Ghost Street

The 1.4-km-long (1 mile) east-west street in eastern downtown Beijing was used for peddlers who sold groceries 60 or 70 years ago. The night fair usually started at midnight and ended in early morning. The peddlers, who were dimly lit by kerosene burners, looked like ghosts. In order to bring good luck, the Chinese character for ghost was replaced by another character of the same pronunciation, which stands for a food basket. Dozens of restaurants stand on both sides of the wide street and the busiest time is between 6 p.m. and 4 a.m. The dining is cheap, the food is good, and the restaurants stay open late, making it popular with Chinese. Spicy foods set the tone. Several old restaurants here are well known for dishes such as hot and spicy crayfish, and roast fish with chili sauce. Don't bother dressing up. Shorts and slippers are okay. Also, don't be timid about speaking loudly as you may have to compete with guests at tables next to you for the waiters ' attention.