In Search of Old Beijing

[wongsan]

寻找旧北京...

I bought a book ‘‘The Last Days of Old Beijing: Life in the Vanishing Backstreets of a City Transformed’’ by Michael Meyer before my Beijing trip (End May/Early June 2010). The book "documents the city as it vanishes before his — and our — eyes. A former Peace Corps volunteer from Minnesota, now a writer and teacher of English, Meyer has made his home for the past two years in the hutong, the ‘‘lanes that lattice the heart of Beijing.’’ As the municipal government prepares to host the world (slogan: ‘‘New Beijing, Great Olympics’’), the hutong are being razed to make way for Range Rover showrooms, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Hooters."

It was an interesting read and guided me through my search for Old Beijing...

 

[wongsan]

寻找旧北京|798艺术区

The 798 Art Zone798 Art Zone (Chinese: 798艺术区; pinyin: 798 Yìshùq&#363, or Dashanzi Art District, is a part of Dashanzi in the Chaoyang District of Beijing that houses a thriving artist community, among 50-year old decommissioned military factory buildings of unique architectural style. It is often compared with New York's Greenwich Village or SoHo.

The area is often called the 798 Art District or Factory 798 although technically, Factory #798 is only one of several structures within a complex formerly known as Joint Factory 718. The buildings are located inside alleys number 2 and 4 on Jiǔxiānqiáo Lù (酒仙桥&#36335, south of the Dàshānziqiáo flyover (大山子&#26725....

source: Wikipedia

MP|M-Hexanon28F2.8|Kodak Trix400
M6LHSA|Zeiss C-Sonnar50F1.5|Fuji Reala100

 

[scandezz]

more more more !!!

Nice bro.

 

[hookonclassic]

Well done, bro!

Fruitful trip to Beijing...have read about the new generation stuff in Beijing...full of talented artist...hope you didn't get a cultural transformation shock...:thumbsup:

 

[andrewtansj]

Very nice series, look forward to more...

 

[daredevil123]

Nice series, thanks for sharing. Would love to see more.

 

[tan131]

Nice shots! Show more

I think the next trip should be to China... hehe~~

 

[gommy]

Thanks for sharing some history together with the photos.:thumbsup:
Great shots & nice series.

 

[White Wolf]

More Please~~~

 

[wongsan]

Thanks for all the encouragement!
It was indeed a fruitful trip.

I will be posting the following as I select and organise the photos...just finished scanning them yesterday:
- Wangfujing Catholic Church
- Great Wall
- Forbidden City
- Peking Duck, etc...
- and my favorite: the Hutongs. I spent quite a bit of my 2-3 day wandering the small lanes...

Here's a (partial) gear collage...I brought the MP with the Hexanon 28F2.8, M6LHSA with the Zeiss Sonnar-C 50F1.5 and the Rolleiflex 2.8F.

 

[wongsan]

寻找旧北京|王府井天主堂

The Wangfujing Cathedral (王府井天主&#22530, also named St. Joseph's Wangfujing Cathedral or to the locals, Dongtang (东堂, the East Cathedral) is a historic Catholic cathedral located in downtown Beijing, near the Wangfujing. A small church was first established in 1653 on the open grounds by the Jesuit Father Lodovico Buglio.[1] Later several earthquakes and wars gradually destroyed the church. It was rebuilt in 1904 as a Romanesque cathedral, with strong pilasters and one high and two low vaults displaying a grandiose architectural style. After the restoration in 1980, the church reopened. Because of its geographic location, the Church faces west.

source: Wikipedia

I spent some time shooting this church as it is quite a majestic landmark on Wangfujing. It is also right next to my hotel My regret is that I didn't get a night shot (the church is lighted up nicely) and a shot out from my hotel window which is overlooking the church.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

lovely!

Cant wait to see more Wong Si Fu!

 

[wongsan]

寻找旧北京|万里长城

The Great Wall of China (simplified Chinese: 长城; traditional Chinese: 長城; pinyin: Chángchéng; literally "long fortress" or simplified Chinese: 万里长城; traditional Chinese: 萬里長城; pinyin: Wànlǐ Chángchéng; literally "The long wall of 10,000 Li (&#37324"[1]) is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups such as the Xiongnu from the north and rebuilt and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century. Since the 5th century BC, several walls have been built that were referred to as the Great Wall. One of the most famous is the wall built between 220–206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Little of that wall remains; the majority of the existing wall was built during the Ming Dynasty.

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. The most comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has recently concluded that the entire Great Wall, with all of its branches, stretches for 8,851.8 km (5,500.3 mi). This is made up of 6,259.6 km (3,889.5 mi) of sections of actual wall, 359.7 km (223.5 mi) of trenches and 2,232.5 km (1,387.2 mi) of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.

source: Wikipedia

I visited the Juyongguan (居庸&#20851. We were not given enough time to explore the magnificient wall. Hence, not many many shots taken at the Great Wall of China.
It was packed with tourists and school children from Singapore!!

Simatai (司马&#21488 should be a better sight for some "real" Great Wall.

 

[wongsan]

寻找旧北京|北京大董烤鸭店

"Selling itself on the claim that its birds are leaner than those of other roast duck joints, Da Dong’s two classy branches more or less bookend the 2km strip between Changhong Qiao and Dongsishitiao. Arguments will never cease as to which kitchen produces Beijing’s best roast ducks, but Da Dong’s ability to transcend the duck genre is marked by its repeated wins as "Best Chinese Restaurant of the Year" in the Beijinger’s annual Reader Restaurant Awards. Try dipping a slice of duck in the sugar provided alongside other condiments – somehow, it works beautifully. The 160-page menu is a work of art in itself, with a plethora of duck dishes backed up by vegetable dishes, soups and more. If you’re only going to eat duck once in Beijing, book a table – or else be prepared to wait for one – at Da Dong. Voted Best Beijing Duck, Best Contemporary Chinese and Chinese Restaurant of the Year in the Beijinger's 2010 Reader Restaurant Awards." ...source: the beijinger

I find 大董 better than Quan Ju De (全聚&#24503...less fatty and oily.

 

[gommy]

Great series FSY! Am enjoying every bits of it.
Like Thomas, you have to slipped in a MM shot too.....:bsmilie::bsmilie:
Is she holding a roll of 120 film?

 

[wongsan]

寻找旧北京|白家大院:

Daizhaimen Restaurant of Family Bai lies in the northwest of Beijing, originally part of the imperial route to the famous Summer Palace. It represents the top level of imperial food including Palace Dish and Guanfu Dish. Besides it has pride in its own unique style "Baifu Dish".

"The restaurant finds itself in the tranquil Garden of Prince Li of the Qing Dynasty, which was built by the offspring of Daishan, namely, Prince Li, the second son of the first founder of Qing Dynasty, Nuerhachi, in the time of Emperor Kangxi. He helped his father fighting for the land north and south. After united, and when the Jin regime was built, he was regarded as Prince Li and had the highest statues. Emperor Kangxi built " Garden of Ever Spring" in Beijing in 1690, and he liked living here most. In order to entertain all the officers and many gardens were built around it, among which Prince Li's garden was the one with the most elegance and beauty. It took up more than 35,000 square meters (c.a.315,000 square feet). Inside the garden, there are all kinds of ancient styled sceneries such as pavilions, terraces, verandas, winding paths, ambulatories, strange stones, piling of rockeries. You can spot a new scene with each step forward as if you were in a wonderland."

This place is nice but too touristy for me

 

[wongsan]

Great series FSY! Am enjoying every bits of it.
Like Thomas, you have to slipped in a MM shot too.....:bsmilie::bsmilie:
Is she holding a roll of 120 film?

Thanks Dr!
It will be incomplete without the MM.
I wish it was a 120 film...I could have started a conversation...alas, it was the ubiquitous mobile phone

 

[tan131]

U should have shown her your Rolleiflex... maybe she will be the one starting the conversation with you instead '

Aside from that, you got quite a few good shots and a great way of presentation

 

[VanGogh53]

Great series of pictures - to bring back memories of the past in which some of us lived in. In Singapore, there are a quite a few books showing the past, before they are torn down. History is only meaningful to those who live in that era, and pictures are one way to bring out that emotions. The railway station will soon be one. The Marina Bay has been totally transformed. So is Orchard Road, not to mention the many heartlands.

As passionate photographers, I hope you will take it as your duty to preserve the history. Shoot as many pictures and place them in CS or whereever so that we can enjoy what we had before the change.

 

[gommy]

U should have shown her your Rolleiflex... maybe she will be the one starting the conversation with you instead '

Aside from that, you got quite a few good shots and a great way of presentation

Agree with tan131, love your presentation - some history & comments before the pics...

I also remember Thomas, telling me that during the Joo Chiat outing, young girls would come up to him when he was using the Hassy as they have not seem anything like that b4:bsmilie: