Lao She Teahouse
老舍茶馆
A Beijing-style teahouse in Qianmen where you can drink lidded tea, eat palace-style snacks, and watch a medley of Peking opera, crosstalk, acrobatics, face-changing, and other folk arts.
The Lao She Teahouse is named after the writer Lao She and his play Teahouse. It opened in 1988 on West Qianmen Street and is decorated in the style of an Old Beijing teahouse. It has hosted many foreign heads of state. Each evening, the performance hall presents a medley of Peking opera excerpts, crosstalk, kuaiban (clapper talk), acrobatics, Sichuan opera face-changing, and gongfu tea. The show lasts about 90 minutes. Tickets range from over 100 to several hundred yuan depending on seat, and include tea and snacks. Daytime visitors can enjoy big bowls of tea and small folk performances. Visit in the evening after exploring Qianmen and Tiananmen, and book your seat in advance.
Opening hours
10:00 am–9:30 pm (evening show starts approx. 7:50 pm)
Nearby sights
- Zhengyangmen (Qianmen)
- Mausoleum of Mao Zedong
- National Centre for the Performing Arts
- Qianmen Street & Dashilar
- Tiananmen Square
- National Museum of China
- Zhongshan Park (Beijing)
- Liulichang Culture Street