Best area in Beijing for full Chinese immersion? Chongwenmen?

[pingpangqiu]

Hi,

I've studied Chinese for about a year and a half in Shanghai and am moving to Beijing in February 2008. I am looking to live in an area in Beijing with very few foreigners (if any!) so I can practice my Chinese as much as possible. HOWEVER I do not want to be too far away from all the action! (and the occassional western meal) and especially Peking and Tsinghua Universities for sporting reasons. After reading an excellent post on the Beijinger forum (not that this forum is not excellent of course!) I was thinking of living in or around CHONGWENMEN or somewhere next to a subway station on line 5. As the line 5 of the subway has recently opened making this area very accessible to the rest of Beijing. From my understanding it is still only 2 RMB to travel anywhere on the subway in Beijing?

Are there any areas near Peking University that have very few foreigners but are near to a subway line? (I know this is the area for all the foreign students, but maybe there is somethere say 20-30 mins away with far less foreigners... I would really appreciate any advice from anyone who lives in Beijing or has lived there in the past. How far would it be from Chongwenmen subway station to Peking Uni? I've seen it's about 13 stops on the subway and then I guess 10-20 minutes walk. About an hour then I guess?

Any other suggestions for areas in Beijing that have very very few foreigners but are within easy access of Peking Uni and other areas with many western restaurants/bars?

For example in Shanghai many western restaurants/bars are located in Jing An Temple and Hengshan Road (amonst other places). I would not want to live in these two areas, but it is nice to live in a place with easy access to them in order to get some western food now and then or to visit a western bar from time to time.

For reference please find below the post from the Beijinger that gives a summary of the different areas to live in Beijing:

Haidian: Student district. Can find lots of low end apartments from the 70s and 80s full of laid-off factory workers. Around universities (Wudaokou, Xinjiekou, Xizhimen) Lots of newish mid-level 2-3 bedroom apartments perfect for students.

Dongcheng: Young expat district. The huge mid-level apartment complexes at Jiaodaokou, Dongzhimen (Minan Xiaoqu, etc.), and Chaoyangmen are perfect for 1,2, and 3 bedroom young expats keeping rent down.

Chaoyang: Older expats. Lots of Luxury apartments for those on the expat package or with a high enough salary to afford the perks. Good areas near Sanlitun, Chaoyang Park, etc

Shunyi: Way out near the airport. Expat package with children. Suburbia in Southern California style. (you will need a car)

Xicheng: Old China hand. Courtyards around the lakes and Xidan for those who have lived everywhere else and know the value of a Scholar's rock.

Xuanwumen, Chongwenmen, Hebei: Beijing immersion. No foreigners live here. If they do, it's either because they're fully integrated into Beijing and have bought a cheap apartment for investment or they're an English teacher with a job way out in the 'burbs. Although this may change when the subways are in place.

Many thanks for your help

[muyongshi]

From my impressions if you are looking for full immersion, Beijing is not the way to go....

[roddy]

Moved away over the summer, but if I was moving back to Beijing I'd want to go back to the area I talk about here. Sounds pretty much like what you are looking for. Rents there - and indeed it seems everywhere in Beijing - have gone up a bit lately though. The new subway line(s?) will be bringing new areas within reasonable distance of Chaoyang, but I'm not sure if there are any which will bring you close to both Sanlitun and Wudaokou.

From my impressions if you are looking for full immersion, Beijing is not the way to go....

OP has specified Beijing. Let's not go messing with his / her plans . . .

[imron]

Chongwenmen to Peking university would be a horrible commute. I used to commute from Wudaokou to Dongzhimen and it would take me 50 minutes door-to-door (with the relevant doors both being less than 5 minutes walk from the subway).

Wudaokou -> Xizhimen takes about 15 minutes. Factor in another 10 minutes for transfer time and waiting for trains, and then it takes about 15 minutes on line-2 from Xizhimen to Chongwenmen. Also, I would avoid the trap of thinking that being somewhere on line 5 makes the commute convenient simply because 1) line 5 is incredibly crowded (especially during peak hour where some stations you may need to wait for a train or two before you can get on) and 2) it adds another interchange, and although the subway lines are "connected", in practice, they're not connected in a very convenient way.

Anyway, from Wudaokou, I would say that the east gate of Peking University is at least a half-hour walk from the subway station. However the east gate is probably going to be far from where you want to be on campus though, so add another 5-10 minutes to walk to the relevant buildings.

If you're going to be walking from the subway station then all told, you're looking at around 80-90 minutes each way. Bear in mind that if you're traveling during peak hours, everyone will be crammed in to the subway carriage like sardines.

The thing is, I don't think you can really find a place in Beijing that is close to the University district, close to western restaurants/bars and that then also has little to no foreigners. Probably the area Roddy mentioned is going to be closest to what you want.

Having said that, even if you choose to live in a location that supposedly has many foreigners, the number of Chinese people there will be far greater. Just avoid the main foreigner haunts and you'll still be able to get decent immersion.

[Han-tiger]

While considering coming to live in Beijing, the top priority can be DISTANCE. My suggestion is not to count too much on the local public transit, for there is a horrifying large population in this city. Maybe it is good for you to find out a place in Haidian District.

[heifeng]

my impression was almost anywhere along the line 13 doesn't have that many foreigners, and feels like it's far away from the center of beijing, and you can easily take the 13 to wudaokou. Otherwise, xiao ying wasn't too bad, which I mentioned in that thread that Roddy linked. The 5 runs through there now, but you would have to transfer lines or take the 656 to wudaokou. It didn't have many foreigners at all when I lived there, yet was across from that japanese huatang grocery store chain which was very convenient. Housing may be more reasonable in these 2 areas. Just keep in mind immersion is mostly on your end:mrgreen:

[pingpangqiu]

Many thanks for all the interesting info. it will be really helpful.

I agree that Beijing is not the best place for full Chinese immersion,

but I have set my heart on discovering Beijing's culture and of course

being there in the run-up to and during the Olympics. I'm also quite

stubborn about hanging around with locals as much as possible and

using every opportunity to practice my Chinese, so despite all the

foreigners in the city I think I can still create a condusive environment

to improve. Have a good one people

[here2learn]

Sounds like you've decided on Chongwenmen?

I live just north of Dongzhimen and in my complex of about 10 big apartment buildings there are maybe 2 other foreigners. I see them walking maybe once every month or two, and say nothing more than hi anyway.

I make chinese small talk with the elevator ladies and door guards, sometimes neighbors... no one in any of the local stores speak english. Maybe my local McD's would speak english if I needed it but I've only been there twice and used chinese. It seems people near me are glad I speak chinese and have no desire to speak english with me. I wouldn't be able to get much done around here if I didn't speak some chinese, even though I'm still at a low level.

It's a 10-15 minute walk/wait for bus, then 10-15min bus ride to Gongren tiyuchang (Worker's Stadium / Sanlitun). 5 min walk to a subway station. I'm very happy here.

[imron]

Don't forget to do a write up in the accommodation thread