Cultural flowers bloom in central Beijing

Years of renovation and re-imagining turn historical Dongcheng district into a popular destination, Yang Feiyue reports.

Xiang Yang feels her life has become more vibrant since a cultural center opened in September 2020.

She regularly visits the Meihousishi Jingshan Civic Cultural Center, which is about five minutes' walk from her home in the capital's Dongcheng district.

For example, this September, she enjoyed a monthlong cultural and drama festival, which included around 50 performances.

"It was really interesting; I have rarely watched operas before," says the woman in her 40s, who has lived in the district for more than two decades.

She also worked on making a hand-woven bracelet at the center in early September, under the guidance of an expert.

"There were a dozen students, mostly people living in the neighborhood," Xiang says. "Activities like this art project really spice up our lives."

Since the center opened, she has signed up for a variety of programs, including yoga, reading and art exhibitions.

Most are free, according to Lu Qiuping, who is in charge of operations, adding that the center has been able to deliver over 1,000 public cultural programs a year.

Among the offerings are classic movies and valuable documentaries recording the capital's development since 1860, and a permanent exhibition of historical household items from Beijing will open to the public soon.

"It is a landmark public cultural venue, and is built on a site used in the construction of Line 8 on the Beijing Subway," Lu says.

The center has one floor above ground and three underground, with a total of 21 activity spaces, including a bookstore and a theater.

"It is 5,400 square meters in size, making it the largest street-level cultural activity center in urban Beijing," Lu adds.

Sitting right behind the National Art Museum of China, it was built to enrich neighborhood culture life.

"We welcome all people regardless of where they come from. As long as they are interested in Beijing's traditional courtyards and culture, they can come here," Lu says.

Since people of different ages and professions have different cultural needs, the center has developed a comprehensive program.

"Currently, we have partnerships with 100 organizations and 500 instructors. This means that when you come here, regardless of your interests, we have the resources for you," she says.

To date, the cultural center has received more than 300,000 visits.

"The courtyard is always full of laughter and joy, especially in the afternoon after school, when children come to participate in activities, or just to play and run around," Lu says. "Adults also come for cultural rehearsals and classes. Even tourists have heard of us, and come all the way here to sign up for programs and to experience Beijing life."

The facility is one of many unused spaces and old buildings that have been transformed by Dongcheng district authorities into impressive public cultural resources.

In the process, the buildings not only get a new lease of life, but they also become closely tied to local communities, helping to deliver a range of experiences and boost the development of the district's cultural sector.

About 10 minutes' drive to the northwest of the center, the Jintai 5Lmeet cultural industry park has become a trendy destination for younger visitors in search of a mix of the traditional and the modern since it opened in March.

The site, covering an area of 4,000 sq m, lies to the north of the Bell Tower and is adjacent to the Central Axis, and was built on a site where experts from Shanghai used to work in the 1950s.

"It was affectionately called 'Shanghai lou' (Shanghai Building)," says Li Yan, who manages the park.