The hutongs are dark and full of shadows… But fear not! Even though our sold-out public tours have concluded, Beijing’s Banner Watchmen remain committed to keeping you safe after nightfall.
The Nightwatch evening walking tour by Beijing Postcards is now available as a private tour for groups of up to 15 people – perfect for corporate events, embassy outings, or groups of friends. The cost of a private tour for up to 8 people is 3,800RMB or 6,000RMB for 9 to 15 people. If you’d like to book or you need more information, email us on [email protected] and we’ll spring into action.
Hang on, what’s The Nightwatch? We’re glad you asked! As recently as 100 years ago, central Beijing was put under curfew nightly by the Banner Watchmen, former Qing Dynasty soldiers charged with patrolling the hutongs until dawn, keeping the peace and watching out for rebels, bad-eggs, n’er-do-wells, and most critically, fire. Their fascinating, forgotten story is brought to life in this exciting nighttime experience – the product of months of painstaking research by the Beijing Postcards team.
Much of the background material for The Nightwatch walking tour comes from an almost 200-year-old ‘police’ archive first published in 1851, in addition to 100-year-old newspaper clippings, extensive interviews conducted with authors, experts and even old Beijingers.
On the tour you get to retrace the footsteps of a Nightwatchman’s ‘beat’ around the hutongs near to the Drum and Bell Towers with Beijing Postcards’ historian and performer extrordinaire Lars Ulrik Thom, who uses a portable projector to beam photographs onto the walls of old buildings, ramping up the atmosphere in this after-dark experience!
Want to know more about how Beijing Postcards made the Nightwatch? Watch our ‘Making The Nightwatch’ video series here on Youku starring the inimitable Lars. Contact us at info@bespoke-beijing,com to arrange your The Nightwatch experience!
All photos © Ben McMillan.