range of expertly prepared classic dishes.
> Daily 12-10:30pm, B1/F, The Opposite House,
Sanlitun Bei Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路11号院1号
楼瑜舍酒B1楼 (6410 5230)
29 Grill at The Conrad
Sunday Roast With the Most
For a Brit, there’s something quite unsettling about a Frenchman cooking a
traditional British Sunday roast. Then again, for a French chef, it’s perhaps
equally galling to be made to cook British cuisine. But at 29 Grill, at The Conrad
Hotel, where a fine spread of roast meats – complete with gravy and Yorkshire
pudding – is expertly prepared by French head chef, Yannick Ehrsam, misgivings are to be put to one side. We would say a roast dinner here at 29 Grill will
bring back fond memories of Sunday dinners with the family – but how many
Sunday dinners at home had beef, chicken and lamb – as well as a vast selection of fresh sashimi and sushi which can be guzzled alongside free flow sparkling wine? Yes, the 29 Grill’s has all that, plus a fabulous selection of salads,
cold cuts, cheeses and desserts. Don’t miss the freshly made crepes – a great
way to round off the meal.
> RMB588 (+15% per person); every Sunday 11.30am-3pm; 29 Grill at The
Conrad Hotel (see Listings for details)
Wu Li Xiang 屋里香 (Cantonese, Sichuan)
*
Impressive views don’t detract from the
exquisitely presented cuisine of Chef Kam,
especially the dim sum. Swanky classics
from all the main culinary regions of China,
including, of course, “Monk Jump Over the
Wall” – braised pork in oyster sauce.
> Daily 11am-2pm, 5pm-10pm; 2-3/F, Traders Upper
East Hotel, Beijing, 2 Dongsihuan Beilu, Chaoyang
朝阳区东四环北路2号北京上东盛贸饭店二三层
(5907 8406)
Yipin 一品 (Huaiyang) *
The Sofitel Beijing’s boutique Chinese restaurant, Yipin is a beautifully thought-out
conflux of all that is elegant, traditional and
tasty. Huaiyang cuisine headlines the menu,
so expect sweet and delicate and sweet
flavors with impeccable presentation.
> Sofitel Wanda Beijing, Tower C, Wanda Plaza, 93
Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国路93号万达广场C
座索菲特酒店 (8599 6666)
Peking Duck
Da Dong 大董
Among the city’s most famous haunts, Da
Expensive...................................¥
Expense Account ....................¥¥
Highly Recommended ..............*
Top Ten ....................................**
Dong guarantees slick cuts of Beijing-style
roast duck and delectable wrap fillings. The
venue’s a class act and the plum sauce is
hard to follow.
> Daily 11am-10pm; 22 Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng
东城区东四十条甲22号 (5169 0328); see www.dadongdadong.com for more locations
Duck de Chine 全鸭季 ¥ *
Good duck is meant to show your guests
how wonderful you are, as much as the
food. Duck De Chine does that in spades,
with fantastic presentation of its crispy,
succulent duck (RMB188).
> Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm; Courtyard 4,
1949 The Hidden City, Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang 朝
阳区工体北路4号院 (6501 8881) > 98 Jinbao Jie,
Dongcheng 东城区金宝街98号 (6521 2221)
Shanghai
Shanghai Min 小南国
Many swear this chain has the best
Shanghai-style hongshaorou north of the
Yangtze. The jury’s out, but its popularity
remains.
> 0505, 5/F Raffles City Mall, 1 Dongzhimen Nan
Dajie, Dongcheng 东城区东直门南大街1号来福士
购物中心5楼0505号铺 (400 820 9777)> Additional
branches in Financial Street; Jinbao Jie; Oriental
Plaza; Sanlitun Soho; Xinyuan Nan Lu (see www.
online.thatsmags.com for details)
Wang Jia Sha 王家沙
Modern Shanghai cuisine – popular with
Hong Kong celebrities – famed for its crabmeat dumplings. Try the spiced-salt ribs
(RMB62) for a bit of Adam action.
> Daily, S1-30a Taikoo Li Sanlitun (on the third floor
of i.t shop) 朝阳区三里屯路19号院太古里1号楼3层
S1-30a号商铺 (6416 3469)
Sichuan/Hunan
Chuan Ban 川办 *
This bright, modestly decorated dining hall
is frequently cited as Beijing’s best Sichuan
restaurant.
> Mon-Fri 7-9am, 10.50am-2pm, 4.50-9.30pm; SatSun 7am-10pm; 5 Gongyuan Toutiao, Jianguomennei
Dajie, Dongcheng 东城区建国门内贡院头条5号 (6512
2277, ext. 6101)
Karaiya Spice House 辣屋 *
Bold and fiery Hunan cuisine in the most
serene of restaurant interiors. Don’t miss
the dry roasted duck with a dozen spices
and stir fried bullfrog with shiso leaves and
ginger. Peanut milk is there to soothe the
palate: you’ll need it.
> Daily 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm; 3/F, Sanlitun
Taikoo Li South, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯太古里19号
院南区三层S9-30 (6415 3535)
South Memory 望湘园
This restaurant chain is the Hunan staple
in the capital. The trademark shilixiang
niurou (fragrant beef), duojiao shuangse
yutou (dual-colour spiced fish head) and
meltingly tender frog dishes are among the
favorites with locals.
> Daily 11am-10pm; 2/F, 230-232, Fenglian Plaza, 18
Chaoyangmen Wai Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳区朝外大街
18号丰联广场2楼230-232号 (6588 1797); see www.
southmemory.com for more locations
Yuxiang Renjia 渝乡人家
The menu here is old-fashioned and
reliably good. The lazi ji is crispy but not
too greasy, the pepper-sauce noodle, with
spinach, is filling and refreshing. Assorted
confections are guaranteed to comfort
numbed-and-burned tongues, too.
> Daily 11am-2pm, 5-9pm 5/F, Lianhe Dasha (Union
Plaza), 20 Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳
区朝阳门外大街20号联合大厦五层 (6588 3841) see
www.yuxiangrenjia.com for other locations
Yu Xin 渝信川菜
Open since 1993, Yu Xin’s authentic Sichuan
dishes have earned a loyal fanbase. Their
liangfen – a jelly-like substance cut into
chunky strips and dressed in an addictive
spicy sauce – hits the spot. The rustic, intimate setting of bamboo cubicles and swift,
friendly service complete the experience.
> Daily 11am-10pm; 5A Xingfu Yicun Xili, Chaoyang
朝阳区幸福一村西里甲5号 see www.yuxin1997.com
for other locations.
Transit 渡金湖 ¥¥ **
Sichuan is known for its blazing spices and
its equally hot girls. While the latter are up
listings
to you, the creative minds at Transit have
made some fiery additions to the classical,
chili-thumping canon, and they will charge
you for that knowledge. But unlike many
equally expensive joints, this is high-end
Chinese dining at its best.
> Daily 12-2.30pm, 6 -10pm; N4-36, Sanlitun Taikoo Li
North, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路11
Yunnan
Dali Courtyard 大里院子 *
If you like authentic Yunnanese food, you’ll
have to trust the staff: there’s no menu, it
all just arrives in an intimate courtyard setting. The price (RMB120/person) matches
the rustic ingredients.
> Daily 12-2pm, 6-10.30pm; Gulou Dong Dajie, 67
Xiaojingchang Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区鼓楼东大
街小经厂胡同67号 (8404 1430)
Hani Gejiu 哈尼个旧 ¥
Somthing about Gulou makes it the perfect
district for Yunnan food, and this little gem
is up their with the best. Contender for
friendliest service in town.
> Mon-Sat 11am-10pm; 46 Zhonglouwan Hutong,
Dongcheng 东城区钟楼弯胡同46号 (6401 3318)
Lost Heaven 花马天堂 (Yunnan, SE Asian)
site East Gate Plaza), Dongcheng 东城区东直门外东
中街东环广场对面元嘉国际公寓2层 (6417 9289, see
www.dingdingxiang.com.cn for other locations)
Haidilao 海底捞火锅 *
Hotpot in China is like religion; everyone’s
got their own brand. Either way, the raw
meats and vegetables, cooked communally,
is divine, and the outstanding customer
service makes Haidilao a fitting church
> Daily, 24 hrs; 2A Baijiazhuang Lu (beside No. 80
Middle School), Chaoyang 朝阳区白家庄路甲2号 (
八十中学西侧) (6595 2982, see http:www.haidilaohuoguo.com for other locations)
Regional
Crescent Moon (Xinjiang) *
Roast mutton enthusiasts go over the
moon at this reputable Xinjiang Muslim
restaurant. Eastern European and Central
Asian influences are evident throughout,
with peppery and cumin-spiced dishes
livening up traditional Chinese favorites.
> Daily 10am-11:30pm; 16 Dongsi Liutiao,
Dongcheng 东四六条16号 (6400-5281)
Da Gui (Guizhou)
Guizhou’s famed hot-and-sour cuisine nestled into a charming traditional alleyway.
Munch happily into pickled greens and
don’t miss the salty-sweet deep-fried black
sesame balls. They’re sensational.
> Daily noon-2pm, 5pm-10.30 (bar open till 1am).
Ch’ien Men 23, 23 Qianmen Dongdajie, Dongcheng
东城区前门东大街23号(8516 2698)
Middle 8th Restaurant 中八楼 *
Hip and slightly swanky, without being pretentious, this is a celebration of all things
‘south of the clouds’ – so try crisp-fried
worms, or “crossing-the-bridge” noodles,
beef jerky-style yak meat and fresh, wild
herbs galore.
> The Place Branch: Daily 11am-11pm, L404A, South
Tower, The Place, 9 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang 朝
阳区光化路9号世贸天阶南楼L404A (6587 1431) >
Additional venues in Sanlitun; Taikoo Li Mall; Indigo
Mall (see www.middle8th.com for details)
Yun’er Small Town 云洱小镇
Folksy and affordable Yunnanese fare on
Beiluoguxiang. Fragrant dishes including
the jasmine bulbs with scrambled eggs,
lemongrass shrimp, and banana leaf
wrapped bolete mushrooms will keep us
crawling back.
> Daily 10am-11pm, 84 Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng
东城区北锣鼓巷84号 (8404 2407)
Dumplings
Baoyuan Jiaoziwu 宝源饺子屋
Famous for their rainbow of dyed dumplings, Baoyuan have their jiaozi (six, under
RMB10) wrapped in a larger yuanbao
silver-ingot shape, with creative vegetarian
options and authentic Sichuan food.
> Daily 11am-10pm; north of 6 Maizidian Jie,
Chaoyang 朝阳区麦子店街6号楼北侧 (6586 4967)
Mr Shi’s Dumplings 老石饺子馆
Since recieving a Lonely Planet recommendation the prices have risen and the walls
are covered in backpackers’ scribbles, but
the fantastic dumplings – boiled and fried –
are still fantastic.
> 74 Baochao Hutong, Gulou Dong Dajie,
Dongcheng 东城区鼓楼东大街宝钞胡同74号 (8405
0399, 131 6100 3826)
Hot Pot
Ding Ding Xiang 鼎鼎香 *
Classier than most hotpot joints, Ding Ding
Xiang features a spacious dining room of
sweaty-faced patrons enjoying high-grade
huoguo in their own individual pot. The delicious sesame sauce (the recipe is a closely
guarded secret) is a Beijing classic.
> Daily 11am-10pm; 2/F, Yuanjia International
Apartments, Dongzhimenwai, Dongzhong Jie (oppo-
Migas El Asador Brunch
> Daily 10am-2pm, 5-10pm; 69 Daxing Hutong,
Jiaodaokou, Dongcheng 东城区交道口大兴胡同69
号 (6407 1800)
What Saturdays Were Made For
Makye Ame (Tibetan)
Determined to prove that Tibetan cuisine
consists of more than just yak-butter tea,
the Beijing branch of this nationwide chain
serves up nomadic classics such as curried
potatoes and roast lamb.
Sadly the 150-word space this paragraph allows is nowhere near enough to do
justice to Migas’ new El Asador Saturday brunch. To be honest, we’ve been to
so many new brunch concepts recently (#toughlife) that we weren’t expecting
anything new. Woe betide such foolishness! We don’t imagine a single better
meal on offer between 11.30am and 3pm on a Saturday in Beijing. Highlight:
the sausage. Succulent, juicy, meat perfection. Bonus: it’s carted around fresh
to your table. So is all the other meat, which also falls in the ‘highlight’ category: proper rustic dry aged black Angus picaña beef, which tastes like it was
still part of a sentient cow minutes previously. Along with the chicken, pork and
duck it’s about as much fun as we’ve had eating animals in Beijing. Chefs Aitor
and Fernando do the rounds, admiring all their fine work and getting diners
plastered with red wine, cava and gin and tonics. We even heard Parliament on
the sound system. It’s wild. Only downside? It ends at 3pm, so you’ll have to
wait a few hours until sundown when the party gets going again.
> RMB210 for food, RMB138 for free-flow cava; Saturdays 11.30-3pm; Migas
> Daily 10-midnight; 11A Xiushui Nanjie,
Jianguomenwai, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国门外秀水南街
甲11号 (6506 9616)
An emphasis on Yunnan characterizes this
menu’s fresh journey through the SE Asia
passage, with a grandiose yet dark teak
interior.
OPEN DOOR
ShiChengJi Shaobing 实诚吉烧饼
If ever a food were able to alleviate life’s
difficulties – however temporarily – then
this is surely it. In one bite, these beef shaobing will remind you exactly why you first
chose to live in Beijing. They’re that good.
Queues of locals are testament.
> Daily 7am-7pm; 43 Dongsi Liutiao, Dongcheng 东
城区东四六条43号 (186 1029 5038)
Xinjiang Red Rose (Xinjiang) *
One of Beijing’s most famous Xinjiang
restaurant, Red Rose serves some of the
tenderest lamb skewers around, matched
by enormous servings of classics like dapanji (a chicken, potato and pepper stew),
latiaozi (noodles with a spicy tomato sauce)
and nang (baked flatbrea).
> Daily 10.30am-11pm; Inside 7 Xingfuyicun, opposite Workers’ Stadium North Gate, Chaoyang 朝阳区
工人体育场北门对面幸福一村7巷内 (6415 5741)
WESTERN
Fine Dining
Aria ¥¥ (European) *
A gold standard of opulence and, at
RMB1,100 for the Wagyu beef and starters
around RMB150, the prices reflect that.
In-house sommeliers help tailor your meal
perfectly.
> Mon-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm, 6pm-midnight; Sat-Sun
6-10pm; 2/F China World Hotel, 1 Jianguomenwai
Waidajie, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国门外大街 (6505
2266 ext. 36)
Barolo ¥¥ (Italian) *
Average Italian abounds in Beijing: not
here, though. Quite the opposite, in fact,
meaning Barolo is as well-regarded as the
Piedmont wine it is named after.
> Mon-Sun 11.30am-2pm, 6pm-10pm. Ritz Carlton
Hotel, China Central Place, 83A Jianguo Lu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区建国路甲83号华贸中心丽思卡尔顿
酒店内 (5908 8151) Brasserie Flo ¥¥ (French) *
Marble slabs, mosaic floors and brass
fittings establish the Parisian bona fides;
dishes like snails (RMB78), oysters (RMB48
each) and steak tartare (RMB158) confirm.
The grandeur is matched only by the service, and the prices reflect the authenticity
of the experience.
> Daily 11am-midnight; 18 Xiaoyun Lu, Chaoyang 朝
阳区霄云路18号 (6595 5135)
Brian McKenna @The Courtyard ¥¥ (Contemporary Western) *
Innovative and creative dishes are de rigeur
at the Michelin-starred Irish chef’s reinvention of this long-standing Beijing fine
dining institution.
> Daily, restaurant 6pm-10pm, bar 5-11pm; 95
Donghuamen Avenue, Dongcheng 东城区东华门大
街95号 (6526 8883)
Ricci Café
A Wealth of Options
We were expecting Wudaokou’s Ricci café to be full of students poring over
textbooks. Wrong. It’s located next to a sleek office block which houses –
amongst others – Google’s offices. As a result it’s full of smart young professionals. We were also expecting the Wudaokou café to serve student budgetfriendly fare. Double wrong. The menu of “creative eats” has a range of dishes
that yo-yo between western and Asian, but without getting stuck in a confused
fusion mess. We try a sweet vegetarian flatbread (RMB68) topped with sweet
potato puree, candied walnuts, fresh ricotta cheese and a balsamic reduction.
Next a beef rendang (RMB68) – slow cooked beef with hints of coconut. Then
onto polenta bites (RMB38), which are creamy cubes of the grain topped with
oven-roasted cherry tomatoes and wasabi-infused aioli. Finally, check out the
crispy rice balls (RMB45), which are risotto balls stuffed with marinated pork
and served with a soy-lime aioli. Finish off with a creative coffee – we go for a
delicious ginger latte (RMB37/34/31 – large/medium/small).
> Ricci Café, 1/F, Keji Dasha Tower D, Bldg 8, Tsinghua Science Park, 1
Zhongguancun Donglu, Haidan 海淀区中关村东路1号清华科技园8号楼科技大厦
D座1层
listings
Capital M ¥ (Contemporary Western) **
The Art Deco interior, swish staff and
breathtaking views over the archery towers
from Qianmen ensures the pinnacle of
al-fresco dining, with world-class modern
European stylings and deliciously posh
afternoon tea.
you can’t really go wrong at this refined
relaxed lounge like restaurant.
Héritage ¥¥
A French country-style chateau in the
heart of Beijing. A chef de cuisine with
Michelin star restaurant experience and an
extensive wine cellar make this Sofitel Hotel
restaurant one of the best French dining
experiences in town.
> Sun-Thu noon-2.30pm, 6-10pm; Fri-Sat noon2.30pm, 6-10.30pm. 3/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Lu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花园3层 (5208
6030)
> Daily 11.30am-10.30pm. Floor 3, 2 Qianmen
Buxingjie, Dongcheng 东城区前门步行街2号3层
(6702 2727)
> 6F Sofitel Wanda Beijing, Tower C, Wanda Plaza,
93 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国路93号万达广
场C座索菲特酒店6层 (8599 6666)
Mio ¥¥
Glitzy Italian fare at the Four Seasons, with
a mobile Bellini cart, wheeled straight
to your table. Chef Marco Calenzo crafts
a superb squash tortellini by hand, and
pampers diners with desserts like the
deconstructed tiramisu.
>Daily, lunch 11:30am - 2:30pm, dinner 5:30pm
-10:30pm Four Seasons Hotel, 48 Liangmaqiao Lu,
Chaoyang, 北京四季酒店亮马桥路48号, 朝阳区
(5695 8888)
S.T.A.Y. ¥¥ (French)
Luxury dining with three-Michelin-starred
chef, Alléno Yannick’s, back-to-basics
kitchen concept, which includes a mouthwatering ‘pastry library’. Classic dishes
usually include dishes such as steak, foie
gras, rack of lamb, plus a spit roast and grill
for international standard fine-dining.
> Daily 11:30am-2:30pm; 5:30pm-10pm; Sundays
11am- 4pm. Shangri La, Valley Wing, Level 1, 29
Zizhuyuan Road, Haidian 海淀区紫竹院路29号北京香
格里拉饭店 (6841 2211, Ext. 6727)
Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB) ¥¥
(Contemporary Western) **
Setting is everything here, especially if
it’s fashioned inside a restored Buddhist
temple. The bold contemporary European
cuisine is fitting in majesty and the service
alone is worthy of worship.
> Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10pm; 23 Songzhusi
Temple, Shatan Beijie, Dongcheng 东城区沙滩北街嵩
祝寺23号 (8400 2232)
Contemporary Western
Alfie’s ¥ (British)
What’s all this about, then? British gastropub classics, (like pukker fish and chips,
RMB188), a swanky gentleman’s club
interior, and located in a chic modern art
gallery-cum-mall. That’s what, mate.
> Daily, 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-10pm, brunch served
on weekends; Parkview Green, 9 Dongdaqiao Lu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区东大桥路9号芳草地L1-22 (5662
8777)
Caribeño (Latin)
Heavy Cuban influence, but there are dishes
from all over the Latin continent here. The
Ropa Vieja (shredded beef on potato) is
excellent – as are the Mojitos.
> Daily 11:30am-9:30pm, 1/F, China Overseas Plaza,
8 Guanghua Dongli, Chaoyang 朝阳区光华东里8号中
海广场北楼1层 (5977 2789)
Chi (Organic, Fusion)
Hutong set-menu dining par-excellence,
with organic ingredients all locally sourced.
From the owners of neighboring Saffron.
> Daily, opens 10:30am, last order 9:30pm, 67
Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区五道营胡同
67号 (6445 7076)
C Pearl (Oysters, Seafood) ¥ *
This slick oyster restaurant imports fresh
shells from Canada, South Africa, France,
USA and more – and they are well worth
the price. The fries are the best we’ve had
in Beijing, beer and wine selection also
excellent.
> Tue-Sun 5.30pm-2am; 14-2, Bldg 14, Shunyuanli,
Xinyuan Jie, Yansha Qiao, Chaoyang 朝阳区燕莎桥新
源街顺源里14号楼14-2号 (5724 5886)
Grill 79 (Steak)
With views this good, Grill 79 would probably make it onto the list even if the food
was terrible. It’s something of a bonus then
that the kitchen is superb, and supported
by one of the most extensive wine lists in
town.
> Daily 6pm-late. 32-33, 3/F, Bldg 3, Sanlitun Taikoo
Li North, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯太古里北区3号楼3
层32-33 (137 1851 7917)
Mosto (European, South American) ¥ *
A perpetually busy lunch and evening spot,
thanks to chef Daniel Urdaneta’s skill for
modernising South American-style dishes
like ceviche and risotto in his open kitchen.
Starfish (Seafood) ¥ *
Starfish is among the very best seafood
restaurants in town. Renowned for its
friendly, warm atmosphere, this stylish
low-key restaurant is great for late-night
dates, or just hanging out along the large
wooden bar and enjoying an Irish rock with
a craft beer.
> Tue-Sun 11am-11pm, 22-1 Dongzhimen
Wai, Chaoyang 朝阳区东直门外大街22-1号 (6416
5499)
Stuff’d (Contemporary Western)
The concept of Stuff’d is to simply stuff
one kind of food in another. From sausage
calzone pizzas (RMB68) to scotch eggs – it
all works. On-site micro brewery a bonus.
> Wed-Mon, 11:30am-2:45pm, 6-10pm, 9 Jianchang
Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区箭厂胡同9号 (6407 6308)
VIC
Not to be confused with the notorious
nightclub of the same name, this VIC is
the Sofitel Beijing’s casual dining restaurant. All the major world cuisines are in
attendance here – make you pay special
attentions to the French-inspired breads
and pastries – as is the customary Sunday
champagne brunch.
> Sofitel Wanda Beijing, Tower C, Wanda Plaza, 93
Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国路93号万达广场C
座索菲特酒店6层 (8599 6666)
Yi House (Contemporary Western)
Nestled in the confines of 798, Yi’s great
tasting brunch is bettered only by their
wide range of cocktails. Sundays offer jazz
brunches with lobster and champagne.
> Daily 11am-3pm, 6pm-12am; 2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, 798
Yishu Qu, No.1 706 Houjie, Chaoyang 朝阳区酒仙桥
路2号院798艺术区706后街1号 (6436 1818)
Café/Deli/Sandwich
Beiluo Bread Bar (Café)
This local hipster café favorite offers inhouse baked bread and sandwiches but
we usually go for the hand-pulled noodles.
Gets cozy at night.
> Tue-Sun 12-10pm. 70A Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng
东城区北锣鼓巷甲70号(近南锣鼓巷)(8408 3069)
Café Zarah (Café) *
A smart new interior and menu for this
longstanding cafe has propelled it from
hipster hangout to Gulou institution. Large,
airy and with a terrace for summer, the only
downside is it’s always packed.
> Daily 9.30am-midnight 42 Gulou Dongdajie,
Dongcheng 东城区鼓楼东大街42号 (8403 9807)
Element Fresh (Contemporary Western)
Another import from Shanggers, this is
boutique salads-and-sandwich lunching,
with somewhat questionable price tags.
> Daily Mon-Fri 10am-11pm, Sat-Sun 7am-11pm.
833, Building 8, 19 Sanlitun Taikoo Li South, Sanlitun
Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯太古里南区
8号楼833 (6417 1318)
MODO Urban Deli (Contemporary
Western) *
Yates Wine Lodge this is not. Unconventional and great fun, this compact eatery
was designed around an ever-changing selection of fine wines. Serves up fresh tapas
style food and original finger foods.
> Sun-Thu noon-10pm, Fri-Sat noon-10.30pm; 3/F,
Sanlitun Taikoo Li South (close to Element Fresh), 19
Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯太
古里南区3楼(近新元素) (6415 7207)
MOKA Bros (Contemporary Western) *
Power bowls, salads and wraps are the kind
of fare on offer at this trendy Nali Patio
space, which also has a great selection of
cakes and pastries if you’re feeling more
indulgent.
> Daily 6.30-10.30am, noon-2pm, 6-10pm. 79/F,
China World Trade Center Phase 3, 1 Jianguomenwai
Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸大酒店
79楼 (6505 2299 ext 6424)
> Sanlitun: Sun-Thu 11am-10:30pm, Fri/Sat 11am11:30pm, B101b Nali Patio South, 81 Sanlitun Beilu
Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路81号B101B南楼 (5208
6079) > Solana: Solana Lakeside Dining Street, 6
Chaoyang Park Road, Chaoyang 朝阳区湖畔美食街
朝阳公园路6号院蓝色港湾 (5905 6259)
Missa (European)
Whether it is the tender, imported cuts of
meat or the long list of expertly made and
creative cocktails going down your gullet,
Nasca Café
Colorful and quirky shopping mall style
café, with Amazonian coffee, teas and
there’s a decent range of sandwiches and
pizzas, available for delivery.
> Daily 11am-10pm, B1/F, City Mall, 1 Xinyuan Nanlu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区新源南路1号都汇天地购物中心B1
楼 (6592 4537) > Additional branches in Sanlitun
South; Volkswagen Building, Liangmahe (see online.
thatsmags.com for details)
Ricci
Named after a 17th century Italian Jesuit
(duh), this creative café has a funky, kookymeets-organic vibe and serves up some of
the best casual western food in town, and
a great brunch at the Wudaokou location
(Chaoyang branch closed weekends).
> Chaoyang: Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat/Sun closed;
F1-109, 1/F, Borui Dasha, 26 Dongsanhuan Beilu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区东三环北路甲26号博瑞大厦 F1-109
(6516 7588) > Additional location in Wudaokou (see
online.thatsmags.com for details)
The Rug (Contemporary Western,
Organic) *
With ingredients supplied by local organic
farms like Dahe and De Run Wu, and an
emphasis on sustainability, this café’s wide
ranging menu has something for everyone,
especially green types, bored foreign moms
and freelance Macbook types.
> Mon-Fri 7.30am-10:30pm, Sat/Sun 9:30am10:30pm; Bldg 4, Lishui Jiayuan, Chaoyang
Gongyuan Nanlu (opposite Chaoyang Park South
Gate), Chaoyang 朝阳区朝阳公园南路丽水嘉园4
号楼(朝阳公园南门对面) (8550 2722) > Additional
location in Sanlitun Nan Jie (see online.thatsmags.
com for details)
Vineyard Cafe on the River (British)
New Vineyard offshoot opposite of the Liangma River. Menu features British classics
like fish & chips and bangers & mash. The
breezy terrace is primed for a pint of the
handcraft beer or a carafe of Pimms.
>Daily Tue-Fri 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-12am (kitchen
closes at 10pm), Sat/Sun 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-12am;
Liangmahe Nan Lu, west side of Xindong Lu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区亮马河南路新东路西侧渔阳饭店对
面 (8532 5335)
TRIBE *
Induction to this Tribe appears to involve
spending somewhere in the region of
RMB100 on a kale salad and a freshly
pressed juice, while basking in the warm,
conceited glow that comes from knowing
that you are Eating Well. Salads, wraps and
sandwiches, and noodle and grain bowls
are as tasty as they are holistic.
> Daily 8am-10.30pm, 1/F, Building 3, China View
Plaza, 2A Gongti Dong Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区工
体东路甲2号中国红街大厦3号楼1层大厅入口南侧
8587 1899
Wagas (Contemporary Western)
Quality eats with minimal pretension. This
stylish, no-fuss Shanghai rival to Element
Fresh offers some of the best and most
affordable Western lunch options in town.
The zesty carrot-and-zucchini cake is a
crowd pleaser.
> Daily 8am-10pm; S8-33, 3/F, Bldg 8, Taikoo Li
South, 19 South Sanlitun Street, Chaoyang 朝阳区三
里屯太古里南区三层 (6416-5829) > Additional locations in The Kerry Centre, Raffles Mall Dongzhimen
(see www.online.thatsmags.com for details)
American/BBQ/Grill
The Big Smoke *
Taking the Home Plate BBQ concept and
upscaling was a gourmet masterstroke. Full
menu evenings only (also delivers rotisserie
chicken via Uncle Otis).
> Daily Mon-Sat 11am-midnight, Sun 11am-10pm.
First Floor, Lee World Building (opposite Frost Nails),
57 Xingfucun Zhong Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区幸福村
中路 57号楼利世楼 (6416 5195, 6416 268, www.
uncle-otis.com)
Home Plate BBQ *
Scruffy looks and laid-back staff belie the
popularity of this entry-level brick-smoker
barbecue joint, that blossoms in the
sunny months. Pulled-pork sandwiches
are the favorites, followed by baby-back
rib racks. Beer and bourbons are taken
care of, too.
> Daily 11am-10pm. 35 Xiaoyun Lu courtyard
(20m north of Xiaoyun Lu intersection, first right),
Chaoyang District 朝阳区霄云路35号院过霄云路
路口,往北走20米,到第一个路口右转(5128 5584)
Additional location in Sanlitun Nan Jie (see online.
NOLA
N’Orleans finds a dark-wood home in the
leafy embassy area, with a jazz soundtrack,
shrimp and grits, gumbo, fried chicken,
jambalaya and decent-enough po’boys –
yes’m. Excellent Cajun snacks, craft beers
and cocktail also make NOLA a popular
watering hole.
> Mon-Fri 8am-11pm, Sat-Sun 10.30am-11pm. 11A
Xiushui Nanjie, Chaoyang 朝阳区秀水南街11号
(8563 6215)
Tim’s Texas BBQ *
Who is Tim, you ask, and what’s his Texas
BBQ doing in Beijing? Providing ya’ll homesick ‘Murricans with the best damn homestyle briskets, ribs and steaks – slow-cooked
over a mesquite wood BBQ – this side of
the Rio Grande. Tex Mex and Margherita’s
recommended.
> Daily 9am-midnight; Silk#2 Building, 14
Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区东大桥路14号秀水
2号院 (6591 9161)
Union Bar and Grill
The definitive US-style diner in Beijing,
Union’s extensive menu – from eggs
Benedict to baby back ribs – covers all
bases and hours, served by friendly staff.
The warm atmosphere tempts many to
stay all day.
> Mon-Fri 11am-11pm, Sat/Sun 11am-midnight; S631, 3/F, Bldg 6, Sanlitun Taikoo Li South, 19 Sanlitun
Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯太古里南区
6号楼3层S6-31 (6415 9117)
The Woods *
New York native-owned, Manhattan-style
restaurant, tucked in amongst the skyscrapers of CBD: you can’t get more Big Apple
than that.
> Daily 12pm-10pm, Central Park Tower 1, Suite 101,
No. 6 Chaowai Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳区朝外大街6号
新城国际1号搂101 (6533 6380)
Burgers
Blue Frog
This Shanghai hamburger franchise has
been keeping Americans in China obese
since it opened. Monday’s burger deal is
always packed.
> Daily 10.00am-late. Sanlitun: Level 3, S2 Tower,
S2-30 Taikoo Li, Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯
路太古里3层S2-30 (6417 4030) Additional branches
in Jiuxianqiao and U-Town (see online.thatsmags.
com for details)
Burger Bar
Don’t be fooled by the American diner-style
interior, Burger Bar’s pedigree of bap
fillings include wagyu beef, foie gras and
truffles. Burger King this ain’t.
> Sun-Thu 11:30am-10pm, Fri/Sat 11:30am-midnight, B2/F, Parkview Green, 9 Dongdaqiao Road
Chaoyang 朝阳区东大桥路9号侨福芳草地大厦地下二
层 ( 5690 7000)
Chef Too ¥
With its crisp white tablecloths and service,
this upscale New York diner serves up some
of the classiest burgers in town.
> Tue-Fri 11am-1pm; Sat-Sun 9.30am-3pm; Tue-Sat
5.30pm-10pm. Opposite the West gate, Chaoyang
Park, Chaoyang 朝阳区朝阳公园西门 (6591 8676)
Steak
29 Grill (Contemporary Western) *
Top-notch steak, along with just about every other cut of meat found in the barnyard
in this well-priced meat-eaters’ mecca.
> Mon-Fri lunch: 11.30am-2.30pm; Mon-Sat dinner:
6-10.30pm (closed Sundays); Conrad Beijing, 2/F, 29
North Dongsanhuan, Chaoyang 朝阳区东三环北路9
号2层 (6584 6270))
Morton’s of Chicago (American) ¥¥ *
Meat so tender the knife falls through it:
ritzy Morton’s deserves the worldwide
praise. Expensive, but where else are you
going to get steak this good? (Try the
RMB550 set menu if you want to save cash)
> Mon-Sat 5:30-11pm, Sun 5-10:30pm; 2/F, Regent
Hotel, 99 Jinbao Jie, Dongcheng 东城区金宝街99号
丽晶酒店二层 (6523 7777)
Steak Exchange Restaurant+Bar (Contemporary Western) ¥¥ *
The bill is hopefully on the company kuai at
this opulent eatery, where charcoal-grilled
cuts of 250-day, grain-fed Australian Angus
start from around RMB428 and merrily
spiral. But the meat is unquestionably succulent, and cooked exactly to order.
> Daily 11.30am-2pm, 5.30-10.30pm. InterContinental Beijing Financial Street, 11 Jinrong Jie, Xicheng 西
城区金融街11号北京金融街洲际酒店 (5852 5921)
Flamme (Contemporary Western)
Expensive steaks are now invading Beijing.
Flamme (pronounced ‘Flame,’ apparently)
remains top value, however, especially on
2-4-1 Tuesdays, while bar staff maintain an
eclectic (and genuinely exciting) cocktail
menu.
> Daily 11am-10.30pm Sun-Thur; 11am-11pm FriSat. S4-33, Third Floor, Sanlitun Taikoo Li South, 19
Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯太
古里南区3层S4-33室 (6417 8608) > 269 Indigo Mall,
Jixianqiao Road, Chaoyang 朝阳区酒仙桥路18号颐堤
港商场269号 (8420 0270)
O’Steak
A well-cooked steak in Beijng isn’t all that
rare anymore, and here we have affordable
but quality cuts. Don’t be fooled by the
Irish sounding name, it’s an authentic
listings
French bistro – not a Guinness in sight.
> Daily midday-midnight, 55-7 Xingfucun Zhonglu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区幸福村中路55-7 (8488 8250)
Mexican/Tex Mex
Cantina Agave (Tex-Mex)
Great selection of burritos, tacos and 80+
imported tequilas. Spice up dishes with the
walk-up salsa bar and don’t leave without a
bite of the custardy flan.
>Sun-Thurs 11am to midnight. Fri–Sat 11am to 2am,
S4-32 South Block, Sanlitun Taikoo Li, 19 Sanlitun
Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里太古里南区
(6416 5212)
El Gran Bocado (Mexican)
This unassuming little taquiera has a colorful menu of classic Mexican and Tex Mex
dishes, and one of the best nacho plates
we’ve had in Beijing.
> Daily 11am-midnight, 1/F, Just Make Bldg,
Xingfucun Zhonglu, Chaoyanf 朝阳区幸福村中路杰作
大厦1层 (6416 1715)
Taco Bar
Rising from the ashes of its deceased
hutong location, the new Taco Bar is hip,
popular and able to produce some of the
most authentic Mexican fare in town. Only
RMB45 for three and great cocktails to
complement.
> Tue-Thu 5.30pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5.30pm-2.30am, Sun
11am-1am; 1/F, Unit 10, Electrical Research Institute,
Sanlitun Nan Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯南路机电研
究院内10号1层 (6501 6026)
Palms L.A. Kitchen and Bar * (KoreanMexican fusion)
Old World family charm in an intimate
hutong setting. Time (and, occasionally,
service) slows with a rustic menu from Bologna offering an assortment of homemade
pastas and seasonal mains.
> Tue-Sun 6-10.30pm. 4 Fangzhuanchang Hutong,
Dongcheng 东城区方砖厂胡同4号 (8402 5098)
Opera Bombana ¥
Head chef Umberto Bombana boasts three
Michelin stars to his name, earned at his
wildly successful Hong Kong restaurant
Otto e Mezzo. He’s the only Italian chef to
do so outside of his native land, and certainly the only to have opened a restaurant
in Beijing.
> Daily, 12pm-10:30pm; LG2-21 Parkview Green
Fangcaodi, 9 Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区东大
桥路9号侨福芳草地地下2层21号 (5690 7177)
Pizza
Tube Station
Nowhere does gigantic toppen-laden pizza
quite like Beijing, and these guys claim to
be the biggest in town.
> Sanlitun 3.3 Branch: Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, Sat/Sun
10am-11pm, delivery Mon-Thu 11:30am-10:30pm,
Fri-Sun 11:30am-11pm 3/F, 3.3 Building, No. 33
Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang 三里屯北街33号3.3服装
大厦3层3008号 ( 5136 5571, delivery 8989 177)
> Additional branches in Gongti, Beida, Beitai,
Yayancun, Solana and Weigongcun, see www.online.thatsmags.com for details)
La Pizza
Among the upper echelons of Beijing
pizzerias is this Sanlitun goldfish bowl
with a wood-fired oven and Neapolitan
manners. Further branches in Solana and
pasta/salad/mains-buffet restaurant in
Sanlitun 3.3
> Sanlitun Branch: daily 10.30am-3pm, 6-11pm. 1/F,
3.3 Mall, 33 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路
33号3.3服装大厦西北角底商(5136 5582) > Solana
Branch: SA-48, 1/F, Bldg 3, Solana, 6 Chaoyang
Park Road, Choayang 朝阳公园西路6号,蓝色港
湾3号1层, SA-48 ( 5905 6106) > SOHU Shangdu
Branch: SH1112, SOHO Shangdu, 8 Dongdaqiao Lu,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区东大桥路8号SOHO尚都
SH1112号(5900 3112) > La Pizza Buffet: 4F, Sanlitun
3.3 Mall, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯3.3服装大厦4层
(5136 5990)
Spanish
Agua ¥ *
Tucked away near Gulou, this hip little
hutong concept is truly one of a kind in
Beijing. Quesadillas with kimchi and bibimbaps with melted cheese and hot sauce.
Guess what? It works. Killer range of classic
Cali’ cocktails, too.
Assaggi ¥ *
This fine Italian spot in the leafy embassy
district has one of Beijing’s best terraces for
summer dining. The tagliata steak is worth
a return visit.
> Daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6pm-11:30pm. 1 Sanlitun
Beixiaojie, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯北小街1号 (8454
4508)
Bene ¥ *
Chef Ricci will have you singing like a soprano with his pork ravioli and prize-winning
tiramisu. Excellent set menus (RMB588) and
extensive wine selection.
> Daily 11am-2.30pm, 5.30-10.30pm. Sheraton
Beijing Dongcheng, 36 Northeast Third Ring Road,
Dongcheng District 东城区北三环东路36号(5798
8995)
Cepe ¥
In a city inundated with Italian offerings,
Cepe manages to stand out thanks to its
attention to the smallest detail – everything
from the vinaigrette to the Parma ham is
import quality, and the wine is superb.
Weekends at
Brunch RMB298/198
Infinite drinks RMB168
4/F Nali Patio, Sanlitun Bar Street
Tel: 5208 6188
Occupying the high end of Nali’s Spanish
invasion, Agua excels with reasonably
priced classics like suckling pig, chorizo
and jamon. Winner of the 2014 Golden
Fork Editors’ Pick for best restaurant.
German
Drei Kronen 1308 *
Authentic (in as much as any brauhaus with
a Filipino cover band can be) displays of armour and brewing kits draw regular evening crowds for the superb pork knuckle and
heavy-duty helles (pale lager), wheat and
dark beer (brewed on-site).
> Daily 11am-2am. 1/F, Bldg 5, China View, Gongti
Donglu, Chaoyang 朝阳区工体东路中国红街5号楼1
层(6503 5555)
Paulaner Brauhaus
The grand old man of Beijing brauhauses,
Paulaner delivers the Teutonic goods in the
hands of lederhosen-clad staff from the
provinces. It can be pricey but is usually
worthwhile, especially during Oktoberfest.
Ganges
Conveniently located above popular
Irish sports bar Paddy O’Sheas, this solid
Indian curry house provides the perfect
post-match culinary accompaniment. Or
put another way: it’s what you’ll be craving
after eight pints of beer.
> Daily 11am to 10.30pm; Dongzhimen Branch: 2nd
Floor, 28 Dongzhimen Wai Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳
区东直门外大街28号2层 (6417-0900) > Additional
branch in Sanlitun, see online.thatsmags.com for
details.
Indian Kitchen
> Daily 11am-2am, 3-4 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang 朝阳
区工体北路3-4号 (6532 4050)
Biteapitta *
Enjoyed by vegetarians (hummus, falafel)
and 58 kuai kebab-lovers alike, Biteapitta
has the Middle-East mid-range market all
wrapped up in a fluffy pitta.
> Daily 11am-11pm, Second Floor, Tongli Studio,
Sanlitun Houjie, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯后街同里2
层 (6467 2961)
Cuju Moroccan Bistrot & Rummery *
CuJu used to be a cozy little hutong sports
bar with an incredible rum selection, but
now it’s a cozy little Moroccan bistrot and
rummery – so it still has an awesome rum
selection. Badr’s Moroccan food might be
the best in town.
Mosaic Restaurant & Bar
Promising “the best shawarmas and
shishas in town”, Mosaic restaurant & bar
offers a range of great value delicacies and
cocktails, served up in a cozy setting with
a friendly and personalized service. One
of few places in Beijing to offer genuine
Arabic shishas (hookah), Mosaic is a hidden
Sanlitun gem.
> Daily 12pm-2am; 32 S. Sanlitun St (Behind/North
of Yashow Silk Market), Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯南32
号楼临街店 (137 1883 7065)
Rumi (Middle Eastern
The go to curry house among Beijing’s
homesick Indian community, this ever
popular no-nonsense restaurant has built
up a solid reputation thanks to its wide
range of quality dishes and particularly
friendly service. Looking good after a
recent rennovation and very available on
JinShiSong online delivery.
> Daily 11am-2:30pm, 5:30-11pm, 2/F 2 Sanlitun
Beixiaojie, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯北小街2号2楼
(6462 7255)
Raj
Tucked away in musty old building just underneath the drum tower, this curryhouse
may look Chinese but everything on the
menu is authentic Indian, espcially the
rather fine naan.
> Daily 11am-2pm, 5pm-11pm, 31 Gulou Xidajie
Dongcheng 东城区鼓楼西大街31号 (6401 1675)
South-East Asian
Nyonya Kitchen (Malaysian, Nyonya)
This chain specializes in Nyonya style cooking – ostensibly Malaysian but with a mix
of Chinese, South-East Asian and European
influences resulting in lots of bold flavors
and bright colors.
> CBD: EB105, B1/F, China World Mall Phase
1, 1 Jianguomen Wai, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国门
外大街1号国贸商城一期地下一层EB105 (6505
0376) > Taiyanggong: Unit 10-11, 4/F, CapitaMall
Taiyanggong, Chaoyang 朝阳区凯德Mall太阳宫4层
10/11号 (8415 0863) www.nyonyakitchen.com
Malacca Legend
Malaysian food with a view, this spacious
and airy restaurant sits on the banks of Shunyi’s Roma Lake, making a great spot for
their beef rendang or green curry prawns.
> Daily 11am-10pm; 6 Luodong Road, Luogezhuang
Village, Houshayu Town, Shunyi 顺义区后沙峪镇罗各
庄村罗各东路6号 (8049 8902, www.malaccalegend.
com)
)
Niajo ¥ *
Worlds away from the filth of nearby dirty
Bar Street, Rumi dishes out plentiful helpings of traditional Persian stews and tasty
kebabs. Try the juicy Chicken Shish kebab,
the tastier cousin to cheap chuan’r.
> Daily 11.30am-12am, Gongti Beilu and Third Ring
Road, Chaoyang 工体北路和三环内,兆龙饭店对面
(8454 3838)
With homely Mediterranean influences and
Indian
1001 Nights
There’s no missing this beast of a Middle
Eastern on the way into Sanlitun. The
whole Arabic dining package is on offer
here, from kebabs, to shisha to belly dancing shows between courses.
> Daily 10am-3pm, 5pm- late. 6/F, Nali Patio, 81
Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花园
6层 (5208 6061)
> Daily, 11:30am-10:30pm, N3-47, 3/F, Building 3,
Taikoo Li North, 11 Sanlitun Street, Chaoyang 朝阳
区三里屯路11号院太古里北区N3-37和 47商铺 (www.
gaiagroup.com.hk/isola-beijing, reservations@isolabeijing.com; 6416 3499)
Asian
African/Middle Eastern
Migas ¥ *
The boys at Migas have turned a concept
bar into a thriving Mediterranean restaurant, bar and party venue, and one of
summer’s rooftop destinations.
Isola Bar & Grill
Isola’s elegant design, even by Taikoo Li
North standards, is classic Italian panache –
and so is the food. Beef carpaccio, burrata,
Strozzapreti (handed twisted pasta) are
all fantastic, but just as good is a classic
Margherita pizza.
> Dongmen Building, 12 Dongzhimen Wai,
Chaoyang 朝阳区东直门外大街12号东门下楼 (5785
3538) > Additional location in Shunyi (see online.
> Daily 11am-1am. Kempinski Hotel, 50 Liangmaqiao
Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区亮马桥路50号凯宾斯基饭店
(6465 3388 ext. 5732)
> Daily Midday-2pm, 6pm-10pm. 4/F, Nali Patio, 81
Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花
园 (5208 6188)
> Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm. The RitzCarlton Financial Street, 1 Jinchengfang Dongjie,
Jinrong Jie, Xicheng 西城区金城坊东街1号北京金融街
丽思卡顿酒店大堂 (6601 6666)
Mercante ¥ *
> Daily 12.00am - 10.30pm. 3/F, Nali Patio, 81
Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路81号那里花园
3层 (5208 6052)
> 28 Xiguan Hutong, off Dongsibeidajie, Dongcheng
东城区细管胡同28号东四北大街 (6407 9782)
> Daily 11:30am-midnight (closed Mondays) 14
Zhangwang Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区旧鼓楼大街
张旺胡同14号 (6405 4352)
Italian
a charming management, Niajo is prime
Sanlitun smart-casual dining. Order the
paella (their star dish) together with some
tapas and be automatically transported to
Spain (minus the constant sunshine).
Pinotage ¥ (South African) *
A seasonal blend of Dutch, English and
regional African influences, this contemporary and stylish eatery has an impressive
selection of fine import-quality meats, and
wines to match. The traditional borewor
ground beer-sausage (RMB100) is tender
and sweet, while the red-wine pork tenderloin makes the trip out to their Shunyi
branch worth it.
Cafe Sambal (Malaysian)
When it comes to Malay-style food in a
hutong, nowhere does it better. Admittedly,
it’s something of a niche category, but then
so is the food on offer. The spicy Kapitanstyle chicken is pricey, but worth it.
> Daily 11am-midnight. 43 Doufuchi Hutong (just
east of Jiugulou Dajie), Xicheng 西城区豆腐池胡同43
号旧鼓楼大街往东走(6400 4875)
Flor de Loto
Sleek and chic Vietnamese restaurant –
always draws a crowd. DIY fresh spring
rolls are a highlight. Worth the ride to
Korea-town.
> Daily 11am-10pm; 201, Europark Bldg A1(Cafe
Bene Building) Guangshun Nandajie, Wangjing,
Chaoyang 朝阳区望京园610号楼悠乐汇A座 201室
(6477 7387)
4Corners (Vietnamese, Fusion)
The definitive hutong bar/restaurant? Chef
Jun Trinh took a break from his celebrity TV
work to host this part-Vietnamese venue,
serving up steaming bowls of pho with
zesty, fresh rolls, as well as a great bar, with
frequent live indie performances.
listings
> Tue-Sun 11am-2am, 27 Dashibei Hutong (near
west end of Yandai Xiejie), Xicheng 西城区大石碑胡
同27号烟袋斜街西口附近) (6401 7797)
Greyhound Café (Modern Thai/Fusion)
Greyhound Café originated in Bangkok offering Thai food with a twist and served in
a fashionable surrounds. Perfect for Taikoo
Li Sanlitun then.
> Daily 11am-11pm, S1-30B, Building 1, Sanlitun
Road 19, Chaoyang 朝阳区三里屯路19号1号楼 S1-30B
(6416 3439)> Additional branch in Shin Kong Place
(see online.thatsmags.com for details)
Purple Haze (Thai)
Given Beijing’s lack of white sand beaches
and backpacker bars, Purple Haze has to
make do for the best Thai experience in
town. Has all the classics like veggie spring
rolls (RMB40), papaya salad (RMB46) and
curries (RMB44-180) – but our pick’s the
seafood pad Thai (RMB45).
> Daily 11am-11pm, 55 Xingfu Yicun, Chaoyang 朝
阳区幸福一村55号 (6413 0899)
Korean
Ai Jiang Shan
This upscale seafood restaurant proves that
chargrill and composure can go together.
Their RMB58 bibimbap lunch is an absolute
bargain.
> Daily 11am-10pm, Sat and Sun until 9.30pm. 5/F,
LG Twin Towers (East Tower), 12 Jianguomenwai
Dajie, Chaoyang 朝阳区建国门外大街乙12号双子座
大厦东塔5层 (51096036/6037) see online.thatsmags.
com for other locations
Saveurs de Coree
This upmarket Korean bistro has undergone
several changes in recent years, not least
its move away from the hipper-than-thou
confines of Nanluoguxiang. Fortunately,
the menu remains largely intact. The Shin
Ramyun is among the best in Beijing, while
the Wagyu barbecued beef is almost too
good to be true.
> Daily noon-11pm. 128-1 Xiang’er Hutong,
Dongcheng 东城区香饵胡同128-1号(5741 5753)
Susu (Vietnamese)
The first step is finding it. Follow that up
with a dreamlike renovated courtyard, extensive wine list and a listing of top-notch
Vietnamese curries, banh mi sandwiches,
stews, soups and la Vong fish.
Vegetarian
Japanese
> Daily 10am-10pm 19 Rm 0260, 2/F, Bldg D,
Chaowai SOHO, 6B Chaoyangmenwai Dajie,
Chaoyang 朝阳门外大街乙6朝外SOHOD座2层0260
(5900 1288) Additional location in Wudaokou (see
www.online.thatsmags.com for details)
> Tue- Sun 11.30am-11pm; 10 Qianliang Hutong
Xixiang, Dongcheng 东城区钱粮胡同西巷10号
(8400 2699)
Hatsune ¥ * (California Japanese)
As much a California roll joint as true
Japanese, Hatsune is now an old favorite
among the sake-swilling, sushi-swallowing
set, though less so among sashimi purists.
> Daily 11.30am-2pm, 5.30-10pm 2/F, Heqiao Bldg
C, 8A Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区光华路甲8号
和乔大厦C座2层 (6581 3939) >Additional locations
in Sanlitun Tai Koo Li South; Kerry Centre Mall (see
www.online.thatsmags.com for details)
Inagiku *
This Beijing branch of one of Tokyo’s oldest and most celebrated restaurants is as
near to perfection as you’re likely to find.
Deceptively simple yet finely crafted, the
handmade Inaniwa udon (RMB80) is not to
be missed.
> Daily 11am-3pm, 6-10.30pm; Rm 315, 3/F, Park Life,
Yintai Centre, 2 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang
朝阳区建国门外大街2号银泰中心悦生活3层315室
(8517 2838)
Sake Manzo *
Tianchu Maoxiang (Asian)
Like many arrivals to Beijing, this place
started out in Wudaokou and it’s since
made a successful migration to Chaoyang.
Great range of veggie fare, reasonably
priced and they offer cooking classes as
well.
Veggie Table (Western, Asian) *
Proving that Beijing-style vegetarian cuisine
is by no means the exclusive preserve of
Buddhist monks and soppy Jack Johnson
fans, this superbly honed eatery offers
some of the very best sandwiches – vegetarian or otherwise – found anywhere in
the city.
> Daily 10.30am to 11.30pm (last order 10.30pm) 19
Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng 东城区五道营胡同
19号. (6446 2073)
bars
TOP 40 BARS AND CLUBS
About This guide represents our
editors’ top 40 picks, and includes some
That’s Beijing advertisers. Bars rated(*)
have been personally reviewed by our
experts, and scored according to the
cuisine, experience and affordability.
BBC (Bottle, Boot & Cigar)
The brainchild of local spirits professional
Douglas Williams, this bar provides the
discerning Beijing drinker with a peerless
selection of liquor for sale, cocktails and
coming soon, shoe shines, cigars and
straight-razor shaves.
> 1pm-late. 1 Taipingzhuang Nanli (At Xingfucun,
between Frost: Coffee, Nails & Cocktails and Commix
Bar), Chaoyang District 朝阳区太平庄南里1号 (1861
405 7407, www.bbcbeijing.com)
The barmen here are serious about their
sake. Boasting one of the best stocked
drinks cabinets in town with over 60 different sakes on offer, this super-cool little
eatery is the perfect place to unwind after
a hard day’s toil. The sashimi is fresh to the
cut, and the beer-marinated chicken is out
of this world. One of the very best and least
appreciated restaurants in town.
> Daily 6pm-midnight. 7A Tuanjiehu Beisantiao,
Chaoyang 朝阳区团结湖北三条甲7号(6436 1608)
Hyoki ¥ (Japanese)
Hidden away in the depths of the Sofitel
Hotel, this labyrinthine Japanese restaurant
of all private dining rooms has some
stunning food, and is the only place to
sample traditional Japanese paper hot pot
in Beijing.
> 6F Sofitel Wanda Beijing 100022 93 Jianguo Road,
Chaoyang 朝阳区建国路93号索菲特万达北京酒店6
层 (6581 0072)
Sushi Yotsuba **
It doesn’t come cheap (tasting menu
RMB1,000), but what would you expect
from some of the best sushi in town?
Buttery and meaty fatty tuna sashimi is a
cut above.
> Dongcheng: Tue- Sun 11.30am-11pm. 10 Qianliang
Hutong Xixiang, Dongcheng 东城区钱粮胡同西巷
10号 (8400 2699) > Lido branch: 2F, No.9-3, Jiangtai
Xilu, Chaoyang 朝阳区将台西路9-3号2层 (8420 0998)
8-Bit
Drinking alongside multiplayer retro gaming – why didn’t anyone do this sooner?
Megadrive, Super Nintendo, N64... some
real gems make up an ever-growing collection. Draft Kirin goes for a reasonable
RMB25 a glass.
> Daily, 1pm-2am, 49 Jiaodaokou Nandajie,
Dongcheng District 东城区交道口南大街49号 (159
1025 6538))
The Brick
A Cheers-style atmosphere ensures you’ll
find this neighbourhood drinking hole-inthe brick-wall faux dive bar either cliquey
or inclusive. The heavy-duty cocktails
(including the devastatingly boozy RMB80
Terminator) are probably needed for the
bizarre Wednesday pub quiz.
> Daily 4pm-late. Unit 2-11, Bldg 2, Tianzhi Jiaozi, 31
Guangqu Lu (northeast corner of Shuangjing Qiao),
Chaoyang District 朝阳区双井桥东北角广渠路31号院
天之骄子2号楼底商2-11 (134 2616 6677)
Capital Spirits
A team of non-China natives doing a baijiu
bar? Brave and, luckily, brilliant. Lovely
hutong setting, friendly owners and great
bottle collection.
> Tue-Sun 8pm-late; 3 Da Ju Hutong, Dongcheng 东
城区大菊胡同3号 (010 6409 3319; www.capitalspirits.
com)
CICADA Ultralounge ¥
The latest – and perhaps only – ultralounge
in Beijing is fast becoming one of Sanlitun’s
trendiest bars. A Shanghai style lounge
bar with mixology credentials, the Whisky
Sours and Smoky Havana’s are worth the
cost.
> Mon-Sat, 6pm-late, 11 Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang
District 朝阳区三里屯路11号三里屯太古里北区N4-33
(6418 9898)
Cu Ju
Moroccan-inspired bistro, cocktail destination and sports fan’s manna all rolled into
one, Renaissance man Badr Benjelloun’s
hutong gem is constantly evolving. Offering
North African food with an international
cocktails, Beijing’s widest selection of rums
and sports broadcasts from basketball to
cricket, Cu Ju is truly one of the city’s best
all-around bar-restaurants.
> 5-11pm, Sun-Tue, Thu; 5pm-late, Fri-Sat; closed
Wed. 28 Xiguan Hutong (Hutong entrance is 300m
north of subway line 5, Zhangzizhong Lu stop),
Dongcheng District 东城区细管胡同28号 6407 9782,
www.cujubeijing.com
Daily Routine 日常生活
This cozy bar is a diamond in the rough.
Owner Travis is a cocktail aficionado, and
the drinks at this establishment change seasonally according to ingredient availability.
Light cafe fare is available during the day.
> 11am-11pm. 34 Wudaoying Hutong, Dongcheng
District 东城区五道营胡同34号 8400 1159
El Nido *
The first hutong hang-out to patent the
fridge-full-of-cheap-imports formula, El
Nido inspires a loyal following, particularly
in summer. The roast leg of mutton place
next door is one of the best locally.
> Daily 6pm-late, 59 Fangjia Hutong, Dongcheng
District 东城区方家胡同50号(158 1038 2089)
Enoterra
Looking for an affordable glass of wine
with that date? Look no further than Nali
Patio’s wine center. Although the food
leaves a bit to be desired, the selections are
vast, and if anything, you can enjoy a nice
cheese plate with that tart glass of vino.
> Daily 10am-2am, 4/F Sanlutun Nali Patio, 81
Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区三里屯路81号那
里花园D405室 (5208 6076)
First Floor
First Floor is like that friend who’s too
popular to properly enjoy their company.
At weekends, it gets aggressively full, with
regulars and the passing tourist trade all
baying at the bar. A good place to meet
new friends, perhaps.
// Daily, 4pm-late, Sanlitun Beixiaojie, Chaoyang
District 朝阳区三里屯北小街 (6413 0587, first.floorbeijing.com)
Fubar
Slightly past its prime, this basement bar is
trying to rediscover the speakeasy pretence
that made the place its name. Live lounge
music and a vast amount of pours are starting to persuade people it’s succeeding.
> 6pm-2am Sunday to Thursday, 6pm-4am Friday
and Saturday. 8 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District,
Workers’ Stadium East Gate 朝阳区工体北路8号工人
体育场东门内 (6593 8227)
Glen ¥
Experiences can vary at Glen (we’ve
endured poor service and drinks that are
scandalous at the price), which is located in
a decidedly downbeat compound. But whisky lovers have been known to swear by its
selections and dark, intimate atmosphere.
See for yourself.
> 6.30pm-2am. 203, 2/F, Taiyue Suites Hotel Beijing,
16 Nansanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区南三里屯
路16号泰悦豪庭2楼203室 (6591 1191) Glen Classic ¥
Tucked away in the grounds of Face hotel,
Glen Classic is a Japanese-owned whisky
bar where discerning drinkers can sink
into an arm-chair, glass in hand, and while
away the hours. Huge range of whiskies
and rums are personally selected by expert
owner Daiki Kanetaka – let him recommend
you something special.
> Mon-Sat, 7pm-2am, reservation required,
minimum spend RMB200, Face Hotel Courtyard, 26
Dongcaoyuan, Chaoyang District 朝阳区工体南路东草
园26号 (6551 6788)
Great Leap Brewing 大跃啤酒 ¥ *
The bar that began the whole Beijing microbrewing frenzy (yes, frenzy) specializes
in idiosyncratic, local-style brews (RMB2540) with intriguing flavors – their Sichuan
peppercorn ale was memorably good.
Reservations used to be recommended
for their original hutong brewhouse, but
the opening of a wildly popular new pub
on Xinzhong Lu has shifted most drinkers
there instead.
> Gulou: 5pm-late, Tue-Fri, 2pm-late Sat-Sun 2-10pm,
6 DouJiao Hutong, Dongcheng District 东城区豆角
胡同6号 (5717 1399) >Sanlitun: Daily 11:30am-2pm;
Sun-Thu 5pm-midnight, Fri /Sat 5pm-1am, B12
Xinzhong Street 新中街乙12号 ( 6416-6887, www.
greatleapbrewing.com)
Heaven Supermarket
A purgatory of bottles, bongs and bedraggled English teachers, Heaven sells the
cheapest alcoholic takeaways in town. You
can also hang around and appreciate the
afterlife (clientele) if you want. Caveat: the
food is straight from Hell’s own kitchen.
> Daily 12pm-4am. 12 Xindong Lu (next to The
James Joyce), Chaoyang District 朝阳区新东路16号
(6415 6513)
Hidden Lounge *
Although frustrating to find, Hidden
Lounge rewards the intrepid with good artwork and comfortable seating, suggesting
a Kasbah, plus well-made drinks at great
prices (wine from RMB100 a bottle, mix
drinks from RMB25). You’ll probably have
to call them to find it, though.
> Daily 6pm-1am. Room 101, Bldg 8, CBD Apartments,
Shuanghuayuan Nanli Erqu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区
双花园南里二区CBD公寓8号楼101屋 (8772 1613)
Ichikura ¥
One of the best-known ‘secrets’ in town,
this Japanese whisky bar tucked behind
a theater also offers terrific cocktails.
Although less expensive than several rivals,
you’ll want to indulge.
> Daily 7pm-2am. 2/F Chaoyang Theater, 36
Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区东三环
北路36号朝阳剧场南侧 (6507 1107)
The Irish Volunteer
Everything – from the red-faced owner to
the grub – is authentically Irish: tinged with
alcoholism, doggerel and drunken regret.
A good place to down a pint and a pizza
before heading into town, then.
> Daily 9pm-2am. 311 Jiangtai Lu (opposite Lido
Hotel East Gate), Chaoyang District 朝阳区将台路311
号 (6438 5581)
Jane’s & Hooch ¥ *
Acclaimed by some foreign press as one
of the best bars in the world (cough), this
not-so-plain Jane has been at the vanguard
of the South Sanlitun gentrification. It
serves RMB60-80 measures of your favorite
Prohibiotion-era hooches in a fanstastic
speakeasy atmosphere, with attentive staff
and unimpeachable cocktails.
> Daily 8pm-2am, Courtyard 4 Gongti Beilu, 工体北路
4号院 ( 6503 2757)
Jing-A Taproom **
In just a few years, these guys developed
from shady guerrilla brewers to upstanding
publicans with their own range of souvenir
T-shirts. Their bar is a peach: a bricks-andmortar taproom, which is large, warm and
sociable, and has up to 16 different beers
on tap.
> Building B, 1949 The Hidden City, Courtyard 4,
Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区工体北路4号院
Maggie’s ¥
A notorious sausage fest (we refer, of
course, to the hot-dog stand outside),
Maggie’s has been providing its special
comforts for so long, it’s practically a timehonored Beijing brand – although it’s also a
bastion of Mongolian culture.
> Sun-Thur 8pm-4am, Fri-Sat 8pm-5am, Ritan Park
South Gate, Chaoyang District 朝阳区日坛公园南
门 (8562 8142)
Mai Bar *
Understated hutong hideaway with a long
list of some of the best cocktails in town.
> Daily 5pm-late, 40 Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng 东城
区北锣鼓巷40号 (6406 1871)
Mao Mao Chong **
The cocktails at Mao’s – such as their
sublime ‘Mala’ Mule, a Sichuan peppercorninfused vodka drink that’s a long way from
Moscow – are unique infusions using
local ingredients and know-how. Grungey
without being grimey, Mao’s eschews flash
while still keeping it real. And those pizzas.
> 12 Banchang Hutong, Jiaodaokou, Dongcheng
District 东城区交道口南大街板厂胡同12号 (6405 5718,
www.maomaochongbeijing.com)
Mesh ¥
Whether it’s an early evening cocktail or a
late-night infusion, Mesh’s moody interior
and underground soundtrack draws the
bright young things (and on LGBT Thursdays, quite a few old things, too).
> Daily 5pm-1am. Building 1, 11 Sanlitun Lu,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区三里屯路11号院1号楼 (6417
6688)
Parlor
Learn a few quotes from Gatsby before
heading to this 20s Shanghai-style speakeasy and you’ll fit right in.
listings
> Daily 6pm-2am, 39-8 Xingfuercun, Chaoyang 朝阳区
新东路幸福二村39-8 (8444 4135)
Revolution *
Sanlitun doesnt really do hipster bars but
if it did, this cramped ode to Maomorabilia
would be it. The East may be red but their
cocktails (RMB45) are fit for a Chairman.
> Daily, 12pm-late, west of Yashow, Gongti Bei Lu, 朝
阳区工体北路雅秀市场西侧 (6415 8776)
Salud 老伍 *
A Nanluoguxiang institution, with everything from cheap beer to (loud) live music
and low beams. The rum infusions are a
particular favorite on cold nights. Latest
branch in WDK a welcome addition to surrouding student dives.
> NLGX: Mon-Fri 3pm-late, Sat-Sun noon-late. 66
Nanluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District 东城区南锣鼓巷
66号 (6402 5086)
> Wudaokou: 2/F, Qijixin Building, Zhanchunyuan
Xilu 展春园西路奇蓟鑫大厦南侧2层
Slow Boat Brewery Taproom **
This popular microbrewery has its own
pub hidden away in Dongcheng’s hutongs.
Quality ales that change depending on
the season, heated floors and a great little
kitchen round out the deal.
> Mon Closed, Tues-Wed: 5pm-midnight, Thu 5pm1am, Fri 5pm-late, Sat 2pm-late, Sun 2-10pm; 56
Dongsi Batiao, Dongcheng 东城区东四八条56号
(6538 5537)
The Tree
A cozy stalwart of the Beijing bar scene,
you’ll find wood-fired comfort pizza, beer
aplenty and a hearty, mature atmosphere.
Has two neighborhood offshoots: By the
Tree (brickwork, pool, old man’s pub) and
Nearby the Tree (live music, two floors).
> Daily noon-2am. 100m west of Sanlitun Bar Street,
Youyi Youth Hostel, Chaoyang District 朝阳区三里
屯酒吧街往西100米友谊旅馆后面三里屯医院东面
(6415 1954)
10 Best Livehouses
2 Kolegas 两个好朋友酒吧 *
Call it what you will: Dos Kolegas. Fire trap.
That place by the drive-through. But there’s
no denying that this artsy alternative
venue has its fingers on an eclectic musical
pulse. In summer, it really comes alive with
barbecue pits, all-day parties and a whole
lotta love.
> Daily 8pm-2am. 21 Liangmaqiao Lu (inside the
drive-in movie theater park), Chaoyang District 朝阳
区亮马桥路21号 (6436 8998,www.2kolegas.com)
Dusk Dawn Club (DDC) 黄昏黎明俱乐部
Great little livehouse near Meishuguan
with a focus on jazz, folk and indie rock.
Craft beer and whisky means you won’t get
bored of the drinks list quickly.
> Tue-Sun 1pm-2am; 14 Shanlao Hutong,
Dongcheng 东城区美术馆后街山老胡同14号 (6407
8969)
Hot Cat Club 热力猫
A true stalwart of the Beijing scene, Hot
Cat is the type of hard-working venue that
helps cement a city’s music scene. From
Afro Funk to Math Rock to painful open-mic
nights, this everyman’s club breeds good
vibes. Decent drinks, lots of loungy seats
and plenty of space.
> Daily 10am-late, 46 Fangjia Hutong (just south of
Guozijian Jie), Dongcheng District 东城区方家胡同
46号(6400 7868).
Jianghu 江湖酒吧
This former Qing Dynasty courtyard home
is exactly where you’d take that friend from
out of town to prove you’re cool. Its cozy
atmosphere is also its downfall – any show
with under 40 people and you’re stuck
looking through the windows. Hip and
casually familiar, the jazz and folk bookings
keep things low-key enough for the gethome-for-the-babysitter crowd.
> 7 Dongmianhua Hutong, Jiaodaokou Nan Dajie,
Dongcheng District 东城区交道口南大街东棉花胡
同7号 (6401 5269, site.douban.com/jianghujiubar,
jincanzh@gmail.com)
Mako Live 麻雀瓦舍
Nestled in the old Beijing Jeep plant, this
former warehouse plays host to a Silk Road
smorgasbord of musical encounters from
western China and the ‘Stans. Forget the
overpriced bar and come for the killer
sound, comfortable wraparound balcony
and five-meter replica of Optimus Prime,
followed by a hearty meal at the Xinjiang
restaurant upstairs.
> Hongdian Art Factory, 36 Guangqu Lu, Chaoyang
District 朝阳区广渠路36号红点艺术工厂院内(5205
1113, www.mako001.com)
MAO Livehouse 光芒 *
From the denim-jacketed doorman to the
well-grafittied walls, Mao leans on every
Hollywood rock club cliché without feeling
scripted. Besides boasting the worst bar in
town, Mao delivers with great sound and
the best billings of heavy metal, punk hitting this side of the Drum Tower.
> 111 Gulou Dong Dajie, Dongcheng District 东城区
鼓楼东大街111号(6402 5080, www.maolive.com)
The Post Mountain 后山
Built into a man-made hill in the center of
the MOMA Complex, this new addition to
Beijing’s growing livehouse empire is The
Hobbit meets Manhattan. With as much
vibe as a sterile modern-art gallery. Its
imported sound system and ramped floor
makes for decent sound and sightlines.
> Bldg T8, MOMA, 1 Xiangheyuan Lu,
Dongzhimenwai, Dongcheng District (next to
MOMA Cinemateque) 东城区东直门外香河园路1号
当代MOMA园区T8楼北百老汇电影中心北侧 (8400
4774)
School Bar 学校酒吧 *
Crap drinks and regular, unscheduled
fights: no wonder the cool kids adore this
alternative livehouse/ DJ bar, founded by
Beijing and Shanghai rock n’ rollers.
> Daily 8pm-late. 53 Wudaoying Hutong, Chaoyang
District 朝阳区五道营胡同53号 (6402 8881, 6406
9947)
Temple 坛 *
Probably the manliest venue in town, this
dimly lit and unventilated space is owned
by rockers (Gao Xu, Gao Jian and Clement
Burger) and known for late sets of hard
rock, punk and ska, with weekend gigs
and DJ sets every fortnight. It offers a long
drinks menu, with plenty of cheap pastis
and shooters, but you’ll probably stick to
the RMB15 draught.
> Daily, 7pm-late. Bldg B, 206 Gulou Dong Dajie,
Dongcheng District 坛东城区鼓楼东大街206号B楼
202 (131 6107 0713)
XP 小萍 *
From the ashes of Beijing’s now-legendary
D-22, rises the brave new experimental
club XP. Operated and owned by former
D-22 main man (and noted economist)
Michael Pettis, XP is more avant-garde
than its previous incarnation. Expect sonic
projections, drone-core jazz and the latest
in cutting-edge Beijing sound.
> 1pm-late, closed Monday, 2 Silouxiang (just south
of Gulou Xidajie, Xicheng District. 西城区地安门内大
街四楼巷 (6406 9947)
Zajia Lab 杂家
A Daoist Temple is exactly where you’d
expect an Italian Sinologist to open a venue
– big on film screenings, A/V projects,
avant-garde puppetry and choice but obscure live music for the adventurous.
> Hong En Daoist Temple, Doufuchi Hutong,
Dongcheng District 东城区旧鼓楼大街豆腐池胡同宏
恩观前殿 (156 0112 2252, 8404 9141, www.zajia.cc)
Yugong Yishan 愚公移山 *
We’ve lost more body weight than we’d
care to remember in YY’s mosh pit. Fortunately, almost all the acts – usually hip-hop
DJs, emo rocks and obscure indie outfits
from across the globe – were worth it. The
upstairs bar area is a refuge from the sweat
glands below.
> Daily 7pm-late. 3-2 Zhangzizhong Lu (100m west
of Zhangzizhong Lu subway station), Dongcheng
District 东城区张自忠路3-2号(6404 2711
Hotel Bars
Atmosphere ¥¥
Beijing’s highest bar, on the 80th floor of
the 1,082-ft China World Tower, offers 300+
swanky cocktails from RMB65 with 360-degree views of the 700AQI PM2.5.
> Mon-Fri noon-2am, Sat and Sun noon-4am. 80/F,
China World Summit Wing, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区建国门外大街1号北京国贸大
酒店80 (6505 2299 ext. 6433)
Centro ¥
Although it’s no longer quite the go-to
place for beautiful people it once was, Centro still draws a cute crowd with its nightly
jazz performaces, spacious and recently
renovated lounge areas and classic drinks
like the blue-cheese martini.
> Open 24 hours. 1/F, Kerry Hotel, 1 Guanghua Lu,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区光华路1号北京嘉里大饭店
1层 (6561 8833)
China Bar ¥¥
Top views from the 65th floor and flash
drinks are the attractions on offer at this
hip hotel bar.
> Sun-Thu 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-2am. 65/F, Park
Hyatt, 2 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District 朝
阳区建国门外大街2号柏悦酒店65层 (8567 1838/40)
Xian ¥
This enlongated bar space makes a nice
spot for refreshment after a day spent
shopping at neighboring Indigo.
> Sun-Thu 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-2am, 1/F, EAST
Beijing, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区酒仙桥22
号北京东隅酒店一层 (8414 9810, www.xian-bar.com)
Sports Bars
The Den
At the opposite end of the 24-hour drinking spectrum from Centro, The Den is a
seedy sports joint that starts off sedate and
grows steadily sadder as night turns to day.
It can get rough and ready come dawn.
Solid (cheap) menu, good location and
those opening times earn it a place.
> Open 24 hours. 4 Gongti Donglu, Chaoyang
District 朝阳区工体东路4号城市宾馆正门旁边
The Local *
Formerly Brussels, this beery bar has come
into its own, with large (yet strangely
unobtrusive) screenings of sports and
political events, a pub quiz, quality fare and
a nice selection of draughts and cocktails.
Try the Bourbon Street Ice Tea – you won’t
need another.
> Daily 11-2am. 4 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang 朝阳区工
体北路4号院 (6591 9525)
Paddy O’Shea’s *
Founder Karl Long airlifted an entire Irishthemed pub, including residents, from
a council estate in Limerick and gently
deposited it in central Beijing. With plenty
going on, including pub quiz and sports,
no one seems to have noticed.
> Dongzhimen: Daily 10am-late, 28 Dongzhimenwai
Dajie, Chaoyang District 朝阳区东直门外大街28号
(6592 6290) > Sanlitun: 2/F, Tongli Studio, Sanlitun
Back Street 三里屯北路43号同里二层 (6415 0299)
V Sports
Spacious, comfortable, huge screens and
no rowdy drunken cretins, V Sports makes
a claim for the champion of Beijing sports
bars.
> Daily 5:30pm-6am, Gongti North Gate East side,
Chaoyang 朝阳区工体北门内东侧 (5293 0333)
Nightclubs
The Bar at Migas *
A place to dance and prowl, perhaps, rather
than a drinks destination, TBAM, as no one
calls it, focuses on upscale local DJs to get
the party started. Good-enough cocktails
range from RM55-70 but mostly it’s about
the music, man.
Russians and jailbait students – helping Vics
to become one of the most infamous clubs
in the capital.
> Daily 8:30pm late, Inside Worker’s Stadium North
Gate, Chaoyang 朝阳区工人体育场北门内 (5293
0333)
GALLERY
798 Art District Picks
Galleria Continua *
In the often-insular 798, Galleria Continua
is the international gallery. Their warehouse space is a forum for high-caliber artists from nearly every continent, including
several of China’s artistic nobility.
> Free. Tues-Sun 11am-6pm. 798 Art District, 2
Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区酒仙桥路2
号798大山子艺术区 (5978 9505, www.galleriacontinua.com)
Long March Space
Founder and curator, Lu Jie abides by
exacting standards from both the 20-odd
Chinese artists he represents and the
overall design of his topical and uncompromising exhibitions. International clout was
inevitable.
> Free. Tues-Sun 11am-7pm. 4 Jiuxianqiao Road,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798艺术区
(5978 9768, www.longmarchspace.com)
Pace Beijing
With locations in New York, London and
Beijing hosting the likes of Zhang Xiaogang, Yue Minjun, Robert Rauschenberg,
Mark Rothko, Kiki Smith and Sol LeWitt,
Pace inhabits Bauhaus-style buildings 798 is
idealized for. Go there!
> Free. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm.798 Art District, 2
Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区酒仙桥路2号
大山子艺术区 (5978 9781, www.pacegallery.com)
Space Station
Not often shown in 789’s sea of elites,
Space Station presents a younger generation of domestic artists. Exhibitions tend to
have a good curatorial understanding of
space and high-quality 2D work.
> Free, Tues-Sun 10am-6pm. 4 Jiuxianqiao Rd798 Art
District, Chaoyang District 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798艺术
区中一街 (5978 9671)
> Sunday to Wednesday 6pm-2am, Thursday to Friday
6pm-late. 6/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang
District 朝阳区三里屯路81号 (5208-6061)
Tang Contemporary Art
Stressing cutting-edge exhibition installation and curatorial theory. With locations
in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Beijing, Tang
focuses on promoting artistic exchange
throughout East Asia.
Chocolate
It’s impossible to discuss Chocolate without
mentioning gold leaf, dwarves, cabaret
dancers and oddly-friendly Russian women.
Timed right, a visit can be raucous fun, with
bottles of spirits from around RMB200,
cocktails under RMB50 (including the
absinthe-based Flaming Armageddon) and
regular floor shows.
Ullens Center for Contemporary Art
Filling the largest factory space in 798 with
Chinese and international art, the UCCA has
the curatorial power and financial backing
to put together some of Beijing’s most
impressive exhibitions.
> Daily 7pm-6am. 19 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyang District 朝
阳区日坛北路19号 (8561 3988)
Dada *
It hasn’t been on the Beijing scene for
too long, but already Dada is the hippest
hangout in town. Their cosy Gulou confines
under rock house Temple offer an intimate
place to nod along to an eclectic range of
all things electro from the best names on
the underground scene.
> Daily, 9pm-late, Rm 101, Bldg B, 206 Gulou Dong
Dajie, Dongcheng District 东城区鼓楼东大街206号B
栋101室 (183 1108 0818)
Lantern *
Founded by now-defunct Acupuncture
Records, Lantern is a beacon of light in the
strip of truly ghastly nightclubs and bars
known as ‘Gongti.’ Serious about its music,
it also makes good drinks and attracts
international electronica DJs.
> Thurs-Sat 9pm-6.30am. 100m north of Worker’s
Stadium West Gate, Chaoyang District 朝阳区工人体
育场西门向北100米 (139 119 77989)
MIX
A bit like a trip to the Forbidden City, Mix
is one of those places in Beijing you have
to experience before you leave. Not much
is forbidden in this underground hip-hop
disco palace and if you don’t leave with
hook-up in tow then you’re doing something very wrong.
> Daily 8pm-6am, Inside Worker’s Stadium North
Gate, Chaoyang District 朝阳区工人体育场北门内
6506 9888, 6530 2889, 150 1138 2219, mixclub@
sohu.com
Vics
Separated at birth from its identical twin
brother, Mix, this is the definition of Gongti
sweatbox meat-market chic at its very
finest. The Chinese love it – as do moody
> Free. Tues-Sun 10.30am-6pm. 798 Factory, 2
Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District 朝阳区大山子酒
仙桥路798工厂2号入口前行300米 (5978 9610, www.
atngcontemporary.com)
> RMB10, free Thursdays. Tues-Sun 10am-7pm. 798
Art District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District 朝
阳区酒仙桥路4号798艺术区 (5780 0200, www.ucca.
org.cn)
Caochangdi Art Village
Platform China *
Platform China has a Gallery A & B, one directly across from the other, about equal in
size and each devoted to the promotion of
experimental creation, from sound installation to performative, 3D and 2D art.
> Free. Tues-Sun 11am-6pm. No. 319-1, East End Art
Zone A, Caochangdi Village, Chaoyang District 朝阳
区草场地村319-1艺术东区A区内(6432 0091, www.
platformchina.org)
ShanghART Beijing
Originating in 2007 in Shanghai, this
institution skyrocketed as a major exhibitor
of Chinese photographic and digital media
art. Now representing over 40 artists with
five Asian locations, ShanghART is an international festival regular.
> Free. Tues-Sun 11am-6pm. 261 Caochangdi,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区草场地261号 (6432 3202,
www.shanghartgallery.com)
Three Shadows Photography Art Centre
Elegantly utilitarian in design, the V-shaped
gallery is an ideal venue to accommodate
all sizes and forms of photography. The
courtyard also hosts lavish openings,
screenings and concerts.
> Free, Tues-Sun 10am-6pm. 115A Caochangdi,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区草场地155号 (6431 9693,
www.threeshadows.cn)
Chambers Fine Art Beijing
With its compeer gallery in New York,
Chambers is a matriarch with extensive
roots in the local-studio scene that allows
listings
Big Apple headhunters to cull next generation avant-garde and provide a stepping
stone to international recognition.
> Free. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm. Red No.1-D, Caochangdi,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区草场地红一号D座 (5127
3298, www.chambersfineart.com)
White Space Beijing
There are no restricting on the art this gallery supports, leading to some of the area’s
more perplexing exhibitions. Always fun
and on the pulse of vitality, though empirical value is pushed to an extreme.
> Free. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm. 255 Caochangdi, Airport
Service Road, Chaoyang District 朝阳区机场辅路草场
地255号(8456 2054, www.whitespace-beijing.com)
Citywide Picks
Arrow Factory
This space is one of a kind in Beijing, an
independently run alternative space in the
hutong of Beijing’s center. Showing young,
experimental artists, Arrow only takes
up about 15sqm and is viewable 24/7. As
a backlash against artists being pushed
outside the city limits, this space tries to
reinstall art inside an urban setting so
everyday experience and creativity remain
intertwined.
> Free. Everyday 24hours. 38 Jianchang Hutong,
Dongcheng District 东城区箭厂胡同38号 (www.arrowfactory.org.cn)
CAFA Museum
Attached to the northeast corner of the
Central Academy of Fine Art, architect Arata
Isozaki built a slate-rock shell to house the
museum’s 13,000+ collection of modern
to contemporary art. Opened in 2008,
exhibitions range from Chinese Modern
masterworks to current avant-garde
experimental.
> RMB10. Tues-Sun 9am-5.30pm. No. 8 Huajiadi Nan
Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区花家地南街8号中央美术
学院美术馆 (6528 2022, www.cafamuseum.org)
Today Art Museum *
As China’s first non-profit, non-governmental art museum, this institution embodies
the country’s 20th-century leap to develop
academic and progressive exhibitions.
Opened in 2002, Chinese superstars and
university prospects all get wall space here.
JM Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Clinic
A top cosmetic & plastic surgery clinic with
over 18 years of experience in Beijing.
They provide a full range of surgical and
non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Their
standard for service is focused on maintaining the best technologies in the field of
cosmetic surgery and achieving beautiful
results safely.
> Building C-D, Dawang Building, 12 Xi Dawang Lu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区西大望路12号大望写字楼C-D座 (400
0989 809, 138 1088 7442, www.jingmeihui.cn)
Alona Pilates Studio
Pairing up traditional Pilates with an innovative, full-body workout, Alona Pilates
offers classes designed to tone and whip
you into shape fast. It also provides a
personalized experience for all its students,
regardless of fitness, strength and
flexibility levels.
> Daily, 7.30, late. 5/F at Heavenly Spa by Westin, 1
Xinyuan Nanlu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新源南路1号威斯汀酒店五层 ( 139 1029 0260,
www.alonapilates.com)
Broadwell International Tennis Academy
Located inside Chaoyang Park’s Tennis
Center, this indoor club boasts a complete
state-of-the-art air-supported structure for
all-weather year-round indoor tennis, with
an advanced lighting system and controlled
climate. Ideal for peeps looking to perfect
their service and batting a few balls.
> Nongzhan Nanlu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区农南路
1号朝阳公园网球中心(4006406800/ 65958885,www.
broadwell.cn1)
Lily Nails
A long-time favorite among locals and
expats alike, Lily Nails is much more than a
nail spa; they have a variety of pampering
treatments and waxing services too.
> Daily, 10am-10pm. 1) 2 Ginza Mall, 48
Dongzhimenwai Dajie (southeast of Dongzhimen
Bridge), Dongcheng District东城区东直门外大街48号
东方银座2楼(东直门桥东南侧) (8447 7178); 2) Shop
2049, 2/F, 3.3 Shopping Center, 33 Sanlitun Beijie,
Chaoyang District朝阳区三里屯北街33号3.3大厦2层
2049号 ( 5136 5829, 136 8148 3308)
Sport
Yihe 42° Hot Yoga
> RMB10. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm. Building 4, Pingod
Community, No.32 Baiziwan Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区百子湾路32号苹果社区4号楼今日美术馆 (5876
0600, www.todayartmuseum.com)
Independent cinemas
Broadway Cinematheque MOMA *
Opened in 2009, this arthouse film venue
boasts the largest screens for independent
cinema in Beijing. It has three theaters with
a total of 400 seats and a 300-sqm cafebookstore, aptly named Kubrick.
> RMB30-120. Mon-Sun 11am-10pm. F3, Building
T4, The North Area, MOMA, 1 Xiangheyuan Lu,
Dongcheng District 东城区东直门香河园路1号当
代Moma北区T4座 (8438 8258 ext. 8008, www.bccinema.cn)
Instituto Cervantes
Showing popular independent films from
Latin American Directors monthly, the
Instituto Cervantes is a forum of Spanishspeaking culture that also hosts public art
exhibitions and lectures. They even have a
video library!
> Prices vary. Daily 7am-10pm.1A Gongti Nanlu,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区工体南路甲1号 (5879 9666,
www.pekin.cervantes.es)
Bookstores
The Bookworm *
This glass cube looks over Sanlitun Village,
providing a cozy atmosphere for browsing
bibliophiles. The Western bookstore, library, film house, bar, bistro-cafe and event
space always has a cultured evening on its
shelves for both adults and kids.
> Daily 9am-2am. Building 4, Nan Sanlitun Road,
Chaoyang District, Beijing 三里屯南街4号楼 (6586
9507, www.beijingbookworm.com)
Page One
The go-to shop for new releases and special
requests. With sister venues in Hong Kong,
Taiwan and Singapore, and two locations in
Beijing, its network allows for fresh authors
whilst upholding an extensive collection
of titles.
> Daily 10am-9pm. Shop 3B 201, Zone 3 China World
Mall, No.1 Jian Guo Men Wai Avenue, Chaoyang
District 朝阳区国贸商城三期地下二层3B201 (8535
1055, www.pageonegroup.com)
Page One Indigo. Shop LG50, INDIGO, 18 Jiuxianqiao
Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区酒仙桥路18号颐堤港商业
中心B1楼50号(8426 0408, www.pageonegroup.com)
BEAUTY & FITNESS
3 locations in Beijing: the best Yoga for
Beginners! No previous experience
necessary - and if your body is a bit stiff –
that’s okay! Yihe knows it can be a little
intimidating to begin your journey into
Yoga, so they are available to answer any
questions you may have. It’s a great
workout for the body and calming for the
mind. Call them today on (5905 6067, 8405
9996, 8599 7395)
Cycle China provides organized cycling and
hiking tours in and aroundBeijing as well
as longer tours throughout China. Some
of their more popular tours take cyclists
through the Olympic Green, Tian’anmen
Square, and Beijing’s traditional hutongs.
>12 Jingshan East Street, Dongcheng District 东城区
景山东街12号 (6402 5653 Mobile: 13911886524, re
DENTAL
Arrail Dental
Affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania, Arrail Dental has access to top-class
equipment. Its well-trained staff, multiple
locations across town and excellent facilities make it one of the best dental providers in Beijing. English-speaking staff. Dental
services including examinations, whitening,
root-canal treatment, orthodontics and
implants.
> 1) Rm 201, the Exchange-Beijing, 118B Jianguo Lu,
Chaoyang District朝阳区建国路乙118号国贸桥东南
角京汇大厦201室 (6567 5670); 2) Rm 208, Tower A,
CITIC Building, 19 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang
District朝阳区建国门外大街19号国际大厦A座208室
(6500 6473); 3) Rm 308, Tower A, Raycom Info Tech
Park 2 Kexueyuan Nanlu, Haidian District海淀区中关
村科学院南路2号融科资讯中心A座308室 (8286 1956);
4) Rm 101, Bldg 16, China Central Place, 89 Jianguo
Lu, Chaoyang District朝阳区建国路89号华贸中心公
寓16号楼101室 (8588 8550/60/70); 5) 1/F, Somerset
Fortune Garden, 46 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang
District朝阳区亮马桥路46号燕莎东侧盛捷福景苑1层
(8440 1926)
United Family Shunyi Dental Clinic
The Beijing United Family Dental Clinic in
Shunyi is a satellite of the main hospital
in Lido (which has its own dental clinic
onsite). A comprehensive range of services
are at hand, including restorative dentistry
and cosmetic dentistry. Call ahead for all
appointments.
> 818 Pinnacle Plaza, Tianzhu Real Estate
Development Zone, Shunyi District北京和睦家医院牙
科诊所, 顺义区天竺开发区荣祥广场818 (8046 1102)
SDM Dental 固瑞齿科
The full spectrum of dentistry. Services
include teeth cleaning, root-canal treatment, porcelain crowns, dental implants,
orthodontics, cosmetic dentistry, fillings,
pediatric dentistry, extraction, teeth-whitening and veneers. Credit cards accepted.
> www.sdmdental.com**Mon-Fri 9am-8pm. CBD/
Guomao>2/F,NB210, China World Shopping Mall,
1 Jianguomenwai Dajie建外大街1号国贸商城地下2
层 Tel:6505-9439/31/93**Mon-Fri 9am-8pm.Olympic
Area>F-0186B Sunshine Plaza, 68 Anli Lu(east of
Sunshine Plaza)亚运村安立路68号阳光广场东侧 .
Tel: 6497-2173,6498-2173**Mon-Sun 10am-19pm.
Shunyi>LB07-08, No.99 Euro Plaza, YuXiang Road.北
京顺义区天竺镇裕翔路99号欧陆广场LB07-08号.Tel:
8046-6084**Mon-Fri 9am-8pm. Sanyuanqiao>FC222,
21st Century Hotel, 40 Liang Maqiao Lu亮马桥40号
21世纪饭店2层 Tel: 6466-4814, 6461-2745**MonFri 9am-8pm.Haidian>4076B, 4/F, New Yansha
Mall, Yuanda Lu远大路金源燕莎购物中心Mall4层
4076B Tel:8859-6912/13**Mon-Sun, 10am-7pm
Guomao>Rm 5, 3/F, North Tower, China Overseas
Plaza, 8 Guanghua Dongli. 北京朝阳区光华东里8号中
海广场北楼3层05号.Tel: 5977-2488
HAIR SALONS
Catherine de France
> www.heyrobics.com, info@heyrobics.com
California Fitness Beijing Club
California Fitness Beijing’s Group X program
is among the best in the region, and with
membership you have access to over 150
weekly Group X classes and a team of
professional personal trainers in Asia. Your
membership also includes free towel usage
and a fitness assessment.
>South Tower, L4, 9 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District
4008-100-988 www,californiafitness.com
Cycle China Inc. 北京非常之旅
> 209 2and floor, zoon3 China World Trade Centre
Shopping Mall. 国贸商城区域3 二楼 209. (8535 1002,
131 4667 9913). 43 Sanlitun Beijie Nan,Chaoyang.
三里屯北街南43号楼 (135 0137 2971)
SPA & MASSAGE
Angel Hands Massage Center
Let us release your stress and make you
smile wherever you go... Aroma Soothes
Therapy Massage, Rose Oil (RMB 280/min);
Aroma Relaxation Massage; Aroma Lomi
Lomi; Deep Relaxation Massage; Happy
Hour at weekend, all services are 20% off.
Our masseuses will know how to pamper
you and attend to your every need.
> Room 1801, Building 2, JianwaiSOHO,
CBDGuomao, Chaoyang 朝阳区国贸建外SOHO2号楼
1801 (138 1182 1008)
Oriental Taipan Massage & Spa
Since 2002, Oriental Taipan has been pampering Beijing’s finest in their small chain
of contemporary spas. Calming flower
aromas, Zen music, and trickling feng shui
fountains create a soothing atmosphere in
each of their locations, while a long list of
treatments from around the world cater to
all pampering needs.
> Daily, 10am-8pm. 1) 3/F, No. 2 South Building, Blue
Castle, Dawang Lu, Chaoyang District朝阳区大望路
蓝堡国际中心南写字楼2座3层 (8599 7395/96, www.
yh42.com); 2) 3/F, Bldg. 14, Solana, No. 6 Chaoyang
Gongyuan Xilu Chaoyang District朝阳区朝阳公园西
路6号,蓝色港湾14号,三层 (5905 6067/77, www.yh42.
com) ; 3) 3/FA Shimao Plaza 13 Gongti Beilu Chaoyang District朝阳工体北路新中西里13号巨石大厦3FA
serve@cyclechina.com or cyclechina@hotmail.com)
Heyrobics
“Sweat like a Swede!” they say with
annoyingly smug grin and toned abs.
The only fitness craze worth following in
Beijing, Heyrobics is all about a punishing full-body workout set to pumping
beats – not forgetting the fluorescent spandex. Differing classes for all
abilities, check online for the full schedule.
The salon is a cut above, thanks to skills of
experienced French stylist Laurent Falcon.
Guys/girls. Blow-dry, up-dos, highlights,
coloring available. L’Oreal, Schwarzkopf,
KeraSraight, Inoa. RMB165-980 women,
RMB115-468 men.
> Daily, 12am-midnight. Sunjoy Mansion, 6 Ritan Lu,
Chaoyang District朝阳区日坛路6号 (400 001 0202,
www.taipan.com.cn)
Awarded best expat salon in 2014, with
a trained team of international and local
stylists, colorists and beauticians, this
salon welcomes all ages and budgets in
a modern and relaxed atmosphere for a
wide range of hair and beauty treatments,
including manicures, pedicures & waxing.
Wella, SP, INOA, TIGI.
> EAST AVENUE BLD Ground Floor, No.10 Xindong Lu,
Chaoyang 朝阳区新东路10号逸盛阁首层
Salon: 0086 10 84425120, Mobile: 0086 13521473492
E-mail: catherine@catherinedefrance.com
Wechat: CDFSalon; Web: www.catherinedefrance.
com
Laurent Falcon
Dragonfly Therapeutic Retreat
Created as a contemporary urban retreat,
Dragonfly is an oasis of peace and tranquility in the midst of the hectic city.
> Daily, 10am-late. 1)60 Donghuamen Dajie (near
The Peninsula Hotel and Oriental Plaza) Dongcheng
District东城区东华门大街60号(近王府饭店和东方
广场) (6527 9368, www.dragonfly.net.cn); 2) 1/F
Eastern Inn, Nan Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District朝
阳区南三里屯路逸羽酒店一层 (6593 6066); 3) Grand
Summit Plaza, 19 Dongfang Donglu (100m north
of Lufthansa Center), Chaoyang District朝阳区燕莎
桥东方东路19号外交会所1层(燕莎中心路北100米)
(8532 3122)
HEALTH SERVICES
Amcare Women’s & Children’s Hospital
With a zero waiting-time policy, top-quality
listings
inpatient facilities, home visits, night services and transportation assistance, Amcare
provides a trustworthy experience. Englishspeaking services include pediatrics,
gynecology and obstetrics.
> 9 Fangyuan XiLu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区芳园西
路9号 (6434 2399, 24hr hotline 800 610 6200, www.
amcare.com.cn)
Beijing International Medical Center
(IMC)
Established in 1993, the International Medical Center-Beijing counts on an expert team
of foreign doctors, offering a wide range of
medical services, including family medicine,
psychological services, dental, ob/gyn,
pediatrics and TCM. Drop-in services for
travelers; x-rays and ultrasounds are also
available. English, Farsi, Japanese, Chinese,
Arabic and Russian spoken.
> 24hours. Room S106/111 Lufthansa Center, 50
Liangmahe Lu, Chaoyang District朝阳区亮马桥路
50号燕莎中心写字楼1层S106 (6465 1561/2/3, 6465
1384/28, www.imclinics.com)
Beijing New Century Harmony Pediatric
Clinic
> Shunyi, K-01, Building No.19, Harmony Business
Centre, Liyuan Street, Tianzhu Town 天竺镇丽苑街荣
和商业中心19号楼K-01 (6456-2599; harmonypeds@
ncich.com.cn, www.ncich.com.cn)
Beijing Passion International Medical
Center
This full-service international clinic
provides 24-hr general medical care and a
patient-centered attitude. Beijing Passion
International Medical Center is equipped
with the latest in medical technology and
is designed to support the comfort, safety
and privacy of patients.
> 24hours, B1/F, Borui Building, 26 Dongsanhuan
Beilu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区东三环北路26号博瑞大
厦B1层 6517 7667, www.passion-medical.com
Beijing HarMoniCare Women and Children’s Hospital 北京和美妇儿医院
> Wi-Fi available. Chaoyang: 2 Xiaoguan Beili,
Beiyuan Lu北苑路小关北里甲2号. Tel: 6499-0000.
contact@hmcare.org, en.hmcare.net
6618. Email: vista@vista-china.net. Website: www.
vista-china.net
OASIS International Hospital
OASIS International Hospital specializes in
serving the expatriate community with the
latest world-class technology and a broad
range of services, all in a pristine facility designed to provide patients with the utmost
comfort, care and privacy.
> Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5.30pm; Sat-Sun, 8.30am12.30pm; 24 Hour Emergency Bldg C1, 9 Jiuxianqiao
Beilu Chaoyang District朝阳区酒仙桥北路9号C1栋
(400 876 2747, 5985-0333, www.oasishealth.cn)
EDUCATION
MBA & EMBA Schools
BBA at BFSU-SolBridge
北京外国语大学国际商学院
> 19 Xisanhuan Beilu, Haidian District, 海淀区西三
环北路19号 (solbridge.bfsu.edu.cn, 8881 6563/8881
6763/8881 8537)
LEMBA
The Leadership EMBA from the University
of Maryland
Robert H. Smith School of Business is a
unique learning experience in Beijing. The
program offers world class executive and
leadership education from some of the best
professors the world has to offer. Every
month one of the professors from the
University of Maryland comes to Beijing
to instruct the class for 4 consecutive
days (Thurs – Sun). The program lasts 18
months; the impact lasts a lifetime.
Email: beijing@rhsmith.umd.edu
Tel: 8526 2528/29
Rutgers International Executive MBA
> 5/F China Life Tower, 16 Chaowai Dajie Chaoyang
District 朝阳区朝阳门外大街16号中国人寿大厦 (5877
1706, www.rutgersinasia.com)
Mandarin Schools
The Frontiers School
Beijing United Family Hospital and Clinics 北京和睦家医院
> Wi-fi internet. Lido, Emergency Room is open
24/7/365, Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5pm.> 2 Jiangtai Road,
Chaoyang District, 朝阳区将台路2号. Tel: (10) 5927
7000 / 5927 7120(Emergency Hotline). United
Family CBD Clinic和睦家朝外诊所, Mon-Sat, 9:30am6:30pm.> Suite 3017, Building AB, Vantone Center, 6
Chaowai Street, Chaoyang District, 朝阳区朝阳门外
大街6号万通中心AB座2层3017室. Tel: (10) 5907 1266.
Jianguomen Health and Wellness Center和睦家建国
门保健中心, Wi-fi internet, Mon-Sun 8:30am-5pm>21
Jianguomen Dajie, B1, The St. Regis Residence, St.
Regis Hotel朝阳区建国门外大街21号北京国际俱乐部
饭店. Tel: (10) 8532 1221 / 8532 1678 (Immigration
Clinic ). Shunyi Clinic和睦家顺义诊所Wi-fi internet,
Mon-Fri, 9:30am-5:30pm, Sat and Sun, 9:30am4:30pm.> Pinnacle Plaza, Unit 806, Tian Zhu Real
Estate Development Zone, Shunyi District, 顺义区天
竺开发区荣祥广场806号,Tel: (10) 8046 5432. Shunyi
Dental Clinic顺义牙科诊所, Wi-fi internet, Mon-Sat,
9:30am-7:30pm> Pinnacle Plaza, Unit 818, Tian Zhu
Real Estate Development Zone, Shunyi District顺义
区天竺开发区荣祥广场818号. Tel: (10) 8046 1102.
Liangma Clinic亮马诊所 Wi-fi internet, Mon-Fri,
8:30am-5pm>2nd Floor Grand Summit, 19 Dongfang
East Road朝阳区东方东路19号1号楼会所27号外交人
员公寓B区官舍16号 . Tel: (10) 5927 7005 www.ufh.
com.cn, patientservices@ufh.com.cn
Hongkong International Medical Clinic,
Beijing 北京港澳国际医务诊所
Dongsishitiao: 9/F, Office Tower, Hongkong Macau
Center-Swiss Hotel, 2 Chaoyangmen Bei Dajie朝阳门
北大街2号港澳中心瑞士酒店办公楼9层; 6553-9752,
6553-2288/2345/6/7; service@hkclinic.com; www.
hkclinic.com
International SOS
Since 1989, International SOS has been run
by globally trained medical professionals
and provides medical, security and travel
advice, as well as emergency help 24/7. Its
alarm centers operate house calls, ambulance and evacuation services, and standard
health treatments. Languages spoken
include English, German, French, Mandarin,
Spanish, Japanese, Italian and Cantonese.
> Suite 105, Wing 1, Kunsha Building, No.16
Xinyuanli, Chaoyang District朝阳区新源里16号琨莎
中心1座105室(6462 9112/ 6462 9100, www.internationalsos.com)
Parkway Health Clinic
> Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm; CBD, 1-2/F, Vantone Center,
6 Chaowai Street 朝阳门外大街甲六号万通中心
AB座一二层; (4000-662-882(24hrs); enquiry@
parkwayhealth.cn; www.parkwayhealth.cn > No.
101-201,Beijing link, block2, No.6 Yuan, Jing Shun
Dong Street, Chaoyang 朝阳区京顺东街6号院2号楼
北京Link 101-201室
Vista Medical Center 维世达诊所
> 24hours. Wi-Fi internet. 3/F Kerry Center. 1
Guanghua Lu 光华路1号嘉里中心商场3层 Tel: 8529-
北京乐成国际学校
Located in Beijing’s Central Business
District, Beijing City International School
(BCIS) lives by its motto: “Empowering
and Inspiring through Challenge and
Compassion.” This non-profit, independent
co-educational day school offers an international curriculum under the International
Baccalaureate (IB) World School system and
is authorized to teach all three IB programs
(Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma
Programme).
> 77 Baiziwan Nan’er Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区
百子湾南二路77号 (8771 7171 www.bcis.cn)
The International Montessori School of
Beijing 北京蒙台梭利国际学校
Founded in 1990, MSB is Beijing’s first fully
registered international Montessori school.
The school also boasts an unsurpassed dual
Mandarin/English program geared towards
helping students achieve fluency in either
language from an early age. Curriculum
aside, MSB boasts spacious classrooms, a
high teacher-student ratio and impressive staff longevity. Tuition: RMB98,000
- RMB177,000/year.
> Bldg 8, 2A, Xiangjiang Beilu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区香江北路甲2号院8号楼 6432 8228 ext. 800,
http:>www.msb.edu.cn, admissions@msb.edu.cn
Beijing World Youth Academy
北京世青国际学校
Beijing World Youth Academy (BWYA) is an
international school for students of all nationalities ages 6 to 18, offering programs
on its campuses conveniently located in
Wangjing and Lido. An IB World School
since 2001, BWYA values holistic education
and seeks to give students ample opportunity to develop as globally-aware critical
thinkers. A wide varity of co-curricular
activities are offered to further enrich
student life. Graduates of BWYA have been
accepted at prestigious universities around
the world. Age range: 6-18. Tuition: RMB
100,000- 140,000/year.
> Mon-Fri, 8am-4.30pm. 18 Huajiadi Beili, Wangjing,
Chaoyang District Inside 94 Middle school 北京市
朝阳区望京花家地北里18号(6461 7787 ext.32, 8454
3478/0649, admissions@ibwya.net, www.ibwya.net)
The British School of Beijing 北京英国学校
The British School of Beijing, established in
2003, has campuses in Shunyi (primary &
secondary) and Sanlitun (primary). BSB offers an enhanced English National Curriculum to 1,500 expatriate students, aged 1 to
18, beginning with Early Years Foundation
Stage, Primary, Secondary, IGCSE exams in
Year 10 and 11 and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme in Year
12 and 13. Admission & Fees: RMB102,993246,057. Contact our Admissions team to
arrange a school tour.
Join the friendly and professional team at
Frontiers, who’ve been teaching Mandarin
for 11 years.
> 3/F, Bldg 30, Dongzhongjie, Dongzhimenwai,
Dongcheng 东城区东直门外东中街30号三层 6413
1547, www.frontiers.com.cn, frontiers@frontiers.
com.cn)
Beijing Mandarin Language School
Established in 1998, Beijing Mandarin
School is the city’s top institute for teaching
spoken and written Mandarin as a second
language. More than 5,000 students
from over 66 countries and more than 80
companies and embassies have successfully
learned with us each year.
> Guangming Hotel School: Room 0709, 7/F
Guangming Hotel (near the U.S Embassy) 朝阳区
光明饭店7层0709 (8441 8391; info@beijingmandarinschool.com; www.beijingmandarinschool.com;
Skype: beijingmandarinschool1998)
Beijing Juncheng Language School
北京君诚语言学校
> 1) Room 208, 1 Panjiapo Hutong,
Chaoyangmenwai, Dongcheng District 东城区朝阳
门外潘家坡胡同1号东城区职工大学208办室 (6525
9932/6526 7539) 2) Gucheng Village, 15 Huosha Lu,
Houshayu Town, Shunyi District 顺义区后沙峪镇火沙
路古城段15号 (8049 0307)
The Bridge School
北京桥汉语言学校
> (The Bridge School Head office)Room 503, 5/F,
Guangming Hotel, 42 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang
District 朝阳区亮马桥路42号光明饭店5层503室
(15321793321 Grettchin)
International Schools
Beijing BISS International School
北京BISS国际学校
> Building 17, Area 4, Anzhen Xili Chaoyang District
朝阳区安贞西里4区17楼 (6443 3151 www.biss.
com.cn)
Beijing City International School
> Mon-Fri, 8am-4.30pm, South Side, 9 An Hua Street,
Shunyi District 顺义区安华街9号南侧(8047 3558,
www.britishschool.org.cn, admissions@britishschool.org.cn)
Canadian International School of Beijing
北京加拿大国际学校
Located in the Third Embassy Quarter of
downtown Beijing, the Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) opened its
doors in September 2006. This world-class
facility offers an internationally recognized
Canadian & IB PYP, IB MYP and IBDP education. The Canadian International School
of Beijing develops the whole child in an
environmentally sensitive school within a
kind, caring community to become a citizen
of the world.
> 38 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区亮马
桥路38号 (6465 7788 www.cisb.com.cn)
Harrow International School Beijing
北京哈罗英国学校 www.harrowbeijing.cn
Harrow International School Beijing prides
itself on its high academic standards, a
close-knit school community, a rich extracurricular activity program and the quality
of its pastoral care provision. Leadership
skills are promoted school-wide, with a
range of enrichment activities to help
students develop teamwork and creative
thinking skills, as well as independence and
responsibility. Students graduating from
Harrow Beijing have won places at a range
of universities across the world including
Princeton, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge.
> Address: 287, Hegezhuang, Cuigezhuang County,
Chaoyang District
朝阳区崔各庄乡何各庄村 287 号 Tel: +8610
6444 8900 Ext. 6900 Fax: +8610 6445 3870
Email: enquiries@harrowbeijing.cn
International School of Beijing
北京顺义国际学校
> www.isb.bj.edu.cn 10 Anhua Lu, Shunyi District 顺
义区安华路10号 (8149 2345)
Springboard International Bilingual School
is a place where children, staff and parents
work in partnership to enable all their
students to realize their full potential. They
are offering a stimulating and full international curriculum as well as an exciting
after school program, which will include
Kung Fu, calligraphy, health and fitness and
football.
> 15 Gucheng Duan, Huosha Lu, Houshayu Town,
Shunyi District 顺义区后沙峪镇火沙路古城段15号
(www.sibs.com.cn, office@sibs.com.cn; 8049 2450)
Western Academy of Beijing
京西国际学校
The Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) is
a creative and innovative IB World School
built upon a solid foundation of core
values and our mission to Connect, Inspire,
Challenge; Make a Difference. Our students
exemplify these values through their awareness of the world around them, service to
others, can-do spirit and commitment to
excellence. WAB graduates are accepted
into world-class colleges and universities
across the globe.
> 10 Lai Guang Ying Dong Lu, Chao Yang District
朝阳区来广营东路10号(5986 5588)
Yew Chung International School
耀中国际学校
> Honglingjin Park, 5 Houbalizhuang, Chaoyang
District 朝阳区后八里庄5号红领巾公园 (8583 3731
www.ycis-bj.com)
Kindergartens
Beanstalk International Bilingual School
青苗国际双语学校
> 1) Kindergarten > 1/F, Tower B, 40 Liangmaqiao Lu,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区亮马桥路40号B座一层 (6466
9255) 2) Primary School > Block 2, Upper East Side,
6 Dongsihuan Beilu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区东四环
北路6号阳光上东二区 (5130 7951) 3) Middle & High
School > 38 Nan Shiliju, Chaoyang District 朝阳区南
十里居38号 (8456 6019)
House of Knowledge International Kindergarten (HOK)
House of Knowledge International kindergarten (HOK) has locations in both Shunyi and
Chaoyang. Both locations offer a Kindergarten program for children aged 10 months to
6 years (Pre-school). Students are treated as
competent learners and the school emphasizes critical thinking and collaboration skills,
in an environment where children “Lean to
Learn”. In additional, the Shunyi location also
has a elementary school starting from grade
1 in September 2014.
> 1) Quanfa Gardens Campus: North gate of Quanfa
compound, 15 Maquanying, Chaoyang District 朝
阳区马泉营15号泉发花园北门(6431 8452, www.
hokschools.com) 2) Victoria Gardens Campus: 15
Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区
朝阳公园西路15号维多利亚花园公寓(6538 2624, www.
hokschools.com)
EtonKids International Kindergarten
伊顿国际幼儿园
1) Lido – 6436 7368 www.etonkids.com > Room C103
Lido Country Club, Lido Place Jichang Lu, Chaoyang
District 朝阳区蒋台路机场路丽都广场 2) 6506 4805
3/F, Block D Global Trade Mansion Guanghua Lu,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区光华路世贸国际公寓D座3层
3) 8437 1006 Southwest corner of Beichen Xilu and
Kehui Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区北辰西路与科荟路交
汇处西南角 4) 8480 5538 Kehui Lu, Chaoyang District,
Beijing 朝阳区科荟路大屯里社区 5) 6533 6995 Bldg 19,
Central Park, 6 Chaowai Dajie Chaoyang District 朝
阳区朝外大街6号新城国际19号楼 6) 6539 8967 Palm
Springs International Apartments 8 Chaoyang Park
Nanlu Chaoyang District 朝阳区朝阳公园南路8号棕榈
泉国际公寓 7) 6749 5008 Bldg 21, Guangqu Jiayuan,
Guangqumen- wai, Dongcheng District 东城区广渠门
外广渠家园21号楼 8) 8478 0578 Baoxing International
Phase 2, Wangjing Chaoyang District 朝阳区望京宝星
园国际社区2期 9) 8047 2983 Block 1, Arcadia Villas,
Houshayu Shunyi District 顺义区后沙峪罗马环岛北侧天
北路阿凯笛亚庄园1座 10) 5870 6779 20A Xidawang Lu,
Chaoyang District 朝阳区西大望路甲20号首府社区内
Ivy Schools 艾毅幼儿园
> www.ivyschools.com 1) East Lake Campus (8451
1380/1) C-101, East Lake Villas, 35 Dongzhimenwai
Main Street, Dongcheng 东城区东直门外大街35号东
湖别墅C座101室; 2) Ivy Bilingual School 艾毅双语幼儿
园 Ocean Express Campus: (8446 7286/7) Building E,
Ocean Express, 2 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang 朝
阳区东三环北路2号远洋新干线E座 3) Orchid Garden
Campus: (8439 7080) Orchid Garden, 18 Xinjin Lu,
Cuige Xiang, Chaoyang 朝阳区崔各乡新锦路18号卓锦
万代 4) Wangjing Campus: (5738 9166/1332 110 6167)
Kylin Zone, Bldg 11, Fuan Xilu, Wangjing, Chaoyang 朝
阳区望京阜安西路11号楼合生麒麟社内 7) Rm106, warehouse4, 653 Waima Lu, by Wangjia Matou Lu (3376
8308) 外马路653号4库106室, 近王家码头路
3e International 北京3e国际学校
> 6437 3344
www.3eik.com, 9-1 Jiangtai Xilu Chaoyang 朝阳区将台
西路9-1号(四德公园旁)
SIBS Springboard International Blingual
School 君城国际双语学院
classifieds
Accommodation
Ascott Raffles City Beijing
Located in Dongzhimen, one of the most
vibrant areas, Ascott Raffles City is near the
second embassy district, which is rich in
cultural heritage and is only a 15 minute
drive to The Forbidden City.
Other nearby leisure attractions include
Food Street (Gui Jie) and Sanlitun nightlife
district.
> No.1-2 Dongzhimen South Street
Dongcheng District
Tel: 8405 3888
Ascott Raffles City Chengdu
> No. 3, Section 4, South Renmin Road,
Wuhou District, Chengdu 610041, China
Post code: 610041
Telephone:(86-28) 6268 2888
Facsimile:(86-28) 6268 2889
GDS Code: AZ
Reservations Telephone:400 820 1028
(China toll-free) ;(86-512) 6763 1021
Email:enquiry.china@the-ascott.com
Somerset ZhongGuanCun Beijing
Somerset ZhongGuanCun is a luxury
residence in Beijing that lets you enjoy
the cultural depth and elegance of the
city while living in the fast developing
ZhongGuanCun area, only 15 minutes away
from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Village.
>No.15 Haidian Zhong Street, Haidian
District
Tel: 5873 0088
Lusongyuan Hotel
A traditional compound of quadrangle
composing of 5 courtyards which lies in
the "hutong" area of Beijing. The hotel
building is famous for its imperial living
taste of the Qing Dynasty with a history of
nearly 170 years. The original owner of this
large private house was the Grand General
SenggeRinchen, who lived here while he
carried out top official duties, such as
defense minister.
> Tel: (86 10) 6404 0436
Fax: (86 10) 6403 0418
Address:
No.22 Banchang Lane , Kuanjie, Dongcheng
District
东城区宽街板厂胡同22号
www.the-silk-road.com
E-mail: webmaster@the-silk-road.com
Lee Garden Service Apartments
A newly renovated high-end premier living
residence in a central location next to the
shopping and cultural sites of Beijing’s
Wangfujing, suites range from studios to
4-bedroom apartments (60-610sqm in size)
and are tastefully furnished with specially
selected materials.
> 18 Jinyu Hutong, Wangfujing, Dongcheng
(100m East of Sun Dong An Plaza) 东城区
王府井金鱼胡同18号 (新东安东侧100米);
24hr front desk: 6525 8855, Fax: 6525 8080,
general.manager@lgapartment.com, www.
lgapartment.com)
FraserResidence CBD East Beijing
Our location on the Fringe of the CBD with
excellent connections to the subway line
1 (Sihui station), BRT Lines (Ciyunsi) and
public bus system mean that wherever your
intern needs to be in the city, getting there
is relatively fuss free!
One bedroom deluxe: RMB16,000 /month
Two bedroom Executive: RMB26,000 /
month
Three bedroom Deluxe: RMB33,000 /month
Email: sales.frbeijing@frasershospitality.
com
> Website: http:>beijing-east
frasershospitality.com
Tel: 010-58709188 / 400-881-6988
FraserSuite CBD Beijing
The ultimate luxury in apartment living,
Fraser Suites CBD Beijing epitomizes style
and comfort, that surpasses the service
level of many Beijing hotels. The 357
Gold-Standard Beijing apartment features
contemporary concepts designed for luxury
living.
> 12 Jintong Xilu Chaoyang District Beijing
Tel: 5908 6000
GTC RESIDENCE BEIJING
One of the top residences in Beijing, GTC
Residence is located beside the third ring
road with 5 minutes’ walk to subway line
5 , 10 minutes’ drive to Hou Hai . It is
also within easily reach of CBD, embassy
area, Financial Street and other urban
commercial,shopping and recreation areas.
Fully equipped apartments with impeccable
quality offer you a cozy living system and
will meet all of your requirements for room
decoration, furniture, electric appliances
etc..
Unique sky garden with golf practice field
and barbecue area is another symbol of
GTC Residence.
> E-mail: sales@gtcresidence.com
website: www.gtcresidence.com
Tel:56756666
Lanson Place
Lanson Place Central Park Serviced
Residences, located in the Central Business
District of Chaoyang, offers spacious
apartments in two, three and four bedroom
configurations as well as penthouses
overlooking a charming landscaped garden.
The interiors are contemporary and restful
while marble-clad bathrooms and kitchens
are fully equipped.
> Website: www.lansonplace.com
Lanson Place Central Park Residences
Tower 23, Central Park, No.6
Chaoyangmenwai Avenue,Chaoyang
District, Beijing
Tel: 8588 9588 Fax: 8588 9549
Marriott Executive Apartments
Ideally located in the center of Wangfujing
area where the prestigious business,
commercial, entertainment, and shopping
center of Beijing. The Imperial Mansion,
Beijing – Marriott Executive Apartments
reflects an exceptional level of luxury.
> Gate, No. 1 Xiagongfu Street, Dongcheng
District
Tel: 6564 9999
The Millennium Residences of the Beijing
Fortune Plaza
The Millennium Residences of the Beijing
Fortune Plaza is located in the heart of
the Beijing CBD which bears the most
momentously potential of development
and value elevation. While 25 minutes away
from the Beijing International Airport, the
Millennium Residences is walking distance
from nearly all Embassies.
> 7 Dongsanhuan Zhonglu Chaoyang
District.
Tel: 8588 2888
Oakwood Residence Beijing
Oakwood Residence Beijing offers 406
fully equipped luxury apartments ranging
from studios to four bedroom penthouse
and terrace apartments, all exquisitely
furnished in elegant and stylish decor. Each
apartment is fitted with a state-of-the-art
air purification and air conditioning system
which ensures 99.9% pure, triple filtered air,
so you can trust in Oakwood and breathe
easy.
> No. 8 Dongzhimenwai Xiejie, Chaoyang
District, Beijing 100027, China
reschaoyang@oakwoodasia.com
Website: www.oakwoodasia.com/resbeijing
Tel: 5995 2888 Fax: 5995 2999
THE WESTIN EXECUTIVE RESIDENCES
The Westin Executive Residences at The
Beijing Financial Street offer an array of
world-class cuisine options and Westin’s
signature amenities designed to elicit
personal renewal. Just 40 minutes from the
airport, the Westin Executive Residences
provides direct access to Beijing’s business,
entertainment and shopping district and
close proximity to cultural landmarks such
as The Forbidden City and Tiananmen
Square. Each apartment is also fitted with
contemporary furnishings, fully equipped
kitchens, state-of-the-art appliances, home
entertainment system and LCD flat screen
televisions.
> Email: reservation.beijing@westin.com
Website: www.westin.com/beijingfinancial
Tel: 6606 8866
Beauty Services
Black Golden Tanning Salon Sanlitun
Branch Grand Opening
Black Golden Tanning Salon is the only fivestar China flagship store by Ergoline. As
the 2011 model of Ergoline Esprit 770’s,
to bring a continuous tanning effect 25%
above standard machines with unique
aquacool and aroma functions, we provide
customers with the safest and most
comfortable tanning space.
> Open time:11:00-21:00
Sanlitun SOHO Branch
Add: 2rd Floor Building 3, Sanlitun
SOHO,Chaoyang District
Tel: 57853711
Wangjing Branch
Add: Room T5 3rd Floor, BOTAI International
Building, No. 36 North Guangshun Street,
Wangjing, Chaoyang District
Website: www.bjtanning.com
Tel: 84722855
LA BELLEZA
La Belleza means Beauty and Aesthetics in
Spanish. Professional hair-designers from
Hong Kong ,Korea and China gather here.
LA BELLEZA is the hairdressing salon for
you with its pleasant atmosphere, excellent
service, and finest products.
New haircut! Good mood! Excellent life!
Add: F4 No.408, Jinbao Place .Jinbao Street
No88,Dongcheng District, Beijing, china.
Website: www.labelleza.com.cn
Tel: 010 8522 1626
MegaSun Tanning Salon
As the only flagship store for this popular
German tanning salon, megaSun Tanning
will provide for each client the finest sun
tanning experience.
Our center has prepared the newest
functional 7900 alpha and pureEnergy
chamber systems, combined with easyCare
optical testers. At megaSun, enjoy our
professional UV and tanning services.
> 8 Dongdaqiao Road, sShangdu SOHO
North Tower, Rm. 2302
Chaoyang District, Beijing
Website: www.imegasun.com
e-mail: 1019771453@qq.com
Sina Weibo: @麦肤堂
Tel: 5900-2236/2238
BUSINESS CENTER
Servcorp
Smart businesses understand that flexibility
is the future of the workplace. They choose
the world's finest Serviced Offices to grow
their businesses, run critical projects and
give their people flexibility.
> Level 26 Fortune Financial Center, 5
Dongsanhuan Zhonglu, Chaoyang 朝阳区
东三环中路5号财富金融中心26层 (Servcorp.
com.cn; tel: 5775 0310; fax: 5775 0350)
Regus Serviced Office
• FLEXIBLE OFFICE LEASES FROM 1 DAY TO 1
YEAR
• QUICK AND EASY TO SET UP FOR 1-200
PEOPLE
• PRICES FROM RMB 180 PER MONTH
• FIND MORE ON REGUS.CN
REGUS BEIJING (15 LOCATIONS)
Regus Sun Dong An Plaza 雷格斯新东安广场 [NEW]
7/F, Tower 2, No. 138, Wangfujing Avenue,
Dongcheng District
Regus Beijing Taikang Financial Tower
泰康金融大厦 [NEW]
23/F, No.38 East Third Ring Road, Chaoyang
District
Regus Beijing China Life Tower
中国人寿大厦中心
5/F, No. 16, Chaoyangmenwai Ave.,
Chaoyang Distric
Regus Beijing China World Tower 3
国贸三期
15/F, No.1 Jianguomenwai Avenue,
Chaoyang District
Regus Beijing Financial Street Excel Centre
金融街卓著中心
12/F, No.6 Wudinghou Street, Xicheng
District
Regus Beijing IFC 财源国际中心
10/F IFC East Tower, No.8 Jianguomenwai
Avenue, Chaoyang District
Regus Beijing Kerry Centre 嘉里中心
11/F, Beijing Kerry Centre North Tower,
No.1Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District
Regus Beijing Lufthansa Center 燕莎中心
C203, No.50 Liangmaqiao Road, Chaoyang
District
Regus Beijing NCI Centre新华保险大厦中心
15/F, No.12A Jianguomenwai Ave.,
Chaoyang District
Regus Beijing Pacific Century Place
盈科中心
14/F, No.2A Workers Stadium Road North,
Chaoyang District
Regus Beijing Prosper Center
世纪财富中心
6/F Tower 2, No.5 Guanghua Road,
Chaoyang District
Regus Beijing Zhongguancun Metropolis
Tower 中关村欧美汇大厦
7/F, No.2 Dongsan Street Zhongguancun Xi
Zone, Haidian District
Regus Beijing China Central Place
华贸中心
9/F Tower 2, No.79 Jianguo Road, Chaoyang
District
Regus Beijing Parkview Green
侨福芳草地中心
15/F Office Building A, No.9 Dongdaqiao
Road, Chaoyang District
Regus Beijing China Life – West
中国人寿大厦-西
West, 5/F, No.16 Chao Wai Street, Chaoyang
District
CSO (Singapore) Beijing Business Center
We have 10 years experience in
managing serviced offices in the Asia
and Pacific region, and our headquarters
is in Singapore. CSO Beijing is our first
business center in China . We are mainly
providing fully renovated and equipped
offices to clients for immediate use, and
all the serviced offices can be used as
incorporation purpose, and we offer
maximum flexibility and complete smart
office system to help our clients save
cost. We also provide virtual offices,
meeting room and conference room, video
conferencing, incorporation services and
many other services.
Add.: Level 6, Sun Palace Building,
Taiyanggong, Beijing
Ms. Stephanie Yan, Mobile: 18210080591
Email: sales.beijing@corporateso.com
Website: www.csochina.cn
Tel: 86 10 64697000
Catering Services
classifieds
Aurora Catering
An 100% authentic Italian experience
whether tasting a mouthful Lasagna or a
juicy Carpaccio. Our international team
brings to you the authentic freshness and
tidbit of an Italian Espresso or a homemade
tastiness of a Mozzarella.
We offer a full range of catering and event
planning services for all types of business
and personal functions that are tailored for
you. The best service, at your service.
Contact Jacopo Tomé at 137 1794 0458
jacopo.tome@gptinternational.com
Zone de Comfort
With our professional service, you can
focus 100% on your event at Zone de
Comfort, every single assignment is unique
for us. Our experience helps us understand
your objectives with thorough planning,
and of course, exquisite food with elegant
presentation.
In the past 5 years, we have handled
numerous catering projects covering
diplomatic/business functions for
embassies, high-end cocktail receptions for
luxuries brands, automobiles and monthlong hospitality center services. Find out
more from our Website: www.zdc-catering.
com
CABLE SERVICES
Super IPTV
Hyundai) and Buses
*Native drivers with good English
*More information please contact
Tel:6504 7266/6504 7256
FAx:6504 7256
www.sxsdcar.com
Email:car-rental@live.com
CONSULTING SERVICE
Harris Corporate Services Ltd
Beijing | Shanghai | Guangzhou | Hong
Kong
Established since 1972
WFOE & Rep. Office Set Up
Accounting & Tax Compliance
Payroll, HR & Visa Solutions
Hong Kong & Offshore Company
Registration
Hong Kong & China Bank Account Opening
Serving all your business needs for investing
in China. Call us for a free consultation.
Tel: (86)10-6591 8087
Mobile: 186-019-43718
Email: info.bj@harrissec.com.cn
Beijing:
Room 2302, E-Tower, No.12 Guanghua
Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, PRC.
北京市朝阳区光华路12号数码01大厦2302
室
Shanghai:
Suite 904, OOCL Plaza, 841 Yan An Zhong
Road, Jing-An District, Shanghai, PRC.
上海市静安区延安中路841号东方海外大厦
904室
Guangzhou:
Room D-E, 11/F., Yueyun Building, 3
Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, PRC.
广州市中山二路3号(东山口)粤运大厦11楼
D-E室
Super IPTV offers 130+ English TV Channels
in HD quality, These TV channels are
delivered into your televsion throuth a
set top box via a broadband connection,
Much like cable services back home,
pick up the remote control and start
watching, it's one of the best ways to
get your favorite channels including
HBO,CNN,BBC,FOX,AXN,E,Star World,F1,EPL
,SETANTA,ESPN,Discovery,Nat Geo...
Website: www.beijingiptv.com
Shopping: www.shop.superiptv.com
Forum: www.forum.superiptv.com
Mobile: 133 716 00100 or 139 1811 9990.
CAR RENTAL SERVICE
Beijing First Choice Car Rental Service Co.,
Ltd
We offer short and long term vehicle
leasing services for both business and
sightseeing. Our commpany could provide
the latest elite, high-end vehicles such as
Mercedes Benz S300, BMW S5 and more!
Contact our friendly representatives for
more information.
Tel: 138 1015 6525/6434 0778
www.fccars.cn
fccars@live.cn
Beijing TOP-A Vehicle Service Co., Ltd
Beijing Top-A Vehicle Service provides:
*English -speaking driver
*Long-short term leasing
*Airport-Pick up/Drop off
*Sedan, Van and Bus
We, ES-PATS Life Group, also serves with
Mandarin, housemaid, Visa, driver, driving
license, vehicle registration service.
Tel: 6438 1634, 1350 123 7292, service@
expatslife.com
www.expatslife.com
Beijing Top Rate Car Rental Service Co., Ltd
*Long/Short term leasing
*Daily car service
*Sifht-seeing car service, Tailor-made car
service
*Airport-Pick up/Drop off
*Sedan (Audi A6, Audi A6L, VWPassat,
Accord, Lacross 2.4, Benz MB100, Benz Vito,
Hong Kong:
7/F., Hong Kong Trade Centre, 161-167 Des
Voeux Road Central, Hong Kong.
香港德辅道中161-167号香港贸易中心7楼
Legalmall.net
Are you a foreign company wanting to
obtain reliable information about your
Chinese partner? LegalMall is a leading
Company Search service provider made for
you! Basic and Comprehensive Company
Search reports, free legal counselling,
Sourcing Bundle and much more at a very
competitive price.
www.legalmall.net
Beijing Office-TMF Group
In order to enable clients benefit from
the increasing globalization of the
worlds economy, TMF Group offers
a comprehensive range of corporate
administrative outsourcing services in 67
counties across the globe. With a genuine
global network and qualified staff, TMF
group provides an array of accounting,
corporate secretarial and HR administrative
outsourcing services.
> Colin.Zhang@TMF-group.com
Website: www.tmf-group.com
CCTV Tower and Kerry Centre
Suite 3107, Tower A Beijing Fortune Plaza,7
Dongsanhuan Zhong Road, Chaoyang
District
Tel: 65330533-860
FURNITURE
Crossover
Crossover Center Flagship Store, is mainly
marketing international super home
furnishing brand products.
Our agent brands include Poltrona Frau,
Cassina, Fritz Hansen, Moroso, Cappellini,
Timothy Oulton, Tom Dixon etc, over
20 international super home furnishing
brands.
Our products are covered with all of fields
in daily-life home furnishing, including
furniture, furnishing, lighting, dinning, and
office supplies etc.
Website: www.crossovercenter.com
NO.81 North Road San-Li-Tun Bar St. ChaoYang District.Beijing.100027,P.R.C.
Tel: 5208 6112/6113 Fax: 8610-5208 6123
HEALTH FOODS
E & L Healthy
E & L Healthy provides safe and fresh
vegetables of your choice up to twice a
week (Monday/Thursday) together with
fresh, handmade tofu, sesame oil, peanut
oil or free-range eggs direct to your home.
Call Ellen to try our free trial box at
189 1178 0063, or email: customer@
ailinhesheng.com
HOUSEKEEPING
JNY Home Service
JNY Home Service was established in
2007, supplying foreign families with
English speaking/non-English Speaking
nannies(maids), either daily or live-in.
As a part of our service,we make sure all
references and ID cards are thoroughly
checked to guarantee the safety and health
of your family.
Email : jieniyou@hotmail.com
Mobile: 13426362833(24h)
Beijing EX-PATS Service
Healty, reliable, experienced, Englishspeaking housemaid/ nanny. Free agency
and 24- hour English service. Medical
and Accident insurrance covered. EXPATS
Life Group also serves with Mandarin, car
leasing, English-speaking driver, Chinese
driving license, vehicle registration.
service@expatslife.com
Website: www.expatslife.com
Tel: 64381634
Mobile: 13501237292
MOVING & SHIPPING
Seven Seas Worldwide
Save up to 50%! We’re the first choice when
it comes to moving baggage internationally
from one box up to 2M3. We offer a global,
door-to-door service with prices starting
from RMB 999 by sea and RMB 1580 by air.
Call 400 181 6698 now for an instant
quote or book online at www.
sevenseasworldwide.com
Storage
China Self Storage Co. Ltd
As a member of SSA and SSAUK, China Self
Storage Co. Ltd. introduces an international
industry standard to professionally
developed Self Storage for private, family
and business. Safe, clean, air-conditioned,
24h access, flexible size. To learn more, visit
www.selfstorageinchina.com. To make a
reservation, contact 400-600-6378 info@
selfstorageinchina.com.
Jin’an Building, Tianzhu Garden West Rd.,
Shunyi District, Beijing.
Koala Ministorage
Koala Ministorage is the first professional
self-storage provider in Beijing. To learn
more, visit our website www.koalaministorage.com. To make a reservation, call us
toll free at 400-017-8889, email us at
questions@koalaministorage.com, or visit
one of our stores.
local cultures and explore the amazing
heritages. Whether you are a small group
of 2-9 persons or a corporate group, our
professional staff will tailor make the tour
programme based on your needs.
Email: travel@the-silk-road.com
www.the-silk-road.com
TUI China
An affiliate of World of TUI, the world’s
leading tourism group, TUI China was
established in late 2003 as the first joint
venture with foreign majority share in the
Chinese tourism industry. Its headquarters
are in Beijing whilst its operations reach
deep into the far corners of China. World of
TUI generated approx.50,000 predominantly
western tourists to China yearly and
provides M.I.C.E services for renowned
companies worldwide. > Add: Bright China Chang An Building,
Tower 2, Unit 921-926, 7 Jianguomen Nei
Avenue (Fax: +86 (0)10 6517 1371; Email:
sales@tui.cn; Website: www.tui.cn; Tel:
8519 8800
Real Estate Agents
JOANNA REAL ESTATE RELOCATION
SERVICE
We are one of China’s leading real estate
agencies boasting an extensive database
of high-end properties for rent. We have
helped thousands of expatriates find their
homes as well as hundreds of companies
re-locate their employees. Once we have
found you your ideal home we will be on
hand to deal with any post move issues
and our dedicated after sales team will be
contactable 7 days a week to help you with
any queries you have throughout your stay
in our country.
> For more information please contact us:
Email: paulquin@joannarealestate.com.cn
Website: http:>beijing.joannarealestate.
com.cn/ (Tel: 84585667 ; 13501358971)
Replus-Benchmark
“Replus-Benchmark” is one of the leading
real estate agencies and relocation service
provider for expatriates in Shanghai,
Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu and
Shenzhen.
• Residential Home Search Service
• Visa Application
• Commercial Office Space Search Service
• Buying and Selling Property Service
E-mail: marketing@replus-benchmark.com
Website: www.replus-benchmark.com
> A-1509,Xiaoyun Center, No.15 of Xiaoyun
Road, Chaoyang District Beijing
Tel: 84467119 Fax: 84467577
TRAVEL SERVICES
Beijing Trans-World Air Service Co.Ltd.
Established in February 2005 and approved
by the Civil Aviation Administration
of China, we are an aggregator of
international and domestic air, global
hotel reservations and big business travel.
With sales rankings in the top ten and
having earned the title of major proxies
of worldwide airlines, we are well-known
for our top-notch service. We offer online
booking, hotel inquiry and reservations and
a varity of travel-related services.
> G8, First Floor, China Resources Building,
8 Jianguomenbei Avenue, Chaoyang
朝阳区建国门北大街8号华润大厦一层G8
tel: 8519 2468/2469/2470/2471/2472;
fax: 6518 2589; renwoxing26@viptkt.com;
www.viptkt.com; WeChat: twas08314854
Silk Road Travel Management Ltd.
Silk Road Travel is a pioneer in organizing
Silk Road tours and other classic routes in
China. Founded in 1997, we are specialized
in tailor making travel packages that
allow travellers to truly experience the
BUSINESSES!
PROMOTE YOUR
SERVICES TO
THOUSANDS OF
pEOpLE EACH
MONTH ON OUR
CLASSIFIEDS pAGES.
FOR MORE DETAILS
AND SpECIAL
pACKAGES
pLEASE E-MAIL
bJADVERTISING@
URbANATOMY.COM
s p o r t s | r unn i n g
BORn-again fitness freaks
Beijing’s HeyRunners Share Their Stories
Before I was a runner, I found it unbelievable that magazines dedicated to the
sport could fill 80 or so pages each month with articles solely about running.
Buy some gear and put one foot in front of the other – what more is there to say?
But after I took up the sport and actually read those magazines, I realized the
reason for buying them is as much for inspiration and motivation as it is practical advice. You read others’ success stories and think: why not me?
Many of the following runners only a started few years ago and now they’re
traveling round China running 100km ultra-marathons. That might not be for
you, of course, but they probably would have said that themselves two years
ago. If your fitness routine needs a kick-start – whatever your goal – I hope the
following Beijing-based HeyRunners’ words can provide the kick up the
backside you need.
Diana
Chas
brian
Cam
Running backstory:
My father got me into when I was
younger, but then I stopped around
the time I went to university. In my
late 20s I got back into running by
joining a club when I was living in
London. As you get older, you realize
that you have a responsibility to keep
your body feeling fit. I mean if you’re
walking up stairs and you start to feel
out of breath – that’s not a good thing.
Do you race?
Yes. I enjoy racing – it gives you an
added sense of achievement and gives
you a set goal. But is it always enjoyable? Not always… I got a cramp in my
leg one marathon – it just totally blew
up and I was in agony. I still finished
the race – just an hour and a half
slower than I would have liked. 10km
is a nice distance…
Most important equipment:
GPS watch – definitely number
one. I would never have said that
years ago but it’s become an obsession! I even do a spreadsheet of how
much I run each week.
Is running a sport or a lifestyle?
Both. I run to compete, but it’s part
of my lifestyle – you feel more awake,
you feel fitter, you feel like you have
more energy.
Running backstory:
I’ve been running on-and-off for
a while, but decided to take it more
seriously after moving to Beijing in
2012. Since running out of the door
on a Sunday afternoon in August
2012, I’ve run two Beijing Marathons,
one ultra-marathon (106 kilometers)
and multiple half-marathons. Beijing
has a lot to offer and even with the
air, which is a real challenge, there
can be opportunities for a healthy
lifestyle.
Positive impact of running:
It teaches three things. First,
perseverance: to actually get up and
get out of the door. (You don’t need a
gym membership or anything though
– it’s easy!) Second, the social side:
through running I’ve got outside my
bubble and learnt more about the
city. Third, the routine: if you want
to keep yourself fit, you need to do it
over and over again.
Advice for first time runners:
Don’t overthink it! Never wait until
you have all the answers. Everyone
asks, won’t it hurt my knees? If you
just get out there and do it your body
will adapt – if not it will tell you. The
coaches are there to support you,
whatever you want to get from it.
They’ll push you, but they understand that not everyone wants to run
a marathon!
Running backstory:
My running career had a false start
in the 100m at school, I tripped over a
hole in my lane and came last in race.
There were a couple of marathons
in my 20s, but I didn’t train properly so I got injured. Then I got back
into running in 2012 for a healthier
lifestyle in Beijing and really enjoyed
it. Through HeyRunning I started
doing marathons several times a
year – I was amazed at how quickly I
improved. I must have done nine or
ten long races last year.
Benefits of HeyRunning:
Previously running was something
I just did on my own through a park,
which got rather monotonous. But
being taught how to run intervals
was the eureka moment in terms of
getting oneself faster and keeping it
interesting. I now feel I’m the fittest
I’ve been in my life. It’s great to get
out to the mountains to train; the
spectacular scenery is a great way of
forgetting about the occasional bad
weather. And the HeyRunners are a
great bunch – perfect company for a
well-earned beer after training.
Is Beijing a good city to train in?
You can’t talk about running in Beijing without talking about pollution.
Of course, the funny thing is that it’s
generally possible to run outdoors
enough and still avoid the bad days.
Trouble is, you might get hooked on
blue-sky days and want to move to
Australia…
Running backstory:
I started running in mid-2013.
So... almost two years. I first went to
a barefoot running camp hosted by
[HeyRunning Beijing founder] Linus –
his coaching style and enthusiasm for
running got me hooked.
Positive impact of running:
It gives me an appetite – running makes me hungry! I suppose it
makes me upbeat and positive, too.
You know about the ‘runner’s high’
(dopamine emitted during running)?
It can make you addicted to running!
Oh, and the happiest thing personally
is meeting my boyfriend, Dragon, at a
HeyRunning session. When running
meets love – magic! So three things, I
guess…
Is running a sport or a lifestyle?
Both, I think. When I do races, it’s
a sport for me. When I jog during the
week, it’s part of a lifestyle where I
can keep fit and feel confident.
Toughest race you’ve done:
The Dalian 50km ultra-trail race in
2014. I did this race only a year after I
started road running, so it was a real
challenge! [A standard marathon is
42km.] But I finished it (running really teaches you about perseverance).
I was 18 then, the youngest finisher
in that race I think… even here in
China! But there is an even tougher
ultra trail running race, which I’d like
to do in Indonesia. It’s 52km with a
cumulative elevaton gain of 5800m
gaining elevation within 22hrs. I
hope my boyfriend and I can finish it
within the 22-hour time limit!
That’s Beijing is proud media partner of HeyRunning. Join a session on Monday evenings,
Wedesday evenings, Sunday mornings – or all three. It costs RMB30 for each individual
session. Go online at www.heyrobics.com/heyrunning for membership pricing information. Follow HeyRunning on WeChat, username: HeyRunning. All levels welcome!
ape:
& Videot
Sex, Lies mous in China
Fa
Getting
The Vagina
Monologues
Learning from
Lei Feng's Loss
Beijing's Most
Racist Restaurant
Reviewed
g
Fen
ang
id
v
m
a
ha
eck
lio ias
s
gle
g Hotline
84278
漫步北京
版 4 月份
统一刊号:
-5233/GO
nental Press
2013
SIN CITY
rs
Policing China`s foreigne
Follow
Us on
WeChat
Now
Advertising Hotline
400 820 8428
城市漫步北京
英文版 1 月份
国内统一刊号:
CN 11-5232/GO
China Intercontinental Press
ISSN 1672-8025
JANUARY 2014
2Ƚ5$ʼKPIGɦȗȏGɧGɰYKVJ%ǼɕU'ȱVG
ʍ$Ƭ9ʓ6'4;7Ȓ#ƴ62ȅ61)ʆ2Ǻ4%Ǻ0ɀ0
Cover.indd 1
13-12-21 上午2:16
READ
MOBILE
NETWORK
DO
More than just a simple city guide.
Be entertained and informed – our
writers dig deeper to produce
quality longform features you
won’t read anywhere else.
Made in China, read all over the
world. Follow us across social
media on WeChat, Weibo,
Facebook and Twitter, for a daily
dose of Beijing wherever you are.
At the heart of Beijing for over a
decade. We host regular awards
shows, parties and fairs to connect
readers with all industries and
walks of life in the capital.
Your indispensible guide to what’s
on. Keep up-to-date with our
curated pick of city’s best events –
we never miss a show, talk, festival
or restaurant opening.
Follow us
on WeChat
R E A D T H AT ’ S B E I J I N G T O D AY
Find our magazine throughout the capital – from the
boutique stores of Gulou to the community centers of Shunyi – or visit www.online.thatsmags.com

ART BEIJING a guide to the mainland`s biggest art fair 400 820 8428

Transcription

Similar documents

Cpeals

j ETCETERA

Education in Summer School

KTSF Sales Flash 3rd Quarter 2008

China 2006 July 7 - 18 Beijing, Xi`an, Shanghai and Hong Kong

Human Environment, Interaction, and Movement Location, Region

Beijing Guide - Dulwich College Beijing

Jeunes de Chine

My name is David Barrionuevo, from Madrid, Spain.

File