Last Saturday afternoon, I set aside some time and exited from Exit C of Qianmen Subway Station. Following the crowd for less than five minutes, I spotted the old wooden sign of Lao She Teahouse. Stepping inside, I was greeted by a faint scent of jasmine tea. The server led me to a small theater on the second floor, with a table and long benches, where a pot of tea and a plate of sunflower seeds awaited me, instantly transporting me back to old Beijing.
The performance started promptly at 2:30 PM, lasting 90 minutes in total. I timed it and realized there were 11 programs seamlessly connecting, leaving me too reluctant even to go to the bathroom for fear of missing something. The first act, "Four Seasons of Tea Ceremony," was amazing; the actors juggled a gaiwan, a long-spouted teapot, and dragon-phoenix cups while the water column danced to the music of the 24 solar terms in the background, almost causing my camera to tumble into my tea.
Then came "Peach Blossoms", with five young girls twirling their water sleeves, and their skirts floated by like real peach petals. I was sitting in the front row, and the aroma of tea mixed with the fragrance of rouge from the wind, surprisingly pleasant. The third program, Beijing Qinqu, was a first for me. An old gentleman embraced a yangqin, and his voice instantly exclaimed the vibe of a hutong, singing "Qianmen Tower Nine Zhuang Nine". The foreign guy next to me couldn't help but clap along, perfectly in rhythm.
The puppet show "Butterfly Lovers" left me in awe: the puppeteer backstage manipulated the puppet so that when Zhu Yingtai turned around, the puppet's water sleeves flowed gracefully just like a real person, with the lighting casting its shadow on the curtain, making it hard to tell what's real and what's not. The shadow play was even cooler; two hands transformed into Michael Jackson and then a giraffe, and even though I was watching closely, I couldn't figure out how the fingers bent.
"The Century-Old Beijing Wrestling" absolutely rocked the stage: two guys in wrestling suits were genuinely grappling up there, and when one heavy guy fell, the floor thudded so hard that my heart jumped; then he sprung right back up to his feet, earning applause from the whole audience. I counted during the ball-juggling act, at most seven balls in the air simultaneously, and he even threw and spun around the stage. I was sitting at the end of the row, and a ball almost grazed my scalp, scaring me so much that I spilled my tea.
During the magic segment, the host picked a random audience member. I raised my hand but wasn’t selected. The lucky lady who went on stage had her handkerchief tied in a hard knot by the magician, and after a couple of swings, it just came undone. She looked so confused, as if she were thinking, “Who am I and where am I?” I can guarantee she wasn’t a plant. The crosstalk comedian was even more impressive; he asked foreigners to say any English word, and he managed to twist it back into "all your wishes come true" in just three sentences, making the entire audience laugh so hard they were stomping their feet, and I nearly fell off my bench.
Finally, "Skillful Flower Stunts" and "Face Changing" seamlessly followed one another, with a big jar spinning on the actor's head like a whirlwind. My neck was sore from looking up; the face-changing act was astonishing too. The actor flicked his sleeve towards me, and with a "whoosh," his red face changed to a black one. I was only two meters away and saw no tricks whatsoever.
The 90 minutes flew by in a blink. As I left the theater, dusk was just settling in, and the Qianmen Tower lit up. Looking back at Lao She Teahouse, one thought crossed my mind: the next time someone visits Beijing, I will definitely invite them to see this again.
| Item | My Suggestions | Pitfalls to Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Booking Tickets | Reserve your seat 1-3 days in advance using the "Lao She Teahouse" app. The middle tables on the first floor have the best view, while the side seats on the second floor can block your face. | On-site tickets are usually just corner seats left and are 30 yuan more expensive. |
| Getting There | Exit from the C exit of Qianmen Station on subway lines 2/8, follow the signs for "Dashilar"; it'll take about 3 minutes. | Don’t take a cab; Qianmen Street is always jammed. |
| Show Times | Day show at 2:30 PM, evening show at 7:30 PM. I chose the day show, so I had time to explore the night market on Qianmen Street afterward. | Holidays may add a 10:30 AM morning show, but the program is condensed to 70 minutes. |
| Seating | The eight-immortal tables seat six people. Sharing tables avoids awkwardness, and tea is refilled for free. | Seats by the aisle will result in "interaction" from the actors, so those with social anxiety should be careful in choosing. |
| Photography | The first three acts allow photo-taking, but from the magic segment onward, photography is prohibited; staff will remind you. | Flash photography is strictly forbidden, and it’s not worth trying to photograph the shadow play, so you might as well remember with your eyes. |
| Food & Drink | The ticket includes a pot of tea and sunflower seeds. Jasmine tea is the best; you can pay extra for snacks like donkey rolls or Beijing Eight Treats. | Don’t order the coffee in a gaiwan; it’s 48 yuan a cup and tastes average. |
| Restrooms | Located at the end of the second-floor corridor, go before the show starts; you won't be allowed back in during the show. | Women usually have long lines, men go in immediately. |
| Souvenirs | The small shop at the exit sells miniature wrestling suits for 38 yuan each, a unique gift for foreign friends compared to panda souvenirs. | Don’t buy tea in the shop; the same ones are half the price on Taobao. |
My Money-Saving Combo: Day tickets for 128 yuan + 0 yuan for refills + 0 yuan for sunflower seeds + 38 yuan for a mini wrestling suit, totaling 166 bucks — you get a full pack experience of Beijing's traditional arts, which is way cheaper than going separately for crosstalk or acrobatics.
A Few Final Reminders:
Save this guide and go straight there. In 90 minutes, you’ll thoroughly experience the soul of old Beijing — hear enough, see enough, and laugh enough.
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