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Nightlife

Until relatively recently it was virtually impossible to find a good bar or club in Beijing other than in international hotels. However, the relaxation in the 1980s of restrictions on bars and teahouses, previously considered 'bourgeois' by the Communist regime, combined with the influx of foreign residents into the city, has encouraged new investment in leisure facilities. In fact, Beijing's nightlife and entertainment are undergoing a revolution as modern Beijingers, who suddenly find themselves with a disposable income and living through comparatively liberal times, seek out new outlets for having fun.

Disco fever swept through the city in the 1980s, which saw the establishment of huge discos attracting large numbers of affluent young Chinese. They are still popular although the curious mix of regimented disco dancing to Chinese pop can be a fascinating spectacle for Western visitors. The 1990s saw the emergence of numerous new nightclubs set up to cater for a chic and affluent clientele. These Western-style clubs feature a range of modern musical styles including techno and house and are hugely popular with both tourists and the locals. Many nightclubs are open every night and charge an entrance fee of RMB50-80.

The 1990s also the establishment of a thriving new bar culture. Originally aimed at the city's foreign community, bars have caught on in a big way and are now patronised by a cross-cultural clientele. Many attempt to emulate the fashionable bars in capital cities of the West but the majority have emerged as curious melting pots of Eastern and Western styles.

The most popular areas are Sanlitun and Embassy and, as bars and clubs come and go, it is best to head for these areas rather than one particular place. They all offer draught beer at Western prices, and are generally much livelier than any of the hotel bars. Strategically placed around them, small cafÉs offer sobering blasts of coffee. Other lively places can be found on Xinjiang Kou, a street full of restaurants - the place to go on hot summer nights. Most bars open until about midnight, but are liveliest about 2200.

Details of more alternative events including gigs are listed in the city's nightlife guide Beijing Scene which can be found in most bars and clubs.



Bars:
Situated in Tuanjiehu Park is the ever-popular Old Poachers Inn, 7 Sanlitun Lu. Deservedly, Beijing's best-known bar, this ex-pat watering hole is more English than most pubs in England, with darts, recruiting posters and a stuffed pheasant over the bar, but it's accessible, casual and cosy. It's very popular on Thursdays, when a jazz band plays, and on Friday and Saturday when the attached club holds a disco. Pig and Whistle, Holiday Inn Lido, Jichang Lu, is also an English-style pub although not as popular the Poachers Inn.

Rasput­Inn
, 1 Sanlitun Lu, is a Sino-Russian bar that sees some of the heaviest drinking and most intense chess-playing in the capital, while Brauhaus, Basement, World Trade Centre, Jianguomen Dajie, is a civilised German bar with Western newspapers.

The Underground Club, 1a Jianguomenwai, is a mixture of restaurant, bar and disco along the lines of the Hard Rock CafÉ, and is aimed at foreigners and rich young Chinese.

Casinos:
Casinos are illegal in China.

Clubs:
One of the newest nightclubs in Beijing is the Heaven Star, Jianguomennei, which has a huge dance floor and a quieter bar. Babylon, Gongti Beilu, is an intriguing converted warehouse, which has many nooks and crannies with unique decor and an entertainment centre. Beijing's chicest club is JJ's, 74-76 Xinjiekou Bei Dajie, a cavernous club featuring lasers, a sci-fi theme and scantily clad Russian dancing girls; imported British DJs playing a mixture of techno, reggae and house. Oriental Number One, Asian Games Village, Anding Lu, is the biggest club in China, and is packed out nightly with a mixed lively crowd. The club occasionally features performances by Chinese pop stars.

The most alternative of Beijing's clubs and probably the most accessible to Westerners is Nasa, at the corner of Xueyuan Lu and Xitucheng Lu, just north of Sanhuan Bei Lu in Haidian district. The club features a selection of grunge, rap and techno. Nightman, junction of Qishen Nan Lu and Xibahe Zhong Jie, attracts affluent young Chinese, and is said to be popular with the very low-profile gay underground.

Live music:
Live bands play nightly at the May Flower Bar, Chang'an Boulevard playing mainly Chinese pop songs and some English songs. The CD CafÉ, East Third Ring Road, has live Chinese jazz musicians every Friday and Saturday nights. Offering a more authentic experience the Sanwei Bookstore, 60 Fuxingmennei Dajie, features light jazz and Chinese folk music and is popular with ex-pats and arty Chinese.



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