Wángfǔjǐng (), located in
Dongcheng District, Beijing, is one of the Chinese capital's most famous shopping streets. Much of the road is off-limits to cars and other motor vehicles, and it is not rare to see the entire street full of people. Since the middle of the
Ming Dynasty there have been commercial activities in this place. In the
Qing Dynasty, ten aristocratic estates and princess residence were built here, soon after when a well full of sweet water was discovered, thereby giving the street its name "Wang Fu" (princely residence), "Jing" (well). In 1903, Dong'an market was formed.
Location
It starts from Wangfujing Nankou, where the Oriental Plaza and the
Beijing Hotel are located. It then heads north, passing the Wangfujing Xinhua Bookstore, the
Beijing Department Store as well as the Beijing Foreign Languages Bookstore before ending at the Xin Dong An Plaza.
History
The street was also previously known as
Morrison Street in English, after the Australian journalist
George Ernest Morrison. Wangfujing is also one of the traditional downtown areas of Beijing, along with
Liulichang.
Prior to 1949, the late 1990s (?) trolleybuses, buses, and other traffic ran through the street, making it rather congested. Modifications in 1999 and 2000 made much of Wangfujing Street pedestrian only (aside from the tour
trolley). Now through traffic detours to the east of the street.
Stores
Wangfujing is now home to around 280 famous Beijing brands, such as...
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