From Beijing Fun to Yangmeizhu Xiejie and Liulichang - Experience the New Year in Beijing -

Yesterday, I visited the Zhengyang Bridge Ruins. I didn't want to take the subway from the crowded Qianmen Station, so I continued to wander through the streets and alleys to experience the New Year in Beijing. I walked west to Beijing Fun and saw the giant peony flower ball suspended in mid-air. It looked beautiful even without the lights on. I continued west along Beijing Fun and found that the old buildings with a mix of Chinese and Western styles had a unique beauty. In addition to the giant peony flower ball, there were rows of colorful lanterns, a giant statue of the Monkey King, and more. They were all beautiful. I continued west across the street and walked into Yangmeizhu Xiejie. The large red and purple lanterns at the entrance of the hutong were festive. The last time I came here was in the summer to buy a clay rabbit from an intangible cultural heritage inheritor. This time, the entrance of the clay rabbit shop was bustling with people holding up their phones to take pictures of the roof. It turned out that two fat cats squatting under the eaves attracted everyone's attention. I didn't expect so many tourists in the hutong. Red lanterns and flags were hung high everywhere, and Spring Festival couplets and the character "Fu" were pasted on the doors. It was very lively. I planned to leave Yangmeizhu Xiejie and quickly walk to the subway station, but I forgot that Liulichang East Street was next. I entered the area of the Changdian Temple Fair, and there were even more people. I was surprised to see that the Huoshen Temple in Liulichang was open. I had passed by many times when I was studying nearby, but I had never seen it open. I didn't expect it to be open now. I went in and walked around. There were food stalls and game stalls for the temple fair. I slowly walked west with the crowd. As it got darker, I saw the colorful lights on the trees start to light up. The colorful fish lanterns were beautiful, attracting tourists to stop and take pictures. Liulichang was usually more scholarly, but when the temple fair opened, it was full of life. With the colorful lights, it was a different scene. Near the China Bookstore, several groups of snake lanterns were very cute. It was nice to catch the tail end of the temple fair during the Spring Festival holiday and experience the festive atmosphere.