The Shichahai area boasts 40 cultural heritage sites, of which 4 are under the state-level protection, 13 under the municipal-level protection, and 23 under the district level protection. On a balmy day, you can walk or bike through those streets or lanes, tour the old residential sites of the passed high officials, visit the ancient temples, or stand on the age-old stone bridges, lost in thought. If Beijing is presented to you in this way, definitely you will love it.

		Tobacco Pipe Lean Street
	Tobacco Pipe Lean Street is located to the south of the Drum Tower, with a total length of 232 meters. It is the oldest oblique street in Beijing. This street used to be well-known for sellers of long-stemmed pipes, hence the name. Now, the whole street has been transformed to be a pedestrian street, with abundant stores, including fashionable bars and restaurants, traditional stores selling smoking sets and curios, stores selling special objects from places thousands of miles away such as Yunnan and Tibet.

		Guanghua Temple
	It is estimated that Guanghua Temple was built in the Yuan Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, it was changed into the library of Imperial University, where Mr. Lu Xun, the distinguished writer in China, once held a position. On the eighth day of the twelfth month of every lunar year, the Buddhist believers would get delicious porridge in the dining room of the temple, and this tradition has lasted for 720 years.

	The Former Residence of Madame Soong Qingling (Garden of Prince Chun Palace)
	This used to be called ¡°Lu Shui Yard¡±, the former residence of Ming Zhu, the Daxueshi (senior consultant of the emperor) under the reign of Emperor Kangxi. After Prince Yi Xuan took over, it was enlarged to be an area of more than 80 mu (an acre is six mu). After the founding of the Republic of China, Madame Song Qingling (spelt as Soong Chin-ling in the West), wife of Dr. Sun Yat-sen and vice chairwoman of the Republic, resided here. All the things here remind people of what had happened in the past.

		The Former Residence of Guo Moruo
	It used to be part of the garden of Emperor Qianlong¡¯s favorite minister He Shen. After the People¡¯s Republic China was founded, it became the embassy building of the Mongolian People¡¯s Republic in China. In 1963, Guo Moruo (famous writer and poet in China) moved in and lived here till he died in 1978. In April, there are two Malus micromalus in the yard, leaving deep impressions on the visitors.

	Of course, besides the above-mentioned historical sites, there are many others such as Prince Gong ¡®s Mansion, the Silver Ingot Bridge, Wanning Bridge, etc.