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Beijing in the 1980s: Fascinating Photos Show Street Scenes and Everyday Life

Beijing is the capital and second-largest city in China. It has a rich history dating back to millennia. As the last of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, Beijing has been the political center of the country for most of the past eight centuries. Beijing is famous for its opulent palaces, temples, parks, gardens, tombs, walls, and gates. It has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

These fascinating photos will take you back to the old Beijing in the 1980s. It was the time when the economic reforms of the 1980s accelerated the development and Beijing changed dramatically. New shopping centers and residential buildings appeared throughout the city, and high-tech industrial parks were established, especially in the suburbs. The urban area of the city expanded greatly with the completion of the 2nd Ring Road in 1981 and the subsequent addition of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Ring Roads. The city planners advised the government that Beijing would no longer attract heavy industry. The aging inner core of the city, where the historical relics are concentrated, would have low-density development and renew over time.

#1 Children go to the streets and require adults to lead

#4 Striving towards no more than 1.2 billion people in 2000

Striving towards no more than 1.2 billion people in 2000

#5 Traffic safety concerns every household’s happiness

#7 Army truck. Walking from the Beijing Hotel to the Forbidden City, along the Avenue of Eternal Peace

Army truck. Walking from the Beijing Hotel to the Forbidden City, along the Avenue of Eternal Peace

#9 Beijing street scenes

Beijing street scenes

#12 Beijing traffic

Beijing traffic

#15 Chang’an Avenue

Chang'an Avenue

#18 Chiseling out a stone pillar by hand

Chiseling out a stone pillar by hand

#20 Famous Lantian department store for clothes, Wangfujing

#21 Fruit stall selling pears

Fruit stall selling pears

#22 Fruit vendors near dam, probably the dam on the trip to the Ming tombs and Great Wall at Badaling

#24 Hard sleeper to Xi’an

Hard sleeper to Xi'an

#27 In full swing, Beihai Park

In full swing, Beihai Park

#30 Lantian, Wangfujing

Lantian, Wangfujing

#33 Old lady, Beihai Park

Old lady, Beihai Park

#35 One of the first fast food joints in Beijing, with some brand like Donald Duck

#36 One of the first fast food joints in Beijing, with some brand like Donald Duck

One of the first fast food joints in Beijing, with some brand like Donald Duck

#39 Plastering a wall

Plastering a wall

#42 Propaganda boards in Beijing

Propaganda boards in Beijing

#45 Qianmen

Qianmen

#48 Sticking coins to the Echo Wall

Sticking coins to the Echo Wall

#49 The girl touches her hair when looking at the haircut models

#51 The Sacred Way of Beijing Ming Tombs

The Sacred Way of Beijing Ming Tombs

#54 Toy store in Beijing

Toy store in Beijing

#57 Woman at the bicyle storage

Woman at the bicyle storage

#60 Beijing street scenes

Beijing street scenes

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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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