Guanxi townships in Beijing and time-honored brands

Author: Wang Yongbin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-12-01
Features: Over the years, there have been numerous books introducing the streets, alleys, and time-honored brands of Beijing's urban areas, but few have focused specifically on the suburban districts, towns, and time-honored brands of Beijing. This book fills this gap. The writing style of Beijing's Suburban Districts, Towns, and Time-Honored Brands is favored by readers, combining time-honored brands with suburban districts and towns. This approach allows readers to not only learn about the history of each time-honored brand but also understand the formation and development of each suburban district and town. The book also includes valuable historical photographs and images, making it rich in visuals to enhance readers' intuitive understanding.
Beijing is a historically renowned city with a developed culture and thriving commerce. The commercial districts within the city are called commercial streets, while those near the city gates are known as suburban districts, and those in the suburbs are referred to as towns. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Beijing had nine city gates within its inner city and seven in its outer city. The areas near the city gates were called suburban districts, as they were the main routes for entering and exiting the city, leading to a high concentration of shops and prosperous commerce. Among the suburban districts of Beijing in those days, the Chaoyangmen Suburban District was the most lively, as it was the key transportation hub connecting Beijing with southern provinces before railways and trains were built. For centuries, the suburban districts and towns of Beijing, like the urban commercial districts, gave rise to a large number of time-honored brands with exquisite products and distinctive business styles. Some of these brands became widely renowned, such as Tongzhou's Dashanzhai Sugar Cakes, Xiaolou's Stewed Catfish, Panggezhuang Beifuyu's "South Route Liquor," and Shuanghesheng Beer.
Today, most of the time-honored brands introduced in this book no longer exist, but their golden signboards, warm hospitality, genuine products, affordable prices, and honest business practices remain deeply cherished by people.