Tasting Yesterday

Every restaurant， as well as every dish it offers， found along Beijing’s Central Axis radiates the flavor of local history and culture， and the area dominates the rankings of the most representative “folk delicacies.”Many now set out to appreciate the historical and cultural sites along the Central Axis while enjoying delicious food.

Various restaurants flourished in Beijing during the Yuan （1271-1368） and Ming （1368-1644） dynasties and became even more prosperous in the Qing Dynasty（1644-1911）.

The Central Axis was one of the most prosperous corridors in the capital city. Many famous restaurants welcomed the heavy customer flow. Especially in the Qianmen area， where various time-honored shops still serve numerous diners seeking all kinds of special delicacies.

The naming of time-honored Beijing restaurants follows special customary rules. Those named“Tang” （literally， “Hall”） are of the highest grade， and offer not only decent dining tables and chairs， but also a stage or open space for grand banquets and traditional opera performances. Among them， the most famous is Huixian Tang next to Shichahai Lake.

Some cheap and affordable eateries selling pork and mutton in the streets and alleys are the best choice for ordinary people. One chef， two young waiters， and several tables and chairs could be enough resources to open such a business. Various snacks and delicacies scattered along the Central Axis compose the most vibrant and tasty picture of life in the city.

Around the turn of the 20th century， some Chinese writers authored classic literary works that sketched an attractive food map of Beijing. Thanks to their descriptions， people today have been able to recapture many of the lost flavors decades later. In recent years， the revival of every time-honored brand has become big news for foodies in Beijing.

Food represents the authentic soul of everyday life. For hundreds of years， Beijing cuisine has developed， integrated， and innovated alongside the evolution of the Central Axis.