Visit a Beijing Past But Still Standing with Newman Tours' In-Depth and Entertaining Warlord Tour

Far removed from Beijing's teeming tourist hot spots and fenced in by the monotonous apartment blocks encircling the Second Ring Road or the disappearing hutongs within, it's often easy to overlook Beijing’s rich history. Development has rendered many landmarks destroyed, their place obsolete in the capital's march towards economic prosperity, and what has been preserved is often done so in a way that’s either slapdash or purely practical – details are lost and stories washed away.

It wasn't until I recently took Newman Tours' latest offering, the Beijing Warlord Tour, that I was made consciously aware that behind each gray wall there still remains a glut of history to be discovered and that you just need a little know-how about where exactly to look. What Daniel Newman and co.'s tour seeks to do is lift the curtain – in this case made up predominantly of scaffolding, construction tarps, and ubiquitous brick – on the houses and hangouts of the big players and their lives during 1920s China, a period notable for its ever-rotating cast and their messy power struggles.

And messy it most certainly was. In the tour's two hours, which starts by Zhangzizhong Subway and winds west to Houhai, guests are introduced to the period of China's huge political division from Emperor Yuan Shikai's death (watch Newman's own short documentary on Yuan here) in 1916 and up through to the 30s and 40s, a time that includes enough changes in power to make your head spin.

Luckily, pictures and video help you from getting completely lost in that most tumultuous time, and Newman remains in character throughout, reenacting specific incidents and calling upon participation to keep the tour engaging and fun. He'll also point out specific architectural details, such as the concrete blocks that still remain outside certain residencies that were used by generals to mount their horses, that'll help you forget the city's increasingly modern touches.

Best of all is that the tour finds a good balance between informative and entertaining so that no matter your age, prior knowledge of the topic, and time spent in China, you'll always come away having learnt something to enrich your stay in Beijing and imbue you with the need to explore the hutongs long after the tour finishes.

Newman Tours will offer their first run of the Beijing Warlord Tour today (Oct 8), 2-4pm. Tickets are RMB 190 for adults and RMB 120 for kids. Call 138 1777 0229 to book your spot or visit their website for more information. Alternatively, join their Beijing Ghost Tour on Wednesdays, 7-9pm or their Hutong Tour on Sundays, 2-4pm.

Also, for your chance to win a voucher for Newman's spooky Beijing Halloween Tour, email win@truerun.com with your name and phone number before noon on Wednesday.

More stories by this author here.

Email: tomarnstein@thebeijinger.com
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Photos: Tom Arnstein