"Twin Stories of Spring in Shenyang: Flower Shadows Cooked in a Copper Pot, Dreaming of a Century-old Merchant"
[Shenyang Spring Limited] Enjoy hot pot in Monet Garden and live in the Republic of China style in Zhongjie 💐
A must-visit hotel for Dragon Boat Festival-Shenyang Zhongjie x Hotel (1st Floor, No. 17 Dongshuncheng Street)
🌺 When the spring breeze of Shengjing blows through the red walls of the Forbidden City, the romance of Shenyang is hidden in the garden hotpot on the corner and the retro hotel on the century-old shopping street. This time, we found a hot pot restaurant that brought the "Monet Garden" into reality, and paired it with a Republican-style treasure hotel in the core area of Zhongjie Street, unlocking the double romance of Shenyang in spring - there is both the warm fragrance of copper pots with a sense of fireworks, and a modern tone that travels through time.
🍲 [Xigui Shabu-shabu·XiLe Courtyard: Shabu-shabu spring in a copper pot]
Hidden at No. 62 Guangrong Street, Heping District, the small white-walled courtyard is surrounded by blue and purple hydrangeas and a wooden fence covered with vines. The moment you push the door, you'll feel like you've entered a southern French manor! The indoor wooden tables and chairs are matched with retro chandeliers, the outdoor garden seats are surrounded by green plants, and even the steam rising from the copper pot carries the fragrance of plants and trees, creating a perfect "spring immersive dining" ceiling.
🥩 Must-try spring limited edition list:
✔️ Hand-cut lamb tenderloin (freshly cut and shabu-shabu)
The chef slices the meat on the open counter. The 3mm thick lamb ribs are hung on the edge of the copper pot without slipping. They are put into the pot and changed color within 8 seconds before being taken out. They are then coated with freshly prepared sesame sauce (with freshly fried chili oil and freshly ground sesame seeds) and served with a bite of freshly baked sesame pancakes. The aroma of meat, sauce and wheat explodes on the tip of your tongue, and the carbohydrates are fully consumed.
✔️Spring Limited Shabu Shabu Blind Box
Chicken mushrooms air-shipped from Yunnan, the first batch of local spring bamboo shoots, hand-made shrimp paste wrapped in perilla leaves, and even the sweet potatoes are yellow-hearted sweet potatoes, baked until the skin is crispy and the sugar juice flows out when you break them apart! The free honey fried dough twist must be eaten while hot. It is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and can be dipped in sesame sauce, unlocking the hidden way to eat Northeastern hot pot.
✔️ The best way to relieve greasiness: Chilled basil, peach and ginger
Homemade after-meal snacks by the boss! The crispy peach slices are soaked in perilla juice, which has a sweet and sour taste with a hint of ginger aroma. It is perfect for dissolving the richness of sesame sauce. It is also very beautiful and can be easily taken and posted on WeChat Moments.
🌸 Dining Tips:
Best time to check in: 15:00-17:00 (avoid the crowds during mealtimes, when the sun shines diagonally on the garden and the food photos come with a soft light filter);
Hidden benefits: Wear a light-colored dress to the store and receive a handmade osmanthus jelly (the lady boss said it “goes better with the garden”);
Address: No. 62, Guangrong Street, Heping District (near Metro Line 2, Qingnian Park Station, Exit D, 8 minutes’ walk), RMB 80-100 per person.
🏨 [X Hotel on Zhongjie Street in Shenyang: Open the window and you will see the century-old Shengjing]
A 10-minute taxi ride from the hotpot courtyard brings you to Zhongjie’s “Republic of China Time Tunnel” - Zhongjie X Hotel at No. 17 Dongshuncheng Street. The 1912 Street View King Room we stayed in was a paradise for retro lovers:
✨ The most exciting moment of your stay:
✅ The view from the window is history (experience the century-long changes of Zhongjie at zero distance)
The 270-degree floor-to-ceiling windows face the Zhongjie Pedestrian Street. You can see the gilded signboard of the century-old Cuihua Gold Shop, the tram tracks, and the flying eaves and brackets of the Forbidden City in the distance. The morning sun shines on the red brick walls, and any photo you take is a movie-quality street scene.
✅ Modern style in the Republic of China
Art Deco-style streamlined furniture, brass-framed dressing mirrors, bedside Bluetooth speakers shaped like retro radios, and even the room cards are designed to imitate old Shengjing train tickets! Smart toilets, electric curtains, and Dyson hair dryers are modern yet perfectly balance retro and comfort;
✅ Convenience of Zhongjie C position
Just downstairs is the Zhongjie Night Market, a 5-minute walk to the Donghua Gate of the Forbidden City, and a 10-minute walk to Zhang's Mansion. The front desk can also store luggage for free. After visiting the night market, they thoughtfully prepared hot ginger tea and cold-repelling foot mats. The enthusiasm of the Northeastern people is hidden in every detail~
📸 Hotel filming guide:
Lobby Bar: Sit on the dark green velvet sofa, take a group photo of "Afternoon Tea with Celebrities of the Republic of China" with the gilded lines of the spiral staircase as the background;
· Room windowsill: Place the Forbidden City Cultural and Creative Ice Cream (available at Zhongjie Convenience Store) on the windowsill, with the red wall and modern street scene in the background, creating a unique sense of time and space dislocation in Shenyang;
Rooftop Observation Deck: Go up at 6pm to watch the sunset gild the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City, and take a panoramic photo of the hotel and Zhongjie Street at night. You’ll get a lot of likes on your Moments!
📍【24-hour roaming map of Shenyang in spring】
🌅 Day 1: Forbidden City Red Wall × Garden Hot Pot × Zhongjie Night Scene
1. Morning: In-depth tour of the Forbidden City (treasure route to avoid crowds)
8:30 As soon as the Forbidden City opens, go to the "Eastern Palace" to take pictures of the deserted red walls (towards the Treasure House), 9:30 to watch the Eight Banners performance at the Dazheng Hall Square, and focus on the "Ceramic Museum" (where Emperor Kangxi's imperial hot pot is hidden), 11:00 from Xihua Gate, walk 5 minutes to "Lao Siji Noodle House" to enjoy a bowl of chicken rack noodles (a local breakfast standard);
2. Afternoon: Hotpot time in Monet's garden
13:30 Arrive at Xile Courtyard, sit on an outdoor rattan chair, take a photo of the hydrangea and the copper pot, and then cook in the order of "meat → mushrooms → vegetables". Remember to save space for the free fried dough twists;
3. Night: The dual charm of Zhongjie
At 19:00, visit Zhongjie Night Market and try the "Zhongjie Big Fruit" cream ice cream and the "Li Ji Sweet and Sour Pork" freshly fried sweet and sour food. At 20:30, turn into the "Liu Laogen Grand Stage" to listen to a crosstalk performance (it is recommended to buy back row tickets for more lively interaction). At 22:00, return to the hotel and have a drink on the windowsill, watching the lights on Zhongjie gradually dim, and feel the gentleness of the "Shenyang City That Never Sleeps".
🌿 Day 2: Handsome Mansion Style × Spring City Walk
1. Morning: The history of the Republic of China in the Zhang family mansion
9:00 Visit the Marshal's Mansion Museum, especially the Roman column corridor of the "Daqinglou" (great for taking photos of retro cheongsam) and the balcony of the small western-style building of "Zhao Yidi's Former Residence". At 11:00, turn right and eat the three-fresh stuffing of "Laobian Dumplings" (intangible cultural heritage technique, rich soup);
2. Afternoon: Afternoon tea at Plaza 66
At 14:00, hide in the "Elephant Life Museum" in the mall, order a limited edition cherry blossom cake, and look at the spring street scene through the floor-to-ceiling windows. At 16:00, walk to "Xita Street" to buy Korean imported snacks to add some Korean freshness to the itinerary;
3. Before returning: Take the spring of Shenyang with you
Before leaving, go to the hotel front desk to pick up a "Zhongjie X Limited Souvenir" - a joint bookmark with the Forbidden City + local locust flower honey, so that the memories of spring can be left in the fragrance of books and sweet aroma.
💡 【Locals’ Secret Tips】
❶ The hot pot courtyard has a long queue on weekends, so it is recommended to make an appointment in advance;
❷ The hotel's street view rooms are in short supply during the peak season. Please note "high floor, same as 1912" when booking on Ctrip in advance to upgrade your viewing experience;
❸ The temperature difference in Shenyang is large in spring. Wear a small skirt during the day and remember to put on a thin coat at night. After all, "cover in spring and keep cold in autumn" is the health philosophy of the Northeast people.
When the heat from the copper pot entwines with the fragrance of flowers in the garden, and when the lights from the century-old Zhongjie Street illuminate the windows of the hotel, Shenyang's spring is not just about sudden changes in temperature, but also about gentleness and surprises hidden in the corners of the streets. This spring, come to Shengjing for a romantic date of "interweaving of ancient and modern times"~🌸