Shichahai

Shichahai Lake and Area

Shichahai consists of Xi Hai, Hou Hai and Qian Hai. It is narrow water extended from the northwest to southeast. Numbers of typical Hutong and Siheyuan Courtyards are scattered in Shichahai area.

Profile

ID : 33
City : Beijing
English name : Shichahai
Chinese name : 什刹海
Type : Lake,
Level : easy
Kids : Possible
Elders: Possible
Best season : All seasons
Visiting length : 1-3 hours
Distance to city center : 5 km

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introduction
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Introduction

Shichahai consists of Xi Hai, Hou Hai and Qian Hai. It is narrow water extended from the northwest to southeast. Day time of Hou Hai is quiet. Around Hou Hai, there is Song Qingling Former Residence, Gong Wang Fu and other scenic spots. In the night, it is noisy, especially in the Bar Street.

Photo

Highlights

Hou Hai, Beijing Hutong, Prince Gong's Mansion, Bell and Drum Tower

Helper to visit Shichahai

Address in English : Northwest of Xicheng District, Beijing, China
Address in Chinese : 北京市西城区西北部
Tel : Null
Post code : 100044
Ticket time : Null
Open time : Null
Closing time : Null
Location : Shichahai is around 5 km to downtown Beijing

Transportation

Subway: Take Subway Line 6 and get off at Beihai North Station.
Public bus:
- Bus 5, 60, 107, 124(Gulou Station)
- Bus 13, 107, 111, 118, 609, 623(Beihai North Gate Station)
Private car is the best method to visit Shichahai with local tour operator.

Admission

high season : 0 RMB/person.
shoulder season : 0 RMB/person.
low season : 0 RMB/person.

Beijing Shichahai (including Houhai) Tour

BJ-PH-03young
Beijing 5 Days Culture and Art Tour for Young Travelers

Please send us an email if you can not find Shichahai tour you need on this page. We can tailor a private trip to Shichahai.

Hotel near Shichahai

5 star/duluxe hotel
Shichahai Sandalwood Boutique Hotel
Beijing Shichahai Shadow Art Performance Hotel

4 star/superior hotel
China Lounge Courtyard Boutique Hotel
Ron Yard Hotel

3 star/comfort hotel
Bamboo Garden Hotel
Qilu Hotel

Why got its this name
Shi means number 10 in Chinese while Cha means temple and Hai means sea. It is said that there were once ten temples around the sea.
History of Shichahai
Early in the 13th century, Mongolia eradicated Jin dynasty. The Palace of Beijing city (northwest of nowadays' Beijing city, which was also called the central capital of Jin dynasty) was destroyed. The first emperor Kublai Kahn decided to build another new capital. Shichahai was one of the basis for the central axis of the whole city was chosen to be by Jishuitan (part of Shichahai). To some degree, there was Shichahai first and Beijing city later.
The street construction of Shichahai was first formed in Yuan Dynasty. Many of the constructions in Shichahai area have long stories and are full of traditional Beijing features. Shichahai Area has been taken as one of the 25 key protected historical blocks in Beijing. Citizens in this area have been living there for decades or generations. They have formed the simple and passionate neighborhood.
Numbers of typical Hutong and Siheyuan Courtyards are scattered in Shichahai area, which spawn lots of featured folk activities like floating lotus lamps, boating to tour the lake, drinking and enjoying the lotus and etc. Till now, there are still a lot of activities exist, like fishing, swimming, boating, rowing, playing chess, concert and dancing balls. Hutong Tours are just living in such a unique natural and human environment.

Question or Comment

Attractions in Shichahai area
Gong Wang Fu (Prince Gong's Mansion)
Former Residence of Guo Moruo
Chun Qinwang Fu (Prince Chun's Mansion)
Former Residence of Song Qingling
Former Residence of Mei Lanfang
Qing Wang Fu (Prince Qing's Mansion)
Tao Baylor House
Gun Bei Zi House
Bell and Drum Tower
Guanyue Temple
Guanghua Temple
Yandai Xiejie (Oblique Tobacco Pouch Street)
Legend and Story of Shichahai
Shen Wansan was well known in ancient Beijing. He was called the Live Fortuna. You may believe that Live Fortuna should have much money. But he had none. He was so poor that he had even no clothes to wear. Then, why was he called Live Fortuna? That's because he knew where buried the gold and where buried the silver. And on ordinary occasions, he could not tell where the gold was or where the silver was. If someone beat him, and he pointed somewhere at random, there must be silver and even gold. More badly he was beat, more gold and silver would be dug out. Thus he was called Live Fortuna.
But who would beat him with no reason? His family did not have the heart to beat. His neighbors had no reason to beat him. Thus, Shen Wansan and people who would not beat him became poorer and poorer. One day, the emperor decided to renovate Beijing city and he would not take his own money out. He discussed with his ministers to draw on local resources. The ministers told him that they could not get so much money in the city. But later, someone told the emperor about the Live Fortuna Shen Wansan. The emperor was so happy that he called Shen Wansan to see him.
When the officers and men went Shen Wansan's home, they laughed. It was a shabby house with a little door. They could not believe that the Live Fortuna lived in such a miserable house. They knocked and a scrubby old man with tattered clothes got out. They brought Shen Wansan to the royal palace. When the emperor saw Shen Wansan, he doubted too. He also cannot believe that this little old man was the one he was looking for. The emperor asked Shen Wansan where the gold and silver were. Shen said he had no idea. The emperor was angry. "You are the Live Fortuna! Why do you have no idea?" "That's what others call me! I am not the Live Fortuna!" The emperor was mad. He asked the warrior to beat Shen. At first, Shen begged. Later, when he was beat to bleed. He shouted, "I know where the silver is!" The emperor said, "Take him there. If there is no silver, continue beating him!" Shen brought the men to an empty ground and said, "Here, you can dig!" And sure enough, the men dug out ten cellars of silver, 4,800,000 together. Beijing city was built up. The empty ground where the silver was buried became a huge pit. Later, water flew into the pit and the pit was called Shi Jiao Hai (Ten Cellar Sea).

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Beijingservice team provides deep information related with Shichahai. Please link to this pae if you like the information.

Shichahai
Shichahai consists of Xi Hai, Hou Hai and Qian Hai. It is narrow water extended from the northwest to southeast. Numbers of typical Hutong and Siheyuan Courtyards are scattered in Shichahai area.
https://www.beijingservice.com/attractions/shichahai.htm

Present condition of Shichahai
In the beautiful Shichahai area, you can rend a bicycle or tricycle to visit the old Hutongs and you can also enjoy the sceneries of the three seas. Those years, the bar street has been one of the most lively place in the night of Beijing. Classic and modern, tradition and fashion, nature and human. In Shichahai, you can always find the original Beijing style.