Beijing·Liangma River—The Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival of East Beijing

Beijing has long been renowned as an ancient capital with millennia of history, where the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Summer Palace form its foundational image. As China's political center, landmarks like Tiananmen Square, the Great Hall of the People, and Chang'an Avenue dominate collective memory. Yet as a cultural hub, its museums, theaters, and art galleries make it a paradise for art lovers. Beneath this political-cultural-historical veneer, Beijing—as a world-class metropolis—boasts equally extraordinary commerce, with the revitalized Liangma River area standing as a prime example in recent years. To discuss Beijing's commerce is to speak of East Third Ring Road, arguably the city's most modern thoroughfare. Stretching north-south, it connects multiple commercial hubs: the CBD at Guomao and Jintai Xizhao (foreign corporate headquarters), the nightlife district around Sanlitun near Hujialou and Tuanjiehu, while its northwestern turn at Liangmaqiao reveals Beijing's most Riverside-Scene-at-Qingming-Festival-esque zone. The painting's two core elements—waterways and commerce—find perfect expression here. The dredged Liangma River flows gracefully, its emerald curves framed by willow trees, mirroring skyscrapers along its banks. Housing Beijing's Third Embassy District, the area pulses with global flair—offering worldwide goods and cuisines that surpass even the Song Dynasty capital's cosmopolitanism. The most enchanting stretch runs east from Liangmaqiao to Solana's Liangma River International Waterfront. South lies the embassy quarter (anchored by U.S. and Japanese missions), where Tokyo-style sushi counters and Texas BBQ joints hide in alleys—foreigners often outnumber locals, with most Chinese being embassy staff. This might be mainland China's most concentrated expat enclave. Northward, the commercial hotel zone centers on Lufthansa Center's Kempinski and Four Seasons hotels—vintage five-stars symbolizing the ancient capital's openness. From Liangmaqiao's docks, boats offer Beijing's most unexpected experience: river cruising. Few among a hundred would believe this possible in arid Beijing. Routes extend as far as Honglingjin Park near East Fourth Ring—pricey, but worthwhile for such novelty.