Guijie (Ghost Street) is the name that Beijingers call a restaurant street in Dongzhimen, Dongcheng District. It starts from the west end of Dongzhimen overpass on the Second Ring Road in the east and ends at the east end of Jiaodaokou East Street in the west. There are many embassies around, which has created the unique geographical advantage of Guijie. Every year, the profits created by foreign guests alone for Guijie Street are as high as 35 million yuan. On this 1442-meter-long Dongnei Street, there are more than 50 commercial shops/kloc-0, of which 148 are catering services, accounting for more than 90% of all shops in Dongnei Street. The density of restaurants is so high that I'm afraid there will never be another one in Beijing.
The origin of the name of Ghost Street: At present, there are many different versions, but they are all groundless or hearsay. Only those old Beijingers who live in Dongzhimen can explain the real story. In the Qing dynasty, every gate in Beijing had a special purpose and was not allowed to be used at will. Just as the imperial court wants to take Deshengmen to send troops, Yongdingmen to send troops, and Xuanwu Gate to execute criminals, Dongzhimen only serves as the gate to transport firewood into the city and the dead out of the city. People around the age of 50 who have lived on the edge of the city for generations still clearly remember the scene when they were young, standing on the tower to see the whole city. Because the city gate at that time was the junction of urban and rural areas, the initial morning market naturally formed at the city gate. Those vendors, who are mainly engaged in selling groceries, vegetables and fruits, open their markets after midnight and disperse at dawn. The stall owners used kerosene lamps to get the light, and the lights in the distance seemed to be falling. Together with the coffin shops and bars adjacent to the whole street, it was named "Ghost Town". Coincidentally, many merchants and shops on both sides of Dongzhimen Street have done a lot of various businesses since the market tide, but none of them can do it well. Even the only state-owned department store (the former site of Jindingxuan) was going to close down, but it was later discovered that only restaurants could do well in this street. The restaurants here were almost deserted during the day, but at night it was full of people and a scene of prosperity. As for whether it is like the local old man said, ghosts will go to town for dinner at night, forming such prosperity, and no one can say clearly.
Due to the formation of the hot market, Ghost Street has become a household name in Beijing. Of course, many people also see the huge business opportunities here. Even the local government changed from initial exclusion to later support. The District Commercial Committee also named it "Dongnei Catering Street". But; After all, the ghost word is indecent, so the executives of Dongcheng District Committee are thinking hard about renaming Ghost Street, but the bosses don't buy it, because they are afraid that renaming will ruin Feng Shui, so it is appropriate to say so; Unexpectedly, someone found the word "Gui" with different sounds and words in the dictionary, and it was also related to eating, so they began to publicize and made a big bronze statue of "Gui" at the bridge head on the ghost street side of Dongzhimen overpass, so there was this civilized "Gui Street".
Nowadays, Guijie has become the representative of Beijing's food culture and the symbol of fashionable catering, and it is also a yearning, a joy and even a talk after dinner. Many people's "night brushing" experience began here; In all the exciting days in this city, people almost always choose to spend it here. With the successful bid for the Olympic Games, China's football went global, the Asian Cup beat Japan, and so on, people vented their anger all night here. Everyone sings, scolds, drinks, shouts, hugs and cries together, and the whole street is restless every night. Now it's Guijie Street.
There are many famous snacks in Beijing, such as braised pork, fried belly, sheep scorpion and so on. In recent years, a food street featuring spicy crayfish has sprung up in Beijing, which is Guijie Street. Guijie welcomes diners from all directions with its civilian service for 24 hours. Let's go to Guijie together.
Feature 1: Spicy crayfish
"Gui" is a kind of food container with round mouth and ears in ancient China. A street named after Gui is naturally a place to eat. Spicy crayfish, spicy meat crab and other spicy cuisines are the main cuisines in Guijie. The pungent smell of marijuana attracted many repeat customers.
Feature 2: Civil service
It is understood that in Guijie, the price of a spicy crayfish is around 3 yuan. According to the consumption standard of three or four people, 40 lobsters, plus three or four side dishes, can guarantee a good meal, and the cost is about 150 yuan.
Feature 3: Open 24 hours a day.
/kloc-before 0/989, there were only a few restaurants in this street. Because there are always a group of customers coming for supper after 9 o'clock in the evening, several restaurants have extended their business hours one after another, and then simply opened their doors 24 hours a day. Up to now, 100 restaurants have been opened in streets less than 1 km long. Every day from 6 pm to 4 am, it is the busiest time in Guijie Street. Guijie has become a part of Beijing night culture, and its significance has gone beyond the scope of restaurants and bars, and more reflects a side of the daily life of ordinary people in Beijing.