Xidan

Xidan is a major traditional commercial area in Beijing, China. It is located in the Xicheng District.

The Xidan commercial district incorporates the Xidan Culture Square, North Xidan Street, as well as many supermarkets and department stores. The Xidan Cultural Square is the largest venue for cultural events in downtown Beijing.

Area

Xidan occupies around 80 hectares (197.7 Acres) within the Xicheng District.

Name

The name Xidan came from the paifang that existed on one of the streets there. In this context, the name "Xidan" refers to the single paifang that existed on the west side of the city.

The paifang was rebuilt in 2008, and now stands at the Xidan Culture Square.

History

Xidan began to develop in the Ming Dynasty as an area alongside the passage for traders from Southwestern China to enter Beijing. Restaurants and shops were eventually built for these merchants. Eventually, as the Western part of the city became the residential area for officials, Xidan became a commercial area. The location of several government agencies when Beijing was under the administration of the Republic of China also helped Xidan\'s economic growth.

The area began to experience massive growth in the 1950s, as the population of Beijing began to move westwards. By the 1970s, Xidan, along with Qianmen and Wangfujing, became the three major commercial areas in Beijing.