[2025 Beijing Attraction] Travel Guide for Wansong Old Man Tower (Updated Jul)

The White Pagoda of Miaoying Temple has become a new internet-famous spot in Beijing. Just 2 kilometers away lies another treasure—the Wansong Elder Pagoda, Beijing's only surviving brick pagoda in the urban area, hidden within a bookstore. 【History】 This ancient pagoda is the relic stupa of the renowned monk Wansong Lao Ren from the Jin and Yuan dynasties. Built during the Yuan Dynasty, it stands as one of the early architectural remnants of Beijing's cultural heritage and an important relic from the Yuan capital era. It is also the sole surviving multi-eaved brick pagoda in Beijing's urban area and a nationally protected cultural site. 【Architecture】 Standing 16 meters tall, the pagoda was restored during the Qing Dynasty into an octagonal, nine-tiered multi-eaved structure. The Qing-era pagoda encases the original Yuan-era one. The corridor features 25 niches with murals or clay sculptures, while the ceiling is adorned with intricately carved and painted brickwork—elegant yet robust, simple yet refined. Today, the pagoda is surrounded by Zhengyang Bookstore, which sells books and maps related to old Beijing culture. The area also displays local artifacts like traditional residential doors and bricks. 📣Tip: Nearby, the Brick Pagoda Hutong, named after the pagoda, is Beijing's oldest hutong, hailed as the "Root of Beijing's Hutongs." Stretching from Xisi South Street to Taipingqiao Street, this 700-year-old lane was once a hub for opera performances. The hutong offers a great vantage point for photographing the pagoda. Address: Inside Zhengyang Bookstore, 43 Xisi South Street, Xicheng District, Beijing Transport: Exit at D Gate of Xisi Station on Metro Line 4 (Daxing Line), then walk 300m Nearby: White Pagoda of Miaoying Temple, Imperial Ancestral Temple, Beijing Lu Xun Museum, Guangji Temple, Shichahai, Prince Gong's Mansion

There is a small courtyard with a strong Beijing flavor on the side of Xisi Zhuanta Hutong in Beijing. There are signs of Zhengyang Bookstore and Zhuandu Space at the door. The courtyard is not big, with several bungalows, and the Wansong Laoren Pagoda, which was built in the Yuan Dynasty, is above. This pagoda was rebuilt or renovated in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Republic of China. In 1986, when the brick pagoda was repaired, the pagoda built in the Yuan Dynasty was still inside the outer pagoda. In 2013, Wansong Laoren Pagoda was listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit. The ancient brick pagoda has been washed by time, and the pagoda body has mottled traces, which is very historical. The stone pier, old wooden door and window frame in the yard stand quietly, all with extraordinary origins. Zhengyang Bookstore sells new and old books and magazines, mostly related to Beijing geography, history, and traditional customs. Some are signed by the author or are rare books, and you can also find manuscripts by writers. Old maps of Beijing are popular, and every hutong and street that once existed or still exists can be found on the dense network map. The bookstore also sells Beijing-style windmills, clay figurines, and popular refrigerator magnets. This charming bookstore also has a name called Zhuandu Space, nestled beside the Wansong Laoren Pagoda, finding a quiet place in the noisy market. A huge black raccoon cat in the courtyard is deep and dignified, ignoring ordinary people, and it is difficult to take a frontal photo of it. This bookstore is located at No. 43, Xisi South Street, Xicheng District. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9:30–18:30, weekends 9:00–20:00.

On the day of the May Labor Day, the originally planned afternoon departure for a self-driving tour to Xiandu was discouraged by traffic jams. A search on 12306 showed that only Beijing had round-trip tickets available everywhere. So, I decisively changed to a spontaneous trip, and here I must praise Ctrip for helping cancel the accommodation in Xiandu😜 The following itinerary is suitable for a three-day trip to Beijing, especially for those who like to sleep in and enjoy a leisurely visit. Although it's not a special forces tour, the step count is still kept at twenty thousand steps per day to offset the various delicacies, such as milk rolls😍 I highly recommend the CITY walk route, which you can enjoy for a whole day. This route combines ancient and modern, domestic and foreign, art, fashion, and tradition. It avoids the crowded places, lively but not congested, and I'm sharing it with everyone😎 5.1 23:30 High-speed train arrives at Beijing South Railway Station, book a Ctrip car to the hotel 24:00 Stay at a hotel next to Huguosi, wash up and go to sleep 5.2 Daytime: Xicheng CITY WALK, strolling, eating, checking in, and taking photos: Sleep until 9 am at the hotel. Have breakfast at Huguosi Snacks, then go for a walk: Xishiku Church (highly recommended) - Wansong Laoren Pagoda - Geological Museum (time-consuming, optional, can also take a detour, visit last) - Guangji Temple - Imperial Ancestral Temple - Miaoying Temple White Pagoda - Lu Xun Museum (reservation required) - 17:00 In the evening, head to Wukesong, booked a 19:30 crosstalk show, have dinner first, if there's extra time, visit the Palace Cat Experience Hall, or check out other events and exhibitions. 22:00 Subway back to the hotel 5.3 Daytime 9:00 Depart for 798 Art Zone, spend most of the day there, take a taxi to Guanfu Museum (before 16:00) or Luo Hong Photography Art Museum (actually went to this one, highly recommended) Evening: Take a taxi to Panjiayuan Ghost Market, have dinner first, check out the second-hand antiques 22:00 Subway back to the hotel 5.4 Morning: Sleep until 8:30, check out, and store luggage at a hotel next to the South Railway Station Morning: Visit the Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum Afternoon: Book a 13:30 tour of the Temple of Heaven with a guide (Ctrip booked scholar guide, highly recommended) Evening: Have dinner first, then check in at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, 19:00 watch the opera 'Masked Ball' 22:30 Subway back to the hotel 5.5 6:00 Get up 7:30 High-speed train back to Shanghai 13:30 Arrive at Hongqiao High-speed Railway Station, go home to rest and prepare for work. This is a very perfect and not tiring journey. Various dining options are not listed, everyone can choose according to their own situation. Friends who are interested can give it a try.