[Photo by Li Jinmei]

Strategically located between Beijing's financial hub and its historic landmarks, the White Pagoda Temple neighborhood is just 2km south of Financial Street, home to numerous corporate headquarters, and 2km east of renowned attractions such as the Forbidden City, Jingshan Hill, and Beihai Park. In recent years, the neighborhood has embraced a gradual and organic approach to urban renewal. As a result, an increasing number of popular restaurants and trendy brands have been opening their flagship stores one after another. Today, it has evolved into a "golden cultural and tourism calling card" that captures the quintessential charm of Beijing.

[Photo via CRI Online]

In recent years, White Pagoda Temple has gone viral through social media. Its pharmacy, an old traditional Chinese medicine shop, took the lead in operating itself as an internet-famous café in 2022, followed by trendy shops in the neighborhood, like JM Cafe · Bakery first store in Beijing, The Southern Fish, a well-known restaurant, and the first dessert shop of Pangmei Noodles, an internet-famous restaurant. White Pagoda Temple has long been a landmark that significantly boosts local consumption among young people who follow the trendy lifestyle of city walking.

The key to the revived internet-famous neighborhoods lies in the rich historical and cultural heritage and the integration and symbiosis of new and old business models. The locals' grocery shops, barbershops, and tailor shops are kept open to provide the elderly neighbors with modern stores. Also, the genuine sceneries of old Beijing hutongs and the cultural charm of the White Pagoda Temple with a history of more than 700 years have attracted a steady flow of customers.

(Source: Jintai News)