The Joy Of Six: Baishiqiao South

Lilly Chow | Feb 6, 2013 12:00 pm | Add a comment | 1749 reads

This month, we’ve checked out all the stops on Line 6 to tell you about the gems that you shouldn’t wait to discover in our station-by-station Going Underground special.

SELLING POINT
Get your fill of architects and Xinjiang here. Neighboring Erligou station (which
will link Line 6 with the future Line 16) will not open for several years, so for now,
Baishiqiao South is the closest gateway to the Xinjiang enclave of Erligou.

SCRUTINIZE
Here’s a fun game: Take four of these words – Civil Design Building Standards
Academy Planning Institute Urban Research Sedimentation Engineering – and
arrange them randomly. Voila! You’ll probably find that very institution somewhere
in the vicinity of Baishiqiao South. Then head to China’s wild west … by walking
east a few hundred meters. You’ll start to see the tapered arches and geometrical
latticework of Islamic architecture. One can only imagine what the sober architects
in their institutes think of these friezes and arabesques.

STOCK UP
You already knew that Xinjiang is famous for its dates, walnuts and raisins, but did
you know that they also produce lavender essential oil, dogbane tea, chickpeas
and Hotan jade (prized for being the color of mutton fat)? Stock up at the shops
behind the Xinjiang Hotel. And while you’re here, why not pick up a prayer rug
and some henna?

EAT
In the shadow of the handsome Xinjiang Plaza, Yisila and Xiyu Fanzhuang both
draw the crowds with their lamb skewers, “big plate chicken” and homemade
yogurt. Go forth and gorge. If you’re not feeling particularly muttony, try Long Tu
Ge, just east of the Erligou intersection, which features pungent Anhui specialties.
Meanwhile, Zhengyuan Dazhaimen (Exit B), offers Peking Opera singers, acrobats
and equally theatrical fare: Buddha Jumping the Wall and duck tongues in aspic.

ENVY
Xinjiang Plaza is also home to Tianshan Snow Lotus VIP Club. We can only imagine
the lavender-scented rooms and the high-quality chickpeas served within. The
very thought leaves us giddy.

This article originally appeared on page 12 in the February issue of the Beijinger.

Photo: Lova