Sanlitun
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Sanlitun (simplified Chinese: 三里屯; traditional Chinese: 三里屯; pinyin: Sānlǐtún) is one of the most popular bar streets in Beijing. The name is also used to refer to the general area, in the Chaoyang District of eastern Beijing, and forms part of the Gongti nightlife area. Despite several threats of closure, it remains fashionable with the expat community, foreign travelers and younger locals.
Until 2005, bars ran from the northern street through a very busy crossing with Gongti North Road (Gongti Bei Lu) to a southern street, which had fewer bars and was more relaxed.
The Yaxiu (雅秀) clothing market, a popular shopping destination for locals and foreigners alike, is situated alongside this street.
The main bar street known as 'Sanlitun' has changed location many times over the last few decades of the twentieth century.
[edit] History
Prior to 1949, the Beijing Legation Quarter was the center of diplomatic activity in the capital. After the foundation of the People's Republic of China, the government wanted to move the diplomatic district outside of the inner city. Sanlitun was chosen as the area where foreign legations and embassies were to be reallocated in the late 1950s. The area was called Sanlitun to designate its location from Dongzhimen gate (东直门). Tun, like dian (e.g. Shibalidian), means no more than "locality". San li means "three li", and a li was 0.5 km -- thus, Sanlitun was 1.5 km away from Dongzhimen Gate.
Sanlitun's business began to grow when, along with the economic reforms of the late 1970s and early 1980s, bars serving expats, and later locals, sprang up. International hotels hosted the first bars, but in the 1990s, standalone establishments appeared.
The small lane known as "Nan Jie" was demolished in the summer of 2005 to make way for new buildings. However, bars and restaurants continue to operate on both sides of Gongti Bei Lu.
In April of 2008, prior to the Beijing Olympics and as part of an ongoing operation to clean up the city, a major drug bust occurred at Sanlitun and many arrests were made. A total of four bars and clubs were effectively closed, including the infamous "Pure Girl", a notorious bar known for its cheap alcohol and its countless cannabis smokers. It was a popular destination for young expats and drug dealers alike. The police operation was widely criticized for its violence and absence of proper due process. A number of drug dealers as well as a barman, Jackie, are believed to have received the death penalty as a result of this operation. The street has since lost popularity to other neighboring bars and clubs such as nanjie or vics.
[edit] External links
- 'Bars of Sanlitun'
- 'My parents cannot imagine my life, but they let me choose the way I live' Interview with a night club regular of Sanlitun entertainment district, from The Guardian, 9 August 2007.
Coordinates: 39°56′5″N 116°26′59.5″E / 39.93472°N 116.449861°E
