A walk through history: Foreign Legation Quarter
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The hutong areas surrounding Chongwenmen are more authentic than some of the city's more popular, redeveloped hutong neighborhoods. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com] |
![The hutong areas surrounding Chongwenmen are more authentic than some of the city's more popular, redeveloped hutong neighborhoods. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20110603/000cf1a48f870f5294d309.jpg "The hutong areas surrounding Chongwenmen are more authentic than some of the city's more popular, redeveloped hutong neighborhoods. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]")
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Dongjiaominxiang's tree lined sidewalks next to handsome Western style buildings create a historic backdrop for a summer promenade. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com] |
![Dongjiaominxiang's tree lined sidewalks next to handsome Western style buildings create a historic backdrop for a summer promenade. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20110603/000cf1a48f870f5294df10.jpg "Dongjiaominxiang's tree lined sidewalks next to handsome Western style buildings create a historic backdrop for a summer promenade. [Photo:CRIENGLISH.com]")
The tour route starts at the Beijing Christian Chongwenmen Church, near the Chongwenmen subway station. Originally named Asbury Church, the church was established in 1870 by the American Methodist Church, and the complex grew to include a hospital and a school (now the Beijing No.125 Middle School). Asbury Church was burnt down during the Boxer rebellion in 1900, but the Qing government appropriated money to rebuild the church in 1902. Today, the church is highly influential among Protestants in China.
After crossing Chongwen Street and walking west on Dongjiaomin Alley one can reach the heart of the foreign legation quarter. Unfortunately, as some of the former foreign legation buildings have been turned into government offices, photography is not allowed in front of some landmarks. Other buildings have been turned into restaurants and hotels.
As one walks, the buildings take on a distinctive appearance reminiscent of historic Western cities. The first landmarks encountered are the former German barracks on the left and the former German-Asia bank on the right, built as part of the settlement after the conclusion of the Second Opium War in 1860.
"This part of history was painful for Chinese people," Tong said. "This street is so close to the Forbidden City; can you imagine that a place belonging to Chinese people was given to other countries and they built walls to forbid Chinese people from entering?"
St. Michael's Catholic Church sits on the corner of Dongjiaomin Alley and Taijichang Street.
Built in the Gothic style characteristic of French cathedrals, St. Michael's Church also carries a surprising Chinese detail: a Chinese dragon head for draining rainwater protrudes from above the front doors. Though it was converted to a primary school after the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, St Michaels was restored as a Catholic church in the late 1980s and still functions as a Catholic church and a popular wedding spot for locals. The French embassy and historic post office, now a restaurant, are directly across the street.
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