Lao She Teahouse in Beijing

Lao She Teahouse is located in Qianmen Street, covering a business area of 2,600 square meters (28,000 sq. ft.). Decorated mainly in a traditional Chinese style, it is simple and elegant with a Beijing-styled environment. Neatly arranged square tables, backrest chairs, palace lanterns hung from the ceiling, wooden tablets marked with a tea table on the counter, and paintings and calligraphy couplets hung on the wall make you feel like you are entering an old Beijing folk museum.

Why is Lao She Teahouse So Special

At first, it was the first modern teahouse after the reform and opening up of China, with the price of a big bowl of tea only costing two cents. Secondly, the well-known teahouse in Beijing was named after Lao She, who was one of the representatives of the Beijing-flavored culture. Thirdly, Lao She Teahouse embodies the flavor of Beijing, where not only can the tea be tasted but the culture can also be appreciated by visitors.

Introduction of Lao She Teahouse

Lao She

Shu Qingchun (3 February 1899 – 24 August 1966), courtesy name Sheyu, best known by his pen name Lao She, was a Chinese novelist and dramatist. He was one of the most significant figures of 20th-century Chinese literature, and best known for his novel Rickshaw Boy and the play Teahouse (茶館). He was of Manchu ethnicity, and his works are known especially for their vivid use of the Beijing dialect.

What to Do

A Wide Variety of Performances. People there can enjoy splendid performances every day combined with outstanding folk arts, such as operas, acrobatics, magic, and face changing while enjoying famous tea, palace snacks, as well as traditional Beijing-style snacks.

Handeng Drumming
Handeng drums are one of the folk arts of China. Handeng (含灯 hándēng /han-dnng/ ‘contain lamp’) means to have a lamp holder in the mouth of the drummer. When drummers are drumming, they hold a flat stick (like a 30cm / 12 inch ruler) in their teeth, which has a horizontal length of nearly one foot. On top of the stick stand a number of lit candles and the bottom is decorated with colored tassels, each a drooping braid made with colorful feathers or silk.
On the one hand, drumming in this way increases the difficulty of performing; on the other hand, it adds to the visual effect of the show.
Face Changing
Face changing is one of the special skills of a Sichuan opera performance, which is a dramatic way to reveal thoughts and emotions in the characters’ hearts. It represents invisible, abstract feelings with visible, specific mask colors and designs.
Chinese Kung Fu
Chinese kungfu includes kicks, blocks, and punches. It is a crystallization of the wisdom of Chinese martial arts.
Beijing Opera
Peking opera or Beijing opera is the quintessence of Chinese performing arts, and has a history of 200 years. It has a rich list of plays, artists, troupes, audiences, and wide influences, making it the foremost opera in China. Beijing opera is a comprehensive acting art. It blends singing, reading, acting, fighting, and dancing together to narrate stories, depict characters, and express thoughts and feelings of “happiness, anger, sorrow, joy, surprise, fear, and sadness”.
A Two-Man Comic Show
A two-man comic show is a comic pairing in which humor is derived from the relationship between the two partners and use of props. Often one of the members, using his/her body to perform, is known as the performer, while the other one, who is good at singing and has a wonderful voice, is called the rapper. The performer doesn’t make any noise but silently moves to the pronunciation of the rapper.
Shadow Plays
Shadow plays are an ancient and unique dramatic folk art, using a piece of white gauze as the screen. Shadow puppetry originated during the Western Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago.
Drinking Tea.
You can drink tea in Lao She Teahouse on the third floor. Scented tea and green tea are the main teas, which are served mainly in cups and covered bowls. There are about 20 kinds of tea and homemade biscuits.

Seeing Performances Time and Price

Performances are from 7:40 to 9:20 every night in the West Hall on the third floor of Lao She Teahouse. There are comprehensive performances, including the Beijing Opera, folk arts, acrobatics, and magic. Booking two days in advance is required. The price for a performance is 60 to 380 yuan and tea is included. The major difference in price is due to the distance from the stage and the refreshments included. Folk music is performed from 2:30pm to 5pm every Monday to Friday in the teahouse’s small eastern hall, which costs 10 yuan with a tea service.

How to Get to Lao She Teahouse

Take Subway line 2, get off at Qianmen Station, exit C, and walk about 700 meters (760 yards) to the northwest.
Take Subway line 1, get off at Tiananmen West Station, exit C, and walk about 1,000 meters (1,100 yards) to the south.
Take city buses 332, 67, 44 outer line, 9, Te2, get off at Qianmen Station and and walk about 400 meters (440 yards) to the south.
Take city buses 22, 599, 82, 8, Te4, Te7, tourism bus 1, and tourism bus 2 to Qianmen Station, then walk west for about 500 meters (550 yards) to get there.