A new pedestrian street has opened in Beijing's historic Longfu Temple area, bringing modern shops and cultural experiences to a site with centuries of history.

The street, which opened to the public on Sept 17, is intended as a new cultural landmark for the capital. More shops and restaurants are set to launch in the last quarter of this year.

Foreign guests attending the Beijing Culture Forum on Sept 23 and 24 toured the site and praised its revival.

"The street is introducing elements that appeal to younger visitors, such as performances, markets, sports and outdoor activities," said Gao Tianliang, spokesperson for Beijing New Longfu Cultural Investment Co.

The project has already attracted a number of high-profile "first stores" to Dongcheng district, including the Mahua Fun Age A99 Theater for comedy plays, the first designer hotel in North China under the NOA brand, China's first 7mesh cycling-themed shop, the first Red Star Forward Fresh Milk Cake store and a new concept store by outdoor brand Shanshui. Well-known names such as Sony ExploraScience and All Time Space have also set up outlets.

Time-honored Beijing brands are joining in with a modern twist. Traditional medicine producer Tongrentang has opened a cafe serving TCM-flavored drinks such as goji berry and dried tangerine peel lattes alongside herbal pancakes, while Daoxiangcun has launched a themed "treasure hunt" store for its dim sums.

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen

Editor Ⅱ: Wu Dan

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong