After years of renovation, the much noted Xianyukou Hutong in the bustling Qianmen area of downtown Beijing is welcoming visitors with a whole new look.

After years of renovation, the much noted Xianyukou Hutong in the bustling Qianmen area of downtown Beijing is welcoming visitors with a whole new look.

Xianyukou is literally translated as Fish Street. It's an appropriate name because it was the fish market for old Beijing.

The alley, packed with time-honored brands of Beijing snacks, was once among the most frequently visited places by locals.

The hawking performance by actors ring a bell in the collective memory of those who grew up in old Beijing. The newly re-opened Xianyukou, measuring around seven meters in width, is suffused with a number of time-old brands that were originally located in the street, including Bianyifang Roast Duck, and Jinfang Snacks known for its rich assortment of traditional Beijing snacks.

The refurbished Xianyukou aims at recreating the original style of the alley. Stalls selling snacks line the Hutong, ready for curious spectators to try one after another.

Tian Xing Ju restaurant, celebrated for its tried and true recipes of stewed livers, sells an average of 5-hundred bowls of stewed livers right after reopening. Diners from all around town are attracted to the time-honored brand out of admiration and its reputation.

Zheng Jianhua, who's been engaged in cooking livers for nearly thirty years, says he's more than happy to return to the original place where his elder generations started a career.

Zheng Jianhua said, "I feel content when diners give a thumbs up saying my dishes are as delicious as back in the old days. Their words add to my confidence that I will pass my skills on to the next generation."

The re-launch of the Xianyukou Hutong wouldn't have been completed without aid from the government. Thanks to the annual fiscal support of 10-million yuan three years in a row, the once flourishing Xianyukou Hutong, which was ignored by all for a long time, has returned to the public eye.

The renovation project of Xianyukou Hutong is part of the reparative program of the Qianmen area, one of the most bustling commercial centers in Beijing. The program attempts to bring out the new flavor of modern Beijing while maintaining its historical architecture.