In the minds of countless people in Shenyang, " food ", " nightlife ", " Korean flavor ", is the Xita Street label.
The Xita area of Shenyang, is the largest gathering area of ethnic Koreans in the three northeastern provinces except for Yanbian Autonomous Prefecture, with about 30,000 ethnic Korean residents. The Xita area connects the three districts of Heping, Tiexi and Huanggu, and is connected to the famous Taiyuan Street in the south, the lively Old Street Northbound in the north of Huanggu, and the Old North City, which is a collection of traditional old shops, in the east.
Why did this area become a gathering place for ethnic Koreans? Let's get back to history.
Shenyang people are well aware of, in the old city of Shenyang on the site of the east, west, south and north of the four corners of the city were built on the four Tibetan-style white tower, four towers were built under the four temples, which is often referred to as the "Shengjing four elephants", the history of the "protection of the country and the people, the town of the four sides of the four towers and four temples! ".
West Tower, as one of the "four elephants of Shengjing", naturally, such as bazaars such as a bustling scene, that is, today's West Tower area of the oldest roots of commercial civilization. And the Xita area as a regional concept formation, can be traced back a hundred years of history.
In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War broke out. After Japan's victory, in order to further encroach on Shenyang and the Northeast, began to build a large number of facilities in Shenyang along the South Manchuria Railway subsidiary. Japan forcibly conscripted a large number of cheap laborers from its colony, the Korean Peninsula.
So where did this labor force live? Definitely had to be by the South Manchuria Railway Annex, so most of the ethnic Koreans chose to live near the West Tower, which was close to the Shenyang Railway Station and its ancillary facilities.
Now the West Tower area, the western end of the city hall road, located in the annexed territory, the Japanese in the past called this road "Hijicho", Hijicho Road, the south side of the then Kwangtung Army Independent Guards land, and the north side of the then Manchurian Railway annexed territory of the famous Hanayagi Street (red-light district) - Yanagicho. -Yanagi Town.
One of the restaurants in Yanagimachi is related to the September 18th Incident.
Before the September 18th Incident, because the Japanese Emperor did not approve the "Incident" plan, coupled with pressure from the Cabinet, senators and public opinion, the Japanese Army held a meeting of the Prime Minister, the Chief of Staff, and the Director of Education on September 14th, and decided on the following on the policy of restraining the Kwantung Army from exercising force. At the same time, it was decided that Major General Kenkawa Miji would be dispatched as a messenger to deliver the Prime Minister's letter to the Kwantung Army Command. However, on the night of the "September 18th Incident", Kenkawa, who had been ordered by the Emperor to prevent the incident, was drunk by Hatani Masayoshi, an auxiliary officer of the Fengtian secret service, at the Kikumon Hotel, a restaurant on Yanagimachi Street with a geisha bar, and a shocking conspiracy by the Kwantung Army came to fruition.
In today's West Tower business district, there used to be a European-style building, that is, the earliest police station in Fengtian Manchu railway dependencies - Fengtian Police Department. 1906 September, the Japanese in Fengtian West Tower to build the Fengtian Police Department office building, the building is beautifully constructed. 1907, the police department was completed. 1929, after the completion of the new police department, the police department moved to the Langtian. In 1929, after the completion of the new police station, the Fengtian Police Station was moved to the new police station at Naniwa Square (now Zhongshan Square). Fengtian Police Department's original location is located in the west side of the West Tower Yanshousi, the current site for the sixth high school playground of the Korean people in Shenyang.
After the victory of the war of resistance against Japan, the Japanese conscripted Korean laborers, they did not choose to leave the land, they have become accustomed to life here and began to flourish, which is the reason why the West Tower area in Shenyang has become a Korean settlement.
The current Xita Korean characteristics of the commercial street, developed from the 1990s. Initially come here investors are mostly South Koreans. They saw the characteristics of the Korean community in the West Tower area, and began to influence the development of this area with their own unique customs. They have opened a number of bath, catering, entertainment facilities, and then the "Korean" a variety of commercial elements covered the West Tower area.
The total length of the West Tower Commercial Street is 682 meters, second only to the U.S. Korea Street, is the world's second largest Korean style street. There are more than 100 businesses on both sides of Xita Street***, including Korean cuisine, comprehensive catering, karaoke rooms, large baths, cafes, bars, Internet cafes, beauty parlors, banks, large department stores and supermarkets, etc., among which there are more than 40 Korean-funded and DPRK-run shopping malls, stores and cultural and entertainment enterprises.
Along with the massive injection of Korean capital, authentic Korean food and pure Korean-style services also followed, from signage, clothing, language to services, almost all are replicas of Korea. The neighborhood and the surrounding style of high and low buildings, quite a Korean flavor, by South Korea and North Koreans called "home" in Shenyang, China, a "small Seoul," said.
The simple pagodas, women in Korean costumes, and restaurants serving Korean food all show that this street is a place where the Korean people live. During the daytime, Seoda Street is bustling with customers, and at night, the neon lights are flashing, presenting a vibrant scene of shopping, food, and fashion.
On the east side of Seokta Street, a street parallel to it is the Korean flavor market. Dry vegetables, dog meat, a variety of Korean mixed vegetables, spices, etc., here everything, is Shenyang's largest and most complete and most authentic Korean flavor market. My family to buy spicy cabbage, on a special trip here.
Speaking of Xita, we can not help but ink some of the food here.
In Seokta, foodies can taste the "Seoul cuisine" and "Pyongyang cuisine" very well. I often entertain foreign friends in the West Tower Street, due to two special features: First, the sashimi series, the top ingredients, exquisite ingredients, a set meal has more than a dozen kinds of patterns, cost-effective, of course, the key is the sashimi taste is excellent, it is difficult to taste other local hotels; second is the North Korean song and dance performances, from the beauty of the North Koreans are sweet and pretty, good at singing and dancing, they are both the waiter and the actress, in the They are both waiters and performers, making you enjoy the food and the eyes at the same time.
Friends, welcome to Shenyang as a guest, then be sure to stroll this unique Xita Street.
Attachment Xita Street style photos