May 17, 2023
Stories from China (Part 3)
By Simon J. Lau
I visited Beijing’s 798 Art Zone. I’ve been there before, but after reading more about its history in my Chinese language book, I wanted to see it with fresh eyes. The area was originally built in the 1950s as a military industrial complex, producing electronics in hulking, Bauhaus-style factory buildings. When the factories were eventually decommissioned in the 1980s and 1990s, artists began moving into the abandoned spaces, drawn by the high ceilings, open floor plans, and cheap rent.
Inside one of the converted warehouses, I stumbled upon a bright yellow-and-white scooter parked like a piece of modern art itself. It felt perfectly at home here, surrounded by cafés, galleries, and studios where the industrial past meets Beijing’s creative present.
I visited with my friend and former Twitter coworker, David. He grew up in Beijing and happened to be in town, so he graciously offered to show me around. Inside 798, we explored the art district’s first AR/VR installation. It was an interesting mix of technology and creativity.
For lunch, we had traditional Beijing and Manchurian dishes, including beautifully roasted Peking duck served with thin wrappers, hoisin sauce, scallions, cucumbers, and other accompaniments. It was a delicious midday break before we continued exploring.
Later, we visited Shougang, a former steel factory that was transformed to host Beijing’s 2022 Olympic ski jump. Many of the massive industrial furnaces are still standing, giving the area a striking mix of old industry and modern redevelopment. Around them, new commercial spaces have sprung up, including sleek office buildings and a sprawling shopping mall.
Inside the mall, the entire first floor was dedicated to EV dealerships, a common trend in China. We stopped to chat with a few of them, including NIO, China’s current flagship EV manufacturer. Even Huawei, best known for its phones, was selling electric cars. To my surprise, NIO’s design and features were genuinely impressive, with sleek interiors, massive touchscreens, and battery-swap technology that promised a full charge in minutes rather than hours. It felt like a serious competitor to Tesla.
Finally, I tried to visit the famous Wangfujing pedestrian walkway for street food. I had been here years ago. Unfortunately, the entire scene shut down during COVID and never returned. These days, you can still find a few remnants in nearby food courts, including stalls selling fried grasshoppers, scorpions, centipedes, and other curiosities, but it’s a shadow of what it once was. 😭
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