Qianmen, the Front Gate located in Beijing, is the common name of Zhengyang Gate which is composed by arrow tower and gate tower. As most people also call Dazhalan to be Qianmen, Qianmen now is not simply directed to Zhengyang Gate. Qianmen becomes an area including Zhengyang Gate, the jewelry market, Dazhalan, etc.

Qianmen Street is one of the famed business streets in Beijing, and it is situated in the central axis, north to the arrow tower of Zhenggang Gate and south to the overbridge connecting to Tianqiao South Street. This line was once the imperial road for emperors to go the Temple of Heaven. Qianmen was developed into a business street during Ming Dynasty. At the beginning of Qing Dynasty, workshops, tea houses and opera gardens appeared in this area. When the railways opened in Beijing in 1900, two railway stations were established in Qianmen, and the bustling Qianmen came to the peak then.

Dazhalan is the center of the business area in Qianmen. As during Ming and Qing dynasty, the curfew was clamped when night fell. Lattices (zhalan) were set at the ends of the lanes until morning. Therefore, this place got its name – Dazhalan. After almost a-hundred-year development, Dazhalan is a high concentration of silk shops, pharmacies, shoe shops, restaurants and theaters. Jewelry market and banks were also opened there. Dazhalan was the most prosperous place of ancient Beijing until 1928. Many old and famous shops are derived in this place, such as Quanjude Roast Duck.

Another famous attraction is the old Qianmen railway station. It is a European style building located in the southeast corner of Tiananmen Square. The station was started in 1901 and finished in 1906. The old Qianmen railway station was once then the largest railway station and the traffic hub in China. The station’s name had changed several times through different period. In September 15th, 1959 when the new Beijing Station was operated, the old Qianmen station finished its historic mission as a railway station.

At the beginning of 1960s, the old station was firstly transformed into a technology center of Ministry of Railways, and later changed into Beijing Railway Workers’ Cultural Palace, and its old waiting room was used as a theater for many years. In 1990s, it became an old station store. In July 12th, 2001, the old station site was announced to be Beijing Railway Museum.

When you plan a Beijing travel tour, Beijing historical attractions like Qianmen are much worthy your time as it is a true reflection of Beijing folk history http://www.chinatouronline.com/china-travel/beijing/beijing-attractions/index.html.