distinctive stores

Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop

The earliest Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop was established in the 34th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1910) at Guanyinshi, outside Qianmen by Zhang Wenqing.  Yi Yuan, the name of the tea shop, originated from the saying “with the beginning of another year, everything is fresh again”. Evidently, Zhang applied it as a blessing for the ever prosperity of his tea shop.

Tea-farms were cultivated in Fujian Province by Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop where tea leaves were grown and baked to fit in with the tastes of the people of the capital city as well as the northerners.  The scented tea drinks produced by this shop had the special features of being transparent, having a strong and pleasant flavor as well as a long lasting aftertaste.  Therefore, they were on the lips of the broad masses of customers. This tea shop is famed for its goods of various descriptions, fine quality and reasonable price as well as good service and flexible approach of management.  The customer is not only served with a cup of scolding-hot tea, but                          also offered a guided tour, in which, the required tea sample is shown before the purchase is made.

All kinds of teas are available at Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop, including the well-known Longjing, Biluochun and Silver Needle of Mount Jun as well as various kinds and grades of teas which people of the capital city and the northerners most-favored such as scented tea, black tea and health tea.  Besides, Zhangyiyuan series of package gift teas are constantly recommended.  All in all, more than 200 kinds of teas are provided by Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop in order to meet the needs of the broad masses of customers both in China and abroad. The traditional services of
Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop include: e-commerce, special-requirement registration, home delivery, and agency-mailing.  Now, Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop is renamed Zhangyiyuan Tea Co., Ltd.  It has opened many branches in Chengde and Yanjiao of Hebei Province, Yangquan of Shanxi Province and Miyun, Tongzhou and Fengtai of Beijing Municipality.  In this way, the tradition of the time-honored brand in Beijing will be further developed and its scope of operation constantly expanded.

Address: Zhangyiyuan Tea Co., Ltd 

No.18, Wanming Road, Xuanwu District

Tel: 63032056

Address: Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop (Branch) 

No.173 Zhushikou West Street, Xuanwu District

Tel: 63031670

Rongbaozhai

Rongbaozhai was located in the well-known Liulichang West Street.  It grew out of Songzhuzhai and was renamed Rongbaozhai in the 10^th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1894).  This was the place where the Chinese calligraphers and painters used to gather together and communicated with one another.

The scope of business operation of this paper store included three sections: One, marketing of specially-made papers for the use of calligraphies and painters as well as fans of various descriptions and mounted long vertical scrolls for jubilant occasions. Two, marketing of ink brushes, ink sticks, stone ink-slab cases (containing Chinese dark ink held by wet cotton), water basin, inkpad and other stationery.  Three, provision of “Bi Dan” (ink brush list).  The so-called “Bi Dan” means defining of the marketing price standard for the works of calligraphers, painters and sculptors upon recommendation by the celebrated masters, in the process of which, Song Zhu Zhai Studio would get some commissions.  At the same time, those artists who asked for “Bi Dan” service would usually buy papers, ink brushes, stone ink-slabs and other articles from the studio.  In this way, Songzhuzhai could earn a considerable and stable income every year.

At that time, the most noted southern paper store at the Liulichang was “Songzhuzhai”.  It was also well-known because this studio was assigned to produce official files and official folders for the government. Although the owners of Songzhuzhai came from a family that had produced public officials for several generations, they were not good at business.  After the Opium War in 1840, in particular, the social and economic situation was getting worse and worst and it was difficult for the store to go on as it was.  Therefore, the owner employed Zhuang Huchen, a wit of Beijing as the manager.  In 1894, its name was changed to Rongbaozhai, which means “making friends through literary works” and “Rong (Glory) being a treasure for a brand name.” And the greatest calligrapher Lu Runxiang (Number One Scholar of the Court Examination in Emperor Tongzhi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty) was invited to write the characters of “Rongbaozhai” on the plaque.

The craftsmanship of Rongbaozhai’s wood-block painting is widely known both in China and abroad.  Its master workers at the workshops are the best in the trade of art.  This Chinese traditional method of wood-block painting is so unique that no other methods of printing are comparable to it. In the past several dozens’ years, on the basis of the traditional technique, Rongbaozhai had constantly made improvement and innovation, achieving new results.  The studio is not only capable of printing small articles such as poetry tips, but also complicated technological works such as silk paintings and huge-size vertical scrolls.  The replications were often taken as genuine works.  Most famous were the “Seventy-two Poetic Notes” and the “Pouch for Twenty-Four Solar Terms” Upon their personal scrutiny, Lu Xun and Zheng Zhenduo regarded Rongbaozhai as the most outstanding one of all the paper stores in Liulichang Street.

Nowadays, Rongbaozhai has collected a lot of genuine works of the ancient as well as the contemporary calligraphers and painters or their wood-block printings of Chinese calligraphy and paintings.  Besides, the studio also provides four treasures of the study, as well as mounting, processing and repairing services for the convenience of the calligraphers and painters, thus making important contributions to promoting the art market of Chinese calligraphy and painting as well as to enhancing international interflow of culture.

At the time, even master painter Qi Baishi could not, in the presence of replications of his own works, differentiate whether they were genuine or not.  Now, the characters of “Rongbaozhai” on the plaque were written by Guo Moruo.

Yidege

Beijing Yidege is famed for its production of Chinese dark ink and has a history of more than one hundred years. In the 4^th year of Emperor Tongzhi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1865), Xie Songdai established the first ink store at No.44 Liulichang, Beijing. He named it “Yidege” and the plaque hung in front of the door was inscribed by him. As Xie had no offspring, he passed on the store to his apprentice after his demise.  Later, Yi De Ge became so prosperous that branches were set up in Tianjin, Shanghai, Xi’an, Zhengzhou and other cities consecutively. Yidege ink is made of high pigment carbon black, borneol, bone glue, musk and phenol, using traditional technique. The above-mentioned raw materials with their special and unique features made the ink smells mildly fragrant and durable for all the seasons.

Tongrentang

Tongrentang was created by Yue Xianyang in the 8^th year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1669).  Since the publication of the Medicinal Catalogue of Tongrentang, this pharmacy had been engaged in the study of pharmacy and followed the ancient teachings of producing sophisticated and valuable medicines in spite of hand labor and difficulties.  Moreover, the pharmacy took medicines as a way of benevolence entertained at heart and practiced in deeds, thus paving the basis for Tongrentang culture and becoming the code of conduct to be observed by the Tongrentang men from generation to generation.  Along with the change of the times, Tongrentang culture is also in the process of constant enrichment and development.  There were several ups and downs in the hands of several generations of the Yue Family. In 1954, Tongrentang joined the public-private operation and became a state-owned enterprise.  The various kinds of Chinese patent drugs produced by Tongrentang Pharmaceutical Factory enjoy high reputation both in China and abroad because of its unique prescriptions, particular about materials, meticulous craftsmanship and high curative effects.” Upon approval of the Beijing Municipal People’s Government, Beijing Tongrentang Group of China was founded on July 3, 1992.

Featured Products:  Bezoar Sedative Bolus, Bolus for Activating Energy Flow in Channels and collaterals, Storax Bolus and Guogong Wine (a tonic)

Neiliansheng was set up in the 3^rd year of Emperor Xianfeng’s reign in the Qing Dynasty or 1853 by Zhao Ting. With a workshop behind the store, it sold self-produced shoes. The name Neiliansheng indicates that people wearing shoes from this shop may win promotion and get wealth.

Neiliansheng

Neiliansheng had very thriving business after it was open. Ministers, generals and officials came in an endless stream to order or buy their court boots. For each order of court boots, Neiliansheng asked clients to have their feet size measured and try the models until they got fully satisfied with the boots. Even the boots for Emperor Xuantong in his enthronement in the Hall of Supreme Harmony were made by Neiliansheng before sent to the Minister of Internal Affairs.

Zhao Ting was good at doing business. He made a record book for those noblemen and officers detailed with their preferred patters, sizes and specific shape their feet. Officers in the Qing Dynasty, to please their superiors, usually came here and order court boots for them referring to the recorded information. Court boots made by Neiliansheng was extremely popular and expensive, each pair cost dozens scale of silver.

“Laotoule (Happy Oldman)” is another famous traditional product from Neiliansheng. It is cotton-padded shoes for old people in the winters. It is warm, durable, and easy to put on and off, hence the name Laotoule. It is also called Cloud Cotton-padded Shoes because of the handiwork cloud patterns on the upper. Later, shoes with small round opening, reinforced cloth sole and satin or woolen vamp got popular. With light sole and looks elegant, they were suitable for those engaging in commerce and politics. This sort of shoes made by Neiliansheng had new and fine cloth used in vamp, lining and sole, and had fine quality, so was popular.

Neiliansheng also made for sedan-chair bearers double-vamped shoes with eyelet which looks imposing. This sort of shoes is soft, flexible and sweat-absorbing. People wearing it may walk fast and silently. It was popular among sedan-chair bearers, wagon drivers and porters. Xiangzi, a rickshaw man in Lao She’s novel loves this sort of shoes. Up till now, it is martial art masters’ favorite.

Since 1996, Neiliansheng held several exhibitions on shoes culture with more than 100 articles and over 400 pictures introducing the evolution of this time-honored shop and the development of world shoes industry. 

Neiliansheng has improved its awareness from sole quality to brand thus explored a new way for the development of a time-honored brand. Leaders of the party and state such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De and Guo Moruo preferred shoes with reinforced cloth sole. The golden-lettered plaques on the first and second floor of Neiliansheng Shop were inscribed by General Zhang Aiping and eminent writer Guo Moruo respectively. Neiliansheng had its shop rebuilt in 1988, while the splendid and ancient architectural style remained with golden tiles, red pillars, colored paintings.

Qianxiangyi

Located in Dashilan, Qianxiangyi has its predecessor called Hengxiang which was set up by Meng Yangxuan. In early 1900s, it was founded in Beijing with Beijing Qianxiangyi as the headquarters, and subsidiaries were set up through out China. In its full time, Qianxiangyi had over 20 silk stores all around the country, and formed a huge Qianxiangyi System making it the largest shop in China dealing with silk and cloth. During the joint public-private ownership reform after 1949, it was renamed Beijing Silk Shop. In 2000, it resumed the name Qianxiangyi after the joint-stock reform. It moved to Dashilan later due to the reconstruction in Qianmen. Qianxiangyi is the largest silk shop with most complete variety in China.

Majuyuan

There was a doggerel in old Beijing beginning with “Majuyuan on head…” Majuyuan is a shop making and selling hats. It was a small stall until the 22^nd year of Emperor Jiaqing’s reign in the Qing Dynasty when Majuyuan Hat Shop was set up in Xianyukou, Qianmen Street. The owner, Ma Juyuan was very good at business. He developed hats for people from those living in the palace to the common ones to meet the demands from various circles. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Majuyuan Hat Shop was praised the Head of Hat Industry in Beijing. Everyone thought it an honor to have a Majuyuan hat. In its full time, Majuyuan had 50 employees in the shop which made it a fairly large one among all business stores in old Beijing.

  In 1949 when Beijing was liberated, Majuyuan took a brand new way to serve people. In 1958, the hat shop moved to Dashanlan. Taking a walk in Dashanlan nowadays, the plaque still can be seen with the character Majuyuan on it.

Tianyuan Jiangyuan

Tianyuan Jiangyuan is a time-honored brand over a hundred years set up in the 8^th year of Emperor Tongzhi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty or 1869. Originated from the Court, the pickled vegetables are delicately made with well-chosen materials. Nowadays it is the only enterprise in Beijing undertaking special provisions of pickled vegetables for the state. Meanwhile, the products are exported to Singapore, Australia and other countries.

  Tianyuan Jiangyuan has a history of 130 years. Pickled vegetables produced by it are typical Beijing foods which are featured with sweet, spicy, crisp and tender flavor, and properly sweet and salty. It is popular among people from south China as well as foreigners, hence the name Southern Dish. During the one hundred years, Tianyuan retains its tradition of Beijing flavor and integrates pickled vegetables from south China to build its own production and variety of fine quality.

  After the founding of PRC, the state actively supported time-honored brands by giving Tianyuan priority in raw material supply and investing a 2.66 hectares new factory for it in Nanyuan. These resulted in rebirth of this old shop and retained and carried on the traditional flavor. Premier Zhou Enlai had ordered Sweet Sauced Ginger Sprout and Hot Pepper Paste and given high praise to Tianyuan. The Peking Opera masters Mei Lanfang and Ma Lianliang were regular customers, and another Peking Opera actor Yuan Shihai wrote a letter saying the pickled vegetables are “fine side-dishes”. Overseas Chinese from Japan and Southeast Asia as well as foreigners come in endless stream entrusted by friends and relatives.

  Tianyuan Jiangyuan is now subjected to Beijing Liubiju Food Corporation Ltd (former Beijing Preserved Vegetable Corporation).

Wuyutai Tea Shop

Wuyutai Tea Shop was first established in 1887 (the 3^rd year of Emperor Guangxi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty), Its original name was Wuyutai Tea House.  Wu Xiqing, the founder, was a native of Xicun Village, Shixian County, Anhui Province who died in 1930.  Wuyutai Tea Shop has been located in No.44 Dongsi North Street since its inception. The teas supplied by Wuyutai Tea Shop directly came from the tea-producing areas of Anhui, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces.  And the scented Jasmine teas were specially made in the cells of Fuzhou and Suzhou and then were transported or shipped to the capital city and pieced together at different grades.  The teas produced by Wu family tea house enjoyed good fame in the Northeast District of the city as well as in the distant suburban areas such as Changping, Shunyi, Pinggu and Miyun.  They were the favorites of various professions and trades.

At the time of public-private joint ownership operation after liberation, Wuyutai Tea House was renamed “Wuyutai Tea Shop”. And the horizontal inscribed board carrying the green characters of “Wuyutai” in black setting was done by Feng Yiwu, a noted scholar.

During the ten years of turmoil (1966-1976), Wuyutai Tea Shop was renamed as “Red Sun Tea Shop”. On its 98^th Anniversary in 1985, the time-honored brand of “Wuyutai Tea Shop” was restored.

 Daiyuexuan

Ink brushes produced in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province and stone ink-slabs produced in Anhui Province are well-known both in China and abroad.  Dai Yue Xian was the No. 1 time-honored brand in Beijing where the ink brushes and stone ink-slabs were exclusively sold.

Located in the east side of the renowned Liulichang Cultural Street, Xuanwu District, Daiyuexuan Ink Brush Store was established in 1916.  The founder was Dai Bin, alias Yue Xian.  He was born in Shanlian Town of Huzhou City, Zejiang Province.  He learnt the craftsmanship of making Huzhou brushes when he was a young boy and was highly skilled.  He came to Beijing and served as an apprentice in the He Lianqing Ink Brush Store and later opened an ink brush store of his own.  To this day, Daiyuexuan is the only time-honored brand in the Liulichang Street that is named after a person.

The ink brushes produced by Daiyuexuan were celebrated for their meticulous craftsmanship and special features of being perfectly straight, sharp vigorous and forcible coupling hardness with softness.  Therefore, they were most-favored by men of literature.

Four categories of writing brushes were produced by Daiyuexuan, including: “Yang Hao” (fine writing brush made of goat’s hair), “Lang Hao” (fine writing brush made of wolf’s hair) “Zi Hao” (fine writing brush made with a mixture of wolf’s and goat’s hair).  They are classified as follows: regular script in big characters, regular script in medium characters, lowcases, long sharp point, short sharp point and so on.  They also carry with them such pleasant names as “Blue mountain capped with snow”, “Dripping with the flavor of ink stick” etc.  These writing brushes were most-favored by Master Painter Qi Baishi during his life-time.

In the past eighty years or so, Daiyuexuan won extensive praises from the Chinese calligraphy and painting circle for its devotion to the development of the traditional craftsmanship and carrying forward China’s civilization as well as its constant adherence to honesty and cultivation of friendship.

Featured Product: Writing brushes produced in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province and stone ink-slabs produced in Anhui Province

Wenfangsibao

Located in East Liulichang, Xuanwumenwai, this store was composed of Lifushou Writing Brush Store which is the major one, Wuwenkui Writing Brush Store and Qingmige Paper Store. In 1925, Li Fushou cultivated friendships with Tang Dingzhi, Qi Baishi and other celebrated painters and produced, according to their requirements, such well-known writing brushes as “Bai Yun” (white cloud), “Yi Wen” (clothing lines)” Xie Zhua” (crab’s Feet) and “Lan Zhu”(orchid and bamboo). Hence, the store’s brushes were sold all over China. After the founding of PRC, it became Beijing Writing Brush Factory, and its products were still marked with the brand of Li Fushou.  In 1985, Wenfangsibao Store was jointly created by the three stores. 

Tianchengzhai Shoes Shop

  Located in the north of Xianyukouxikou, Qianmenwai, Tianchengzhai was set up in the 22^nd year of Emperor Daoguang’s reign in the Qing Dynasty or 1842. The shoes for sale are made in this shop. Boots and shoes from Tianchengzhai have fine materials and are durable and good in quality. Since its opening, it gradually developed to a famous time-honored shop with Tianyuanzhai, Tianlizhai, Tianhuaxin and Tianchengzhai as subsidiaries. The boss of the shop was from Wuqing County in the east of Beijing. Sponsored by Majuyuan Hat Shop as the controlling shareholder, the shop was founded in the north of Xianyukouxikou, Qianmenwai. With four or five employees, it has a workshop on the second floor and shop on the first floor, and run its business quite well.

There was a saying at that time: the rich goes to Neiliansheng fro shoes, while the poor to Tianchengzhai. Shoes made by Tianchengzhai were popular because they were tough and durable. There are many varieties such as Round-opening Black Shoes for farmers and common people in the city, Double-Vamped Black Cloth Shoes for soldiers of the Eight-Banners and Green Troops, sedan chair men, wrestle men and donkey drivers, Reinforced Slippers for porters and wagon drivers, Cloud-patterned Laotoule for aged people in the winters, and Oilskin Shoes used in rainy days. Due to the demand exceeding supply, the first branch Tianyuanzhai Shoes Shop was set up in the east of Buxiangzibeikou, Xianyukou in Emperor Tongzhi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty, another one, Tianchengzhai Branch in the south of the middle of Xianyukou in Emperor Guangxu’s reign and in the east of which Tianlizhai Shoes Shop was set up later. In the Republic period, to meet the social development and fashion, Tianhuaxin Shoes Shop which specialized in lady’s embroidery shoes and leather shoes was set up in the north of Xianyukou. Gradually, Tianchengzhai Shoes Shop became well-known all around Beijing.

Tianchengzhai made shoes dedicatedly with well-chosen material, never treated customers perfunctorily, and focused on quality and warranty.

 The noted products of Tianchengzhai included: Double-vamped Shoes and Reinforced Slippers.  The former were made with two parallel thongs on the vamp.  There are two kinds of Double-vamped Shoes: one, made of black cloth for the laboring people, and the other, made of brocade vamp or uniform cloth for the wrestlers and people in the martial art circle. Reinforced Slippers are even more durable than the Double-vamped Shoes.  They are strong-soled and embroidered with diamond designs on the vamp.  There are two kinds of Reinforced Slippers: one, pointed with reinforced sewing in the front and the other with long vamp that fits in well with the feet.  All the black refined cloth vamps were specially manufactured by the weaving mills and the expensive uniform cloth were chosen for their quality and thickness.  And the selection of materials for round thong and the shoe-soles for the making of Double-vamped Shoes and Reinforced Slippers were also meticulous.  Sometimes even the ropes for the making of shoe-soles were made by the shop itself to ensure quality. 

 In 1956, Tianchengzhai Shoe Shop joined the public-private operation and was merged with Xianyukou Department Store.  In 1966, it was renamed the Retail Sales Department of Xian Yang Shoe Shop.  In 1978, it was renamed the Retail Sales Department of Beijing Cloth Shoe Shop.  In 1985, the time-honored brand of Tianchengzhai Shoe Shop was restored.

Yuanlong Gu Embroidery  shop

In 1920, Wang Youchen came to Beijing from his hometown Nancun Village in Yangquan of Shanxi Province. He worked as an apprentice successively in Youyi Gu Embroidery Shop and Hongxingde Gu Embroidery Shop which located in Xiuhua Street, Xihuying, Qianmenwai. Ten years later, Wang Youchen left Hongxingde and run a shop with his brother Wang Ziheng. In 1936 they named the shop Gold Star, which was the predecessor of Yuanlong Gu Embroidery Shop. His brothers, Wang Laixiang and Wang Laiqi joined in later. In 1939, the shop was officially named Yuanlong Gu Embroidery Silk Shop. Yuanlong means auspicious, thriving and upgrowthing. The Wang brothers dedicatedly developed their business and extended this shop to more than 60 square meters in commercial space till the liberation of Beijing.

After the founding of PRC, encouraged and supported by the People’s Government, the shop is getting more thriving. In 1956, it incorporated Tianli Gu Embroidery Shop which was in leather goods business, and moved to Zhushikou East Street, but the brand Yuanlong Gu Embroidery Silk Shop retained. During the three-year distress, the shop experienced depression with its target clients transferred to domestic guests, and mainly dealt with daily commodities, cotton, and few silk. In 1964, the shop stopped its business in Gu Embroidery and the name was changed to Yuanlong Sewing Machine Shop.

When Yuanlong Gu Embroidery Shop resumed its business on July 16, 1981, foreign guests came in an endless stream, bringing big profit. In April 1984, when the former Hongqiao Department Shop moved out, the whole building was left to Yuanlong. Yuanlong also had the shelves renewed and the shop front redecorated. Nowadays, Yuanlong mainly has its business in embroidery and silk goods, including ornamental embroideries and various embroidered garments which are popular both at home and abroad. After its resumption, the shop implements “individualized service, multi-functional service, flexible service and chartered service” in a Yuanlong’s Way which leads to an international reputation. A newspaper of Sweden made the following comments which are popular both at home and abroad: “it is enjoyable to shop in Yuanlong, where there are good people, good things, and good service” and “go to Yuanlong for silk. One is not a hero without climbing the Great Wall, while it is really a pity without shopping in Yuanlong”. Lots of internationally distinguished persons, such as Nancy Regan–wife of former US president, sister of Queen Elizabeth, wife of Egyptian president Mohammed Hosni Mubarak, Pavarotti, Pierre Cardin have been here.

Yuanlong now is located in Yuanlong Plaza which covers an area of over 5,000 square meters in the northeast of Temple of Heaven. With silk materials and silk products from all over the country, it is the largest modernized silk shop with most complete variety in Asia. The plaza has roomy and peaceful shopping space with drawnwork and embroidery on the first floor, carpet and cashmere on the second, silk, linen and cotton materials on the third, and silk, linen and cotton garments on the fourth floor. There is a Silk Museum in the building which introduces in detail the process of making silk from silkworm breeding to weaving. Visitors may also enjoy the performances of making traditional handiwork silk carpet, double-face embroidery and other folk artworks from all over China.

Ruifuxing

Ruifuxing Silk Shop, ranking the first among all the Eight-Xiangs in Beijing, was set up in the 19^th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign in the Qing Dynasty or 1893. It was invested by Meng Luochuan with 80,000 scale of silver and entrusted his cousin Meng Ranghou to establish a shop in Dashilan. There was an old saying in Beijing goes “Majuyuan (hat) on head, Ruifuxiang on body, and Neiliansheng (shoes) on foot” indicating Ruifuxiang’s reputation. After the founding of PRC, the material of the first National Flag was from this shop. Page 171, volume 7 of Selected Works of Mao Zedong reads “those historic names should be preserved…Ruifuxiang and Tongrentang should be preserved for ten thousand years”. In 1954, Ruifuxiang took the lead in implementing Joint Public-Private Ownership reform and transformed to a fabric shop selling silk, woolen cloth, furs and leather goods. As the only Time-honored Brand with original appearance, it is inscribed as a historic site under national protection.

Wangzhihe

The time-honored brand Wangzhihe was set up in the 8^th year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty or 1669 with a history of 329 years. Wang Zhihe was a successful candidate in the Provincial Examination from Xianyuan County of Anhui Province. In the 8^th year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1669), he came to Beijing for the Court Examination but failed and stayed in the city. To make living, he started his bean curt business, and continued to study for the next examination. Once in summer, he had some bean curt left. To prevent them from rotten, he had the bean curt cut into small square pieces and preserved in a pot with salt and Chinese prickly ash seeds. After that he stopped his business and kept on study in hot summer, and forgot the pot. As the cool autumn came, he resumed his business and remembered that. He opened the pot and found the bean curt went dark green with stinky smell. It was a pity to throw it so he tried it. However, it tasted pleasant. He presented it to his neighbors and they all thought it was amazing. After several times of failure in the examination, Wang Zhihe dedicated to his business of Bean Curt with Odor. In the late Qing Dynasty, it was brought into the Imperial Kitchen and served as a daily dish for Empress Dowager Cixi who named it Green Square. Since then, Bean Curt with Odor became popular and valuable.

  It is out of Wang Zhihe, the poor scholar’s imagination that the business founded by him could survive for over 300 years and be thriving. After the founding of PRC, Beijing Wangzhihe Preserved Bean Curt Factory was developed on the basis of four private workshops, Wangzhihe, Zhizhonghe, Wangyihe and Wangzhenghe. Over 40 years, the name of the factory changed several times but the flavor remained and variety were added. Nowadays it has more than 20 varieties of three categories such as Green Square, Red Square and White Square. Its brand wins reputation in domestic market and furthermore in overseas. Mr. Okayama from Japan praised that “preserved bean curt is rich of botanic protein, and Wangzhihe is the best”; Korean commercial counselor has brought several food experts to Wangzhihe Preserved Ben Curt Factory to study the technique.

  Nowadays as a genuine Time-Honored Brand in China, Wangzhihe is preferred by Chinese consumers due to the five features of its products, namely exquisite, smooth, soft, tender and fragrant. As tested, every 100 gram of Wangzhihe Preserved Bean Curt contains enough Amino Acid for the daily demand of an adult, more Calcium, Iron, and Zinc than ordinary foods. It also contains VB1 and VB2, and is of high nutritive value.

  In Beijing, Wangzhihe Bean Curt with Odor and Preserved Bean Curt outstand from all other snacks. Wangzhihe Bean Curt with Odor is a traditional delicacy in Old Beijing as a saying goes that “Steamed Corn Bread and Bean Curt with Odor keep you at the table.”

Liubiju

Beijing Liubiju Food Corporation Ltd. is the larges professional corporation with strong technology and advanced equipments producing and managing pickled vegetables and seasoning products in its circle all around the county.  Beijing Liubiju Food Corporation Ltd. is the larges professional corporation with strong technology and advanced equipments producing and managing preserved vegetables and seasoning products in its circle all around the county. The annual output of pickled vegetables reaches 20,000 tons, sales volume over RMB100 million and tax payment RMB10 million.

The enterprise develops fast in the economic reform. In December 2000, it completed the corporate restructuring, converted from a solely state-owned managerial corporation to a joint-stock one with 12 shareholders, and increased the net assets to RMB40 million. The Sales Company and Lidaju Seasoning Products Company have their sales network all around the Northeast, North, Northwest, and South China as well as in Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA and some European countries. Its products are preferred by customers from both home and abroad.

Nowadays in suburb of Beijing, a new factory covering an area of 1.33 hectare and a floor space of 8000 square meters is completed and put into use. It has a top-grade modernized product line and a technological research center with sufficient technicians building a solid base for the long-term development.