Beijing Opens Ancient Merchant Halls to Public

Eight ancient merchant halls built in Beijing to provide accommodation and networking for people from the same hometowns since the early Ming Dynasty (1368- 1644) were opened to the public towards the end of 2021, hosting performances. Among 252 extant halls in the city, 30 are on protection lists from district to national levels and 50 are on the roster of immovable heritage buildings, waiting to be classified based on their historic value. The halls, which witnessed the rise and fall of China’s last imperial dynasty Qing (1644-1911) and the turbulent years of the Republic of China (1911-1949), will impress visitors with their history and architectural designs.