Yandai Byway (Yandai Xiejie) Tours and Activities

Located in the Xicheng District not far from Shichahai, Yandai Byway (Yandai Xiejie) is one of the oldest streets in Beijing. It’s a street of contrasts, blending the ancient Beijing with the modern city it has become today. Various shops and cafes cater to locals and visitors from far and wide, who explore the street on foot or by rickshaw.

Yandai translates as Tobacco Pouch and the street takes its name from the huge popularity of tobacco and subsequent tobacco shops during the Qing Dynasty. You may see it written Yandaixie Street, Yandai Xie Street, or Yandaixie Jie.

Most of the shops in Yandai Byway are situated on sidesteps and have large wooden tobacco pipe symbols at their entrances. Some even say that the shape of the street itself resembles a tobacco pouch.

The original ancient architectural styles found on Yandai Byway, along with its historical and cultural significance, saw the street named one of China's Historical and Cultural Streets by the Ministry of Culture in 2010.