From Danwei:
Dazhalan§ßʆÖʆè (pronounced da shi lan’r in Beijing) is an alleyway and the area around it just southwest of Tiananmen Square. Since the Ming Dynasty, it has housed shops, inns and hotels, theaters and brothels. Some of the theaters and shops (such as Tongrentang PharmacyÔºàÂê剪ņÇÔºâ have been operating in the same building for more than a century.
Until recently, Dazhalan was one of the most interesting hutong areas left in the capital. But there’s not too much of it remaining now: the last year has seen the area demolished. [Full Text]
