Houhai

The Houhai lake in Beijing at night

Strolling the Houhai lake

Houhai (simplified Chinese: 后海; traditional Chinese: 後海; pinyin: hòuhǎi; literally "Back Sea") is a lake and its surrounding district in central Beijing, one of the three parts of Shichahai. In recent years it has become famous for nightlife because it is home to many popular restaurants, bars, and cafes.

The area is especially popular with foreign tourists visiting Beijing, but is also often visited by the expatriate community and younger locals.

The Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling is located in the Houhai area.

Images

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  Houhai lake

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  A stone bridge across the lake

External links

• New York Times: Houhai Market
• TripAdvisor: Back Lakes (Hou Hai) "This area of Beijing contains some of the most extensive old hutong neighborhoods and the three lakes of Xihai, Houhai and Oianhai."
• Illustrip: Interactive and printable map of Houhai