Liulichang Cultural StreetⅣ

In Qing Dynasty (1636-1911), Manchu (the rulers) and Han people lived separately in the capital, and most of Han officials were lived in the west part of the city, the area around the Liulichang; soon, guilds of provinces also built nearby and candidates from all parts of the country for the final imperial exam also stayed here. Consequently, all prosperous and famous book shops of Beijing were gradually moved in; new bookstores and stationery shops also opened one after another; treasures and trinkets, quintessence of all the markets were sold too. It was the time that the street of Liulichang has developed to be the largest book fair in Beijing as well as the favorite haunt for scholars, painters and calligraphers. By Qianlong period (1736-1796), the street was even more prosperous as a cultural center for research in textual criticism when the emperor decided to revise the Complete Library of the Four Branches of Literature (四库全书). During the Republic of China (1912-1949), Liulichang was a popular pastime and treasure discovery site for scholars and celebrities. It is said that the famous writer Lu Xun (鲁迅) visited Liulichang Street for over 400 times during his stay in Beijing from 1912 to 1926.