Sanlitun
Encyclopedia
Sanlitun is an area of the Chaoyang District
, Beijing
containing many popular bar
streets and international stores.
The area has been under almost constant regeneration since the late 20th century as part of a city-wide project of economic regrowth. It currently houses many bars and clubs popular with both expatriate
s and locals as well as international brand-name stores such as American Apparel
, Apple Inc. and Adidas
. It is notable for housing the largest Adidas store in the world. The Ya Show market is also in the area, a popular destination for tourists wishing to buy counterfeit
clothes.
was the center of diplomatic activity in the capital. After the foundation of the People's Republic of China
, the government wanted to move the diplomatic district outside the inner city. Sanlitun was chosen as the area where foreign legations and embassies were to be reallocated in the late 1950s. The area was called Sanlitun to designate its location from Dongzhimen
gate . With tun meaning 'locality', san li meaning 'three li
(a li is 0.5 km), the name translates as 1.5 km away (from Dongzhimen Gate).
Sanlitun's began to grow when, along with the economic reforms of the late 1970s and early 1980s, bars serving expatriates and later locals began to open. International hotels hosted the first bars, but in the 1990s, standalone establishments appeared.
A small lane known as Nan Jie was demolished in the summer of 2005 to make way for new buildings. However, bars and restaurants continue to operate on both sides of Gongti Bei Lu.
The Village and Nali Mall shopping areas opened in the summer 2008, giving the area many new shops, restaurants, bars and a multiplex cinema
.
In April 2008, prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics
and as part of an ongoing operation to clean up the city, a major drug bust occurred in Sanlitun and many arrests were made. A total of four bars and clubs were effectively closed, including a notorious bar known for its cheap alcohol and availability of drugs. The police operation was widely criticized for its violence and absence of proper due process. A number of drug dealers as well as a barman are believed to have received the death penalty as a result of this operation.
Sanlitun's bar street is extremely popular for expatriates and young foreign teenagers to blow off steam, party and drink. They have many bars which have a variety of cheap liquor and fun dance areas. The clubs street of Beijing is a 15min taxi ride away. The main source of underage drinking is from the expat teens from all over the world who indulge in the ability to drink underage without anyone asking for id or checking their age. The nightlife for underage teens is frequently quite unrestricted compared that in the home countries of the foreign teens living as expats in Beijing.
Chaoyang District, Beijing
Chaoyang District is a district of Beijing, China.Chaoyang is home to the majority of Beijing's many foreign embassies, the well-known Sanlitun bar street, as well as Beijing's growing CBD. The Olympic Park, built for the 2008 Summer Olympics, is also in Chaoyang...
, Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
containing many popular bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
streets and international stores.
The area has been under almost constant regeneration since the late 20th century as part of a city-wide project of economic regrowth. It currently houses many bars and clubs popular with both expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
s and locals as well as international brand-name stores such as American Apparel
American Apparel
American Apparel is a clothing manufacturer in the United States. It is a vertically integrated clothing manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer that also performs its own design, advertising, and marketing...
, Apple Inc. and Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
. It is notable for housing the largest Adidas store in the world. The Ya Show market is also in the area, a popular destination for tourists wishing to buy counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
clothes.
History
Prior to 1949, the Beijing Legation QuarterBeijing Legation Quarter
The Peking Legation Quarter was the area in Peking where a number of foreign legations were located between 1861 and 1959. In Chinese, the area is known as Dōng jiāomín xiàng , which is the name of the hutong running through the area...
was the center of diplomatic activity in the capital. After the foundation of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, the government wanted to move the diplomatic district outside the inner city. Sanlitun was chosen as the area where foreign legations and embassies were to be reallocated in the late 1950s. The area was called Sanlitun to designate its location from Dongzhimen
Dongzhimen
Dongzhimen is the name of one of the gates in the old city walls of Beijing, it is now a transportation node in Beijing.The 2nd Ring Road currently links, albeit somewhat indirectly, with two roads which eventually become the Airport Expressway and China National Highway 101...
gate . With tun meaning 'locality', san li meaning 'three li
Li (unit)
The li is a traditional Chinese unit of distance, which has varied considerably over time but now has a standardized length of 500 meters or half a kilometer...
(a li is 0.5 km), the name translates as 1.5 km away (from Dongzhimen Gate).
Sanlitun's began to grow when, along with the economic reforms of the late 1970s and early 1980s, bars serving expatriates and later locals began to open. International hotels hosted the first bars, but in the 1990s, standalone establishments appeared.
A small lane known as Nan Jie was demolished in the summer of 2005 to make way for new buildings. However, bars and restaurants continue to operate on both sides of Gongti Bei Lu.
The Village and Nali Mall shopping areas opened in the summer 2008, giving the area many new shops, restaurants, bars and a multiplex cinema
Multiplex (movie theater)
A multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically three or more. They are usually housed in a specially designed building. Sometimes, an existing venue undergoes a renovation where the existing auditoriums are split into smaller ones, or more auditoriums are added in an...
.
In April 2008, prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
and as part of an ongoing operation to clean up the city, a major drug bust occurred in Sanlitun and many arrests were made. A total of four bars and clubs were effectively closed, including a notorious bar known for its cheap alcohol and availability of drugs. The police operation was widely criticized for its violence and absence of proper due process. A number of drug dealers as well as a barman are believed to have received the death penalty as a result of this operation.
Sanlitun's bar street is extremely popular for expatriates and young foreign teenagers to blow off steam, party and drink. They have many bars which have a variety of cheap liquor and fun dance areas. The clubs street of Beijing is a 15min taxi ride away. The main source of underage drinking is from the expat teens from all over the world who indulge in the ability to drink underage without anyone asking for id or checking their age. The nightlife for underage teens is frequently quite unrestricted compared that in the home countries of the foreign teens living as expats in Beijing.