Ji Xiaolan Historic Home

紀昀，字曉嵐，又字春帆 (1724-1805) 是清代著名學者。他是清朝直隷獻縣人 (今河北獻縣)。紀曉嵐出生於官宦人家。他父親紀容舒是著名考據學家，做過京官。紀曉嵐1754 年中進士，入翰林院任職。他得乾隆皇帝重用，當過禮部侍郎，兵部尚書，協辦大學士，和太子少保等。人們最認識他為《四庫全書》總編纂官。1773 年開始編修，總共用了十年才完成。乾隆皇把一套《四庫全書》放在紫禁城， 圓明園， 瀋陽， 和承德的文津閣。另外杭州，鎮江，和揚州都有一套《四庫全書》。鎮江， 杭州，和圓明園的《四庫全書》被毀滅。有四套留傳到現在，放在北京國家圖書館，臺北故宮博物院，蘭州甘肅圖書館，和杭州浙江圖書館。紀曉嵐晚年著了《閱微草堂筆記》。《閱微草堂筆記》是五個筆記小説合集。他給自己的居所“閱微草堂”這個名字，而這本書是在這裏寫的。

Ji Xiaolan (1724-1805) is a well-known scholar of the Qing dynasty. His family is originally from Hebei Province. His father was an accomplished scholar who worked as an official in Beijing. In 1754 Ji Xiaolan attained the level of Jinshi in the civil service exams, allowing him to attain a position in the Hanlin Academy. He also served in other governmental positions throughout his career. However, he is best known for being the editor-in-chief of Siku Quanshu or The Complete Library in Four Branches, a massive Qing encyclopedic work. It took 10 years to complete this work. Copies were placed in specially constructed libraries in the Forbidden City, Old Summer Palace (Yuan Ming Yuan), Shenyang, and Wenjing Chamber in Chengde. Additional copies for the public were placed in libraries in Hangzhou, Zhenjiang, and Yangzhou. The Siku Quanshu kept in Zhenjiang and Hangzhou were destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion and the one in the Old Summer Palace was burned by an Anglo-French expedition during the Second Opium War. The remaining copies are kept in the National Library of China in Beijing, National Palace Museum in Taipei, Gansu Library in Lanzhou, and Zhejiang Library in Hangzhou. During his later years he wrote Yue Wei Cao Tang Bi Ji, a collection of fiction named after his home in Beijing, Yue We Cao Tang.

季曉嵐故居位於北京宣武區珠市口西大街241 號。 走路可以到大柵欄熱鬧的市集和紫禁城。在雍正時代這故居原來是陝甘總督岳鍾琪將軍（岳飛後代）的故居。紀曉嵐在這裏前前後後住了六十多年。他11嵗到39嵗和48 嵗到82嵗住在這裏。他院中親手種植的海棠和紫藤樹是北京最老的。

Ji Xiaolan’s historic home is located in the Xuanwu district of Beijing at 241 Zhushikou West Street. It is within walking distance to Dashilar pedestrian market and the Forbidden City. During the early 1700’s this courtyard home belonged to General Yue Zhongqi, governor of Shaanxi and Gansu. Ji Xiaolan lived here for 60 years, from age 11 to 39 and from age 48 to 82. The begonias and wisteria he planted in his courtyard are the oldest known in Beijing.

季曉嵐去世后, 故居變爲直隷(河北) 會館。進士/詩人黃安濤也居住過這裡。民國初期這裡是鹽商，秀才劉少白也租住過這裡。三十年代，梅蘭芳在這裡開辦國劇學會和國劇傳習所。然後轉爲京劇富連成科班的宿舍。這裡也做過運輸公司。五十年代，成爲宣武區黨校。1959 年山西口味的晉陽飯莊在此開業。因爲飯莊在紀曉嵐故居，所以吸引了許多文人墨客如老舍， 臧克家，曹禺等人來這裡聚會。外國人物如美國前任總統老布什和美國前任國務卿鮑威爾都來過這裡品嘗名菜香酥鴨。

After Ji Xiaolan passed away, his former residence changed owners many times. It became a guild hall for a city in Hebei. Scholar and poet Huang Antao lived here. At the turn of the 20^th century it was owned by a salt merchant, then scholar Lui Shaobai rented the house. Liu Shaobai was a xiucai graduate in the last imperial examinations held in 1905. In the 1930’s Beijing Opera star Mei Lanfang opened a Beijing Opera school here. Then it became a dormitory for the Fu Lien Cheng Beijing Opera School and thereafter the office of a shipping company. In the 1950’s it was the Xuanwu District school. In 1959 Jinyang Restaurant, which specializes in Shanxi cuisine, opened inside the historic home. It attracted a lot of scholars who were curious about Ji Xiaolan’s former residence.

原來的故居為三進院，有一百多間房。現在的故居是原來的西院的一部分。原來的故居是現在的故居，晉陽飯莊，和兩間鋪頭的面積那麽大。現在門前種紫藤樹的地方本來是前院内。爲了擴闊馬路需要把臨街老門樓和倒座房拆掉。

The historic home that is open to visitors today is only a small portion of the original house. The home originally had 3 main courtyards and a total of 100 rooms. Its footprint included the historic home/museum today, Jinyang Restaurant, and 2 additional storefronts. The entrance to the home marked by the wisteria plant was originally the front courtyard. The original entrance had to be destroyed to make room for a widened road.

旅遊資料/ If you go: (2007 年資料/ info from 2007)

門票/ Admission: ￥6

地址/ Address: 北京市宣武区珠市口西大街241號(241 Zhushikou Xi Dajie, Xuanwu District, Beijing)

交通路线/ Transportation: 乘105, 57, 715, 743 bus 虎坊橋東站下车/ Hufangqiao Dong stop

开放时间/ Hours: 早9:00am – 晚 4:00pm

Dashilar 大柵欄

Dazhalan, affectionately known as Dashilar in the local Beijing dialect is the most famous traditional commercial area in Beijing. It is located within walking distance just south of the Forbidden City。

大柵欄是北京最有名的傳統商業區。從紫禁城往南走大概5 分鐘就到了. 

Dashilar, meaning “the great fence” has been a commercial hub in Beijing since the 1400′s (Ming Dynasty). Establishments such as restaurants, theaters, shops, etc that were not allowed in the inner city found a home here and it quickly blossomed into a commercial area. Originally named Langfang Sitiao, it was renamed Dashilar for the fences built at both ends of the street. During the Ming and Qing dynasties a curfew was often imposed, and the fences on this and many other streets were closed to keep thieves out.

大柵欄從明代 ，1400年左右，已經是繁榮的商業區。有些不許在内城做生意的商店，餐館，和娛樂場所就在外城這裡做生意。大柵欄原名是廊坊四條。 爲了治理社區住安，北京在明清兩朝在很多條街的街口建了木柵欄 來防盜。每條街的居民都出錢建自己街的木柵欄。由於大柵欄的柵欄是本街的商店出錢建，它就是最大最堅固的。 這條街就是這樣得名的.

Dashilar signage that marks the street. You actually can’t miss it because it is a butling street.
大柵欄兩個街口.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Dashilar was teeming with activity. This was the place to be for one-stop shopping, dining, and entertainment. There were shops of all types, theaters, restaurants, inns and hotels, as well as some seedier joints. The shops were well established high quality luxury and status brands. These shops earned their status by producing quality products at fair prices. Being in close proximity to the Forbidden City, the shops were heavily patronized by royalty and high officials, as well as wealthy merchants.

明清時代，大柵欄充滿活動，是一個繁榮的商業區。有多項商店，餐館，戲院，會館，和旅館。當時，這裡的商店是最高級的品牌。它的質量是最好的，價格也公平。很多王親國戚，大臣，和 富商都在這裡買東西。

Architectural detail. On the left is a traditional silk shop with western inspired architecture. On the right is a building in the traditional style architecture. On the bottom is a lantern in the style of the imperial court.

左邊譧祥益絲綢店的建築有些西方的影響, 右邊的商店是中國傳統的建築， 下面的照片是中國宮燈。

Many of these shops are still in operation today, some in the same buildings they have been in for over a century. Notable shops include:

• Tongrentang Traditional Medicine Shop 同仁堂 （1669） has supplied herbs and medicines to the imperial court, including the emperor。
• Ruifuxiang Silk Shop est. 1893 has a beautiful array of silks, fabrics, and traditional Chinese clothing. You can choose the fabrics and have them custom make clothing for you in the store.
•  Majuyuan Hat Shop est. 1811 (Now Dongsheng Hat Shop) made hats for court officials and satin boots for nobility.
•  Neiliansheng Shoe Store made shoes and boots for high officials. This store is 3 floors and has all kinds of traditional Chinese shoes in a myriad of different styles, colors, and materials.
• Zhangyiyuan- tea
• Liubiju- Chinese preserved vegetables
• Daguanlou- the first Chinese movie was shown at this theater   

這些老字號現在都是北京的著名商店，繼續推出高質量的貨品。大柵欄的老字號包括:

•  同仁堂 （1669）藥房，配草藥和中藥給皇室 和皇帝
• 瑞蚨祥 （1893）賣絲綢，綢緞，和其它布料。 可以定做傳統中國衣服。
• 馬聚元 （1811）定做帽子和布鞋給古代貴族，朝中文武官， 商人，等等。
• 内聯升- 定做帽子和布鞋給古代貴族，朝中文武官， 商人，等等。這商店有各種各樣款色的傳統中國的鞋。 好像回到古代中國的鞋店。
• 張一元- 茶葉
• 六必居- 榨菜
• 大觀樓- 中國第一部影片就在這裡放映 

If you go:

• Plan to spend some time wandering through the stores. They are museums in and of themselves that shed light on the commercial culture of Old Beijing.
• Grab a map (or not) and take a stroll through the area hutongs. There are tons of interesting places to discover- shops, eats, hostels, beautiful architecture.
• Great place for souvenirs
• Great place for traditional Chinese goods- clothing made out of beautiful silks and brocades with intricate embroidery, shoes, tea, food, etc.

如果到大柵欄一遊：

• 一定要進商店看看。 這裡的商店好像博物館一樣，給我們了解老北京的商業界和商品。
• 戴張地圖逛胡同。這裡的胡同有很多歷史文物和有趣的地方- 商店，餐館/小吃，旅店， 古色建築，等等。
• 買紀念品的好去處
• 麥中國傳統貨品的好地方- 綢緞旗袍和棉襖，布鞋， 茶葉，食物，等等。