Shichahai (什剎海) Lake - Xi Hai (西海) (5 minute walk from subway)
The Shichahai (什剎海) Lake in Beijing consists of three parts - front, back and western. The front lake in Chinese is Qian Hai (前海); back, Hou (後); western, Xi (西). Although they are of the size of a lake, Chinese refers to these water areas as "sea" - "hai" (海) in the Chinese language.Last time we introduced the historic site, Prince Gong's Mansion (恭王府), which is situated between Qian Hai and Hou Hai which is the lower part of the Shichahai Lake. Now, let's take a stroll at Xi Hai (western sea).Xi Hai, similar to other parts of the Shichahai Lake, is an old-fashioned district, full of old Chinese alleys - hutong (胡同). As rapid modernization and urbanization has been taking over cultural heritage in Beijing, many hutongs were tore down and replaced by new, western-like streets and premises. Accompanied by the lake, Xi Hai embodies the best spot for appreciation of hutong district.Comparing to Hou Hai, Xi Hai is more of a quiet, serene and traditional area with fewer shops and pubs. Nonetheless, the tranquility and old-Beijing style of Xi Hai makes it a perfect location for hotels and hostels. Some of the accommodations in the neighbourhood particularly exhibits a blend of tradition and modernity, and even in the style of traditional four-section courtyard (四合院). Except for hostels, you may also find the first bar, the Blue Lotus Club, in the Xi Hai Lake area which inspires the subsequent trend of the thriving bar industry in Shichahai. The Blue Lotus Club
In the next part of the Shichahai series ("Beijing's Shichahai (什剎海) Lake Tour Series: Xi Hai (西海) Part II"), we will share our review on one particular hostel in the Xi Hai area.
