The five Hutong areas of Beijing (3)

Liuli Chang

Liuli Chang is located in Xicheng District, just 1 kilometer away from Tian'anmen Square. The place was named "Haiwang Village" by the Liao people, and was eventually changed to "Liuli Chang" when officials set up imperial kilns to produce colored-glaze crafts for the emperor during the Yuan and Ming dynasties. During the Qing Dynasty, most Han officials and candidates for the imperial examinations lived here and there was a huge demand for books. Thus, Liuli Chang became the largest book market in Beijing at that time. In 1876, there were more than 270 bookstores on the street. The government reconstructed several parts of the old streets from 1980 to 1984. A number of artwork stores were built, covering an area of 34,000 square meters. At present, Liuli Chang is a large distributing center for artwork and cultural artifacts including books, pottery, sculptures, paintings and bronze wares.