Beijing's newest cultural complex brings the city's past back to life. [Photo by Zou Hong / China Daily]

A new cultural and commercial destination in central Beijing is inviting visitors to step back in time with life-size recreations of the city's streets and neighborhoods from the 1950s to the 1990s.

Hengsujie: Time Cultural, Commercial and Tourism Complex, located on Di'anmen Dongdajie near the city's popular Houhai lakeside area along Beijing's Central Axis, will officially open on July 8. The immersive venue blends historical reconstructions, live performances, dining, and retail to recreate everyday life in old Beijing.

Visitors can wander through faithfully re-created hutong (alleyways), traditional courtyard homes, State-owned factories, tube-style apartment buildings, photo studios, supply-and-marketing cooperatives, dance halls, and arcades. Vintage details, from White Rabbit candies and enamel thermos flasks to street signs and electrical boxes, help evoke memories of the late 20th century.

Beijing's newest cultural complex brings the city's past back to life. [Photo by Zou Hong / China Daily]

Actors in period costumes will interact with guests throughout the space, while soundscapes featuring newspaper vendors, sugar-candy hawkers and blacksmiths re-create the era's atmosphere. One highlight is a traditional courtyard house, where children can join games under a persimmon tree and experience scenes inspired by everyday neighborhood life.

"We wanted to integrate urban renewal, cultural heritage, historical transformation, and innovative commercial operations into one immersive experience," said Tao Li, deputy general manager of Tianheng Cultural Tourism Group, the project's developer.

The complex also showcases Beijing's traditional crafts through interactive workshops led by veteran artisans. Visitors can make metal handicrafts with masters or have a custom qipao tailored by artisans who continue a long tradition of bespoke garment-making.

Originally home to clothing factories, the site, established in the 1950s, later became one of the capital's best-known wholesale markets before being renovated in 2020 as part of efforts to build new tour sites along Beijing's Central Axis.

Organizers say the venue's storylines and interactive experiences will be updated regularly, while spaces within the complex will host stand-up comedy shows, crosstalk events, stage plays, and family performances, making it a year-round destination for residents and visitors.

Beijing's newest cultural complex brings the city's past back to life. [Photo by Zou Hong / China Daily]

Beijing's newest cultural complex brings the city's past back to life. [Photo by Zou Hong / China Daily]

Beijing's newest cultural complex brings the city's past back to life. [Photo by Zou Hong / China Daily]

Beijing's newest cultural complex brings the city's past back to life. [Photo by Zou Hong / China Daily]

Beijing's newest cultural complex brings the city's past back to life. [Photo by Zou Hong / China Daily]

Beijing's newest cultural complex brings the city's past back to life. [Photo by Zou Hong / China Daily]