Old Remains Gold

There couldn’t be a better place than Dashilar Street in Beijing, southwest of famed Tiananmen Square, to witness the continuity of history in China. The bustling commercial area is full of ancient-style architecture including souvenir shops selling handicrafts and other bric-a-bracs, food stores and shops selling time-honored brands such as boots once made for officials of the royal court. Then there are newer entrants like a Starbucks, said to be the largest of its kind in China; and an outlet of Page One, a popular Singaporean bookstore chain with stores in East and Southeast Asia.

This area, which began to be developed during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), will continue to fascinate visitors well into the future as the Beijing