◆By Liu Ge

　　　Photos by Liu Jianhui

　　In the summer, boats gliding on the lake and large numbers of willows make Shichahai a typical cityscape. Strolling along the banks of the lake, you will soon reach the bar street that is rapidly becoming well-known.

　　Cane chairs, bamboo-curtains and lanterns have been widely adopted as ornaments for the growing multitude of bars in this once-quiet backwater. Comparing Shichahai with Sanlitun, a person who is fond of bar life may well come to the conclusion that the two are definitely different cultures. While Shichahai is Chinese in style, Sanlitun shares similarities with bars overseas.

　　Petty bourgeois attracted

　　The "Beijing Tour Guide" introduces Shichahai as follows:

　　Shichahai is an ancient lake dug 700 years ago during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) that is located north of Beihai Lake. It is composed of Qianhai and Houhai.

　　Temples, as well as residences of princes and eminent personages, are scattered around the lake. The princes' palaces, such as those of Lords Gongqin and Chunqin, are the best preserved of their kind in Beijing. There are also the former residences of Soong Chingling and Guo Moruo, as well as those of three marshals.

　　Standing on Yinding Bridge, visitors may enjoy the sight of West Hill. Kaorouji and Baoduzhang, two restaurants with a history of over a century, are just beside the bridge. In the past, the Shichahai water lily market was renowned for its lotuses that were planted in large quantities.

　　Shichahai, at one time, was one of Beijing's most famous summer resorts. Historical books record the grand spectacle in the summer when officials, scholars and common people alike flocked there to appreciate tea, lotus roots, operas and other types of entertainment.

　　As urban modernization relentlessly moves on, many people are becoming more nostalgic. Shichahai is one of the last places for them to appreciate the natural beauty, appreciate the culture and trace the history of Old Beijing.

　　Lakes, hutongs, courtyards, the strong flavour of tradition plus the small shops beside the lakes attract multitudes of Beijing's rising petty bourgeois. To those nouveaux riches, bar life is more than just a fashion, it is a matter of attitude towards life. To them, life at night is intolerable without visiting bars. Nowadays, however, many of them have abandoned Sanlitun, because they regard Sanlitun as low-quality, a place for visitors.

　　High-quality

　　More and more, those people prefer Shichahai, where willows branches are swaying across the lake. Indeed, it's impossible to find another place in Beijing where the air is fresh, the water clear, and the setting sun may be observed. The big rush began last summer, when the hitherto quiet Shichahai simply exploded into activity.

　　Anyone preferring to soak up some tranquillity may, however, still take a seat by the lake, enjoy their favourite drink and while away the afternoon in leisure, while bars workers decorate their premises.

　　There are by now 48 bars and teahouses, each with their own distinctive characteristics. This number may eventually go up to 60 or more. Clearly, Shichahai is already occupying an important position in the Beijing bar industry, attracting mainly literati and those who are looking for quality.

　　The ebbing of Sanlitun

　　Even though some now regard Sanlitun North Street as more prestigious, the first bar in that area was actually opened in Sanlitun South Street, some time before, in 1995, two young entrepreneurs invested 100,000 yuan ($ 12.091) to launch the first bar in North Street. In that year, the term "Sanlitun Bar Street" first appeared in the Western media, but it was not until 2001 that the Beijing government issued business licences for bars. Prior to this, the bars carried out their business under the mantle of Western-style restaurants or refreshment parlours. Currently, 26 bars are located along the 260-meter long street. Overall, the number of bars in the Sanlitun area has climbed to 78.

　　Tourist groups often visit the street. Most of them are from Taiwan, Europe or America. According to one bar owner, those visitors seldom actually go into any of the bars. For them, it's just another activity like visiting the Wangfujing night market.

　　Some owners also lament the fact that the prosperity of 1998 - when business was at its peak - has disappeared.

　　By contrast, with its unique features of what passes for "culture" and its air of nostalgia, the bars of Shichahai draw people who seek a new kind of bar experience. Rumour has it that some of the owners of Shichahai bars were actually among the original promoters of Sanlitun. They have moved away from the ageing Sanlitun to start new businesses and shed what they consider to be obsolete operational concepts.