Ghost Street is what Beijingers call a dining 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 makes Guijie a unique geographical advantage. Every year, the profits created by foreign guests alone for Guijie Street are as high as 35 million yuan. On this1442m-long Dongnei Street, there are more than 150 commercial shops along the street, including 148 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. The real statement can only be explained by those old Beijingers who live in Dongzhimen. During the Qing dynasty, every city gate in Beijing had a special purpose and was not allowed to be used at will. Just as the imperial court sent troops to Deshengmen, sent troops to Yongdingmen and executed them to Xuanwu Gate, Dongzhimen only served 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 scenes of their youth. Standing on the tower, they can see the whole city. Because the city gate was the urban-rural junction at that time, the initial morning market naturally formed in the city gate. Those vendors who mainly sell groceries, vegetables and fruits open their markets after midnight and disperse at dawn. The stall owners used kerosene lamps to illuminate, and the lights seemed to fall in the distance. In addition, the coffin shop on the whole street is adjacent to the bar, so it is named "ghost market". Coincidentally, many merchants and shops on both sides of Dongzhimen Street have done many kinds of business since the beginning of the market tide, but none of them can do it well. Even the only state-owned department store (the former site of Jindingxuan) had to close down, but later it was found that only restaurants could do well in this street. During the day, few people patronized the restaurants here, but at night they were crowded with people, and there was another scene of prosperity. As for whether ghosts go to the city to eat at night, as the local old man said, forming such prosperity, no one can explain clearly.
As a result of the formation of a 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, ghost words are indecent, so the executives of Dongcheng District Committee think hard about renaming Ghost Street, but the bosses don't buy it, because they are afraid that renaming will destroy Feng Shui, so it is appropriate to say so. Unexpectedly, someone found this "Gui" with different sounds and characters 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 has also become a yearning, a joy and even a talk after dinner in people's hearts. Many people's "night brushing" experience began here; People almost always choose to spend all the exciting days in this city. The successful bid for the Olympic Games, China's soccer going to the world, the Asian Cup beating Japan and so on, people all vented their anger here all night. 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 take a look at Guijie Street.
Feature 1: Spicy crayfish
"Gui" refers to a round binaural food utensil 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 3 or 4 people, 40 lobsters with 3 or 4 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 a group of customers always come for dinner after 9 pm, several restaurants have extended their business hours one after another, and then they simply open 24 hours a day. Up to now, hundreds of restaurants have been opened on 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's night culture, and its significance has gone beyond the scope of restaurants and bars, and more reflects one aspect of the daily life of ordinary people in Beijing.