A little bit of beijing 798 blad

A Little Bit of Beijing

798 Li Han / Hu Yan

$19.95 / £15.95

CO NTENT 11

Postscript as Preface

17

Stage

23

From Sanlitun to 798

34

The 1st in 798

42

Life Must Go with Salt and with Taste

50

One More Bookstore Shut Down

58

The House with Holes

66

Rent is the Cause of All Problems

74

Visiting an Exhibition Is like Taking a Walk

82

Who Wants to Pay for Creativity?

90

The Former Young Artists’ Hall

98

The Large Art Stage

106

Forever Red

114

Axonometric Models of 798

117

Memories of My Body

121

Chronological Events of 798

125

Map of 798

CO NTENT 11

Postscript as Preface

17

Stage

23

From Sanlitun to 798

34

The 1st in 798

42

Life Must Go with Salt and with Taste

50

One More Bookstore Shut Down

58

The House with Holes

66

Rent is the Cause of All Problems

74

Visiting an Exhibition Is like Taking a Walk

82

Who Wants to Pay for Creativity?

90

The Former Young Artists’ Hall

98

The Large Art Stage

106

Forever Red

114

Axonometric Models of 798

117

Memories of My Body

121

Chronological Events of 798

125

Map of 798

798

PO STSCR I PT AS PR E FACE “What is past is prologue” – Shakespeare, from The Tempest

It’s been five years since 2008, when we began to record Building No.42 in Sanlitun South. Although progress has been slow, it ceases to end. In 2011, we independently published a pamphlet called A Little Bit of Beijing, which included some notable places in Sanlitun and 798. This pamphlet gained some affirmation at that time, which gave us great encouragement and we decided to keep a long-term record. In 2012, we met Qin Lei from the editorial studio of Tongji University Press in Beijing; we decided to publish A Little Bit of Beijing formally. For this purpose, we restocked content of Sanlitun and 798, turning them into two separate pamphlets and added a new record of Nanluoguxiang.

Production process is long, which means there is a time span about the information of these books. The readers can see the Sanlitun in 2009, 798 in 2011, and Nanluoguxiang in 2012. We once hesitated to update the latest information, and eventually gave up.

11

798

PO STSCR I PT AS PR E FACE “What is past is prologue” – Shakespeare, from The Tempest

It’s been five years since 2008, when we began to record Building No.42 in Sanlitun South. Although progress has been slow, it ceases to end. In 2011, we independently published a pamphlet called A Little Bit of Beijing, which included some notable places in Sanlitun and 798. This pamphlet gained some affirmation at that time, which gave us great encouragement and we decided to keep a long-term record. In 2012, we met Qin Lei from the editorial studio of Tongji University Press in Beijing; we decided to publish A Little Bit of Beijing formally. For this purpose, we restocked content of Sanlitun and 798, turning them into two separate pamphlets and added a new record of Nanluoguxiang.

Production process is long, which means there is a time span about the information of these books. The readers can see the Sanlitun in 2009, 798 in 2011, and Nanluoguxiang in 2012. We once hesitated to update the latest information, and eventually gave up.

11

“The 1st in 798” displayed on the wall is a good slogan.

What does “the 1st” refer to: the 1st store, the largest store, or the sweetest smell?

The more general, the better!

As they advertise, “If you want to arrange a meeting anywhere in 798, please choose Café.” It’s easy to find!

On the wall are the treasures of AITE Café – eight ironic ads depicting Red Star Erguotou: “Two Pot-like Heads”, “Two Bold Heads”, “Two Breast-like Heads”…

This reminds me that Warhol held his own pop art exhibition with 32 pictures of “Campbell Soup Cans”.

Since then the 32 soup cans have firmly occupied their place in the history of world art.

Ordering one more glass of lemon water, I see the sign of the railway: a cover above the word “work”. What an idea!

From my perspective the AITE Café occupies the best location. It stands at the corner of the central square in 798, connecting 751 D-Park in the north and in the south. This is a junction everyone has to pass through.

Few people go up to the second floor. That, along with the extensive vaulted ceiling, provides a quiet and cordial atmosphere and a good place to spend the time.

On the ground floor, the best seats are outside. Both the floor and walls are made of wood, rooting the booming business in the open square.

In the summer the café is always full. The sun makes you sleepy, while the oven makes pizza crispy.

There is a broken wall in the café. Waitresses “drill” out of the hole to take orders.

C h a i r m a n M a o ’s quotations are displayed on the broken wall. Beside the wall, an artist is concentrating on reading the memoirs of Warhol.

I’m sitting on the soft couch and repeating in my heart: “at the café, the 1st in 798. The owner must be inspired by Warhol.”

“The 1st in 798” displayed on the wall is a good slogan.

What does “the 1st” refer to: the 1st store, the largest store, or the sweetest smell?

The more general, the better!

As they advertise, “If you want to arrange a meeting anywhere in 798, please choose Café.” It’s easy to find!

On the wall are the treasures of AITE Café – eight ironic ads depicting Red Star Erguotou: “Two Pot-like Heads”, “Two Bold Heads”, “Two Breast-like Heads”…

This reminds me that Warhol held his own pop art exhibition with 32 pictures of “Campbell Soup Cans”.

Since then the 32 soup cans have firmly occupied their place in the history of world art.

Ordering one more glass of lemon water, I see the sign of the railway: a cover above the word “work”. What an idea!

From my perspective the AITE Café occupies the best location. It stands at the corner of the central square in 798, connecting 751 D-Park in the north and in the south. This is a junction everyone has to pass through.

Few people go up to the second floor. That, along with the extensive vaulted ceiling, provides a quiet and cordial atmosphere and a good place to spend the time.

On the ground floor, the best seats are outside. Both the floor and walls are made of wood, rooting the booming business in the open square.

In the summer the café is always full. The sun makes you sleepy, while the oven makes pizza crispy.

There is a broken wall in the café. Waitresses “drill” out of the hole to take orders.

C h a i r m a n M a o ’s quotations are displayed on the broken wall. Beside the wall, an artist is concentrating on reading the memoirs of Warhol.

I’m sitting on the soft couch and repeating in my heart: “at the café, the 1st in 798. The owner must be inspired by Warhol.”

A Little Bit of Beijing

798

Lif e Mu s t Go with S a lt a n d with Ta s te

42

43

A Little Bit of Beijing

798

Lif e Mu s t Go with S a lt a n d with Ta s te

42

43

A Little Bit of Beijing

798

W h o Wa n ts to Pa y f o r Crea tivity?

82

83

A Little Bit of Beijing

798

W h o Wa n ts to Pa y f o r Crea tivity?

82

83

A Little Bit of Beijing

798

CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS OF 798 1952

The state-owned Beijing North China Radio Union Factory prepares for construction of the 718 joint factories in Jiuxianqiao in northeast Beijing.

1957

The 718 joint factories built by former East Germany become a milestone in the development of China’s electronics industry.

1960s

718 joint factories enters its heyday, and its components account for than a quarter of the country’s total output and half of the military products.

1964

Authorities withdraw 718 joint factories’ organizational system, set up factories of 706, 707, 718, 797, 798 and 751.

1970s

With the advent of the semiconductor era, tube products gradually start to decline. The joint factory is not as good as before.

Late 1980s

With the reform and opening-up policy, the factory was in decline. Workers were laid off. The workshop remained idle for a long time.

120

121

A Little Bit of Beijing

798

CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS OF 798 1952

The state-owned Beijing North China Radio Union Factory prepares for construction of the 718 joint factories in Jiuxianqiao in northeast Beijing.

1957

The 718 joint factories built by former East Germany become a milestone in the development of China’s electronics industry.

1960s

718 joint factories enters its heyday, and its components account for than a quarter of the country’s total output and half of the military products.

1964

Authorities withdraw 718 joint factories’ organizational system, set up factories of 706, 707, 718, 797, 798 and 751.

1970s

With the advent of the semiconductor era, tube products gradually start to decline. The joint factory is not as good as before.

Late 1980s

With the reform and opening-up policy, the factory was in decline. Workers were laid off. The workshop remained idle for a long time.

120

121

A Little Bit of Beijing

798

1995

Sculptor Sui Jianguo rents the 798 factory to create “Sculpture of Anti-Japanese Heros in Lugou Bridge”, becoming the first artist to enter 798. But he soon moved after the sculpture was finished.

2000

The original 706, 707, 718, 797, 798 and 751 factories, these six units were reorganized into Beijing Sevenstar Huadian Technology Group Co., LTD.

2001

Artists began to gather at the 798 factory.

2002

Artists set up their own studios in 798, when the art zone saw its peak period.

2004

Sevenstar group is worried about the influence of artists on its plan of electronic development. It puts forward a rule: don’t rent to artists, cultural workers or foreigners.

In the same year, leaders of the Beijing government made a secret visit to 798, forming a consensus: the art district should not be removed.

2005

The ministry of construction issues guidelines on strengthening the protection of modern urban architectural planning. 718 joint factories belong to the protection category.

2006

As the popularity of 798 continues to rise, Sevenstar group gradually changed its position. 798 was formally identified by the Beijing municipal government as a “cultural and artistic creative industrial park”, and finally came out of the shadows of being demolished.

122

123

A Little Bit of Beijing

798

CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS OF 798 1952

The state-owned Beijing North China Radio Union Factory prepares for construction of the 718 joint factories in Jiuxianqiao in northeast Beijing.

1957

The 718 joint factories built by former East Germany become a milestone in the development of China’s electronics industry.

1960s

718 joint factories enters its heyday, and its components account for than a quarter of the country’s total output and half of the military products.

1964

Authorities withdraw 718 joint factories’ organizational system, set up factories of 706, 707, 718, 797, 798 and 751.

1970s

With the advent of the semiconductor era, tube products gradually start to decline. The joint factory is not as good as before.

Late 1980s

With the reform and opening-up policy, the factory was in decline. Workers were laid off. The workshop remained idle for a long time.

120

121

Drawing Architecture Studio

Founded by architect Li Han and designer Hu Yan in Beijing, Drawing Architecture Studio is a creative platform integrating architecture, art, design, urban study, pop culture, and aiming to explore the new models for the creation of contemporary urban culture. www.d-a-s.cn

Li Han

Hu Yan

Founding Partner of Drawing

Founding Partner of Drawing

Architecture Studio

Architecture Studio

National Class 1 Registered Architect

Portraits by An Tingyi (7 years old)