Lao She Teahouse

Lao She Teahouse opened in 1988 near Qianmen and takes its name from Lao She, the Beijing writer, and his play Teahouse. According to Beijing's official tourism resource site, it is at Building 3, Zhengyang Market, on Qianmen West Street, and admission to the teahouse itself is free. It is rated as an AAA tourist attraction.

The teahouse is best known for big-bowl tea, a tradition it has kept for decades. When it opened, a bowl cost just two fen, which helped make the place famous. Inside, the decoration recreates an old Beijing teahouse across about 2,600 square metres, with square tables, high-backed chairs, palace lanterns, carved wooden plaques and calligraphy couplets on the walls. A guide by China Highlights describes a tea floor serving around 20 kinds of scented and green teas, in cups or covered bowls, with homemade biscuits and Beijing snacks.

In the evenings the West Hall stages a mixed programme of traditional performance. The same guide lists Peking opera, folk arts, acrobatics, magic, Sichuan opera face-changing, Chinese kung fu, shadow play and comic dialogue among the acts, with tea included in the ticket and prices depending on how close you sit. It advises booking evening shows two days in advance. A smaller hall hosts folk music on weekday afternoons.

For visitors with limited time, this is one of the easiest ways to see several traditional Beijing performing arts in a single evening, with tea and snacks at the table rather than in a formal theatre. It suits families, first-time visitors and anyone who prefers a sampler to a full-length opera. If you only want tea, a daytime visit lets you look around the rooms at your own pace.

Allow about two hours, the visit length suggested by the tourism site. The teahouse is on Qianmen West Street near the Qianmen gate, so it is easy to combine with the square, the National Museum or an evening meal on Qianmen Street, where Quanjude and Duyichu are close by. Note that the Lao She Theatre, a separate 300-seat venue run by the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles at 95 Qianmen West Street, is also named after the writer, so make sure you have the right address.