Workers move items of Fangshan Restaurant in the Beihai Park, Beijing, April 20, 2016. (Photo/Beijing Youth Daily)
(ECNS) -- Beijing Fangshan Restaurant, a famous location offering luxurious imperial court cuisine, is moving from the Jade Island of Beihai Park and is expected to reopen in late May, Beijing Youth Daily reported on Thursday.
Fangshan, located on the lakeside of Beihai Park, dates back to 1925, when cooks from the imperial palace opened a teahouse in the area. It was renamed Fangshan Restaurant in 1956, and has been operating in the famous Yilantang Hall for 57 years, the report said.
Designated by the Beijing Tourism Bureau as "a foreign restaurant that serves Chinese imperial cuisine," the restaurant's guests included former leaders Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping, as well as distinguished international visitors.
The restaurant is moving to the north shore of Beihai Park, the former site of Fangshan Restaurant, the report said.
The relocation is part of efforts to protect cultural heritages. Its current site was the place for Emperor Qianlong to read and offer court banquets, and will be open to tourists with a historical culture exhibition soon, according to experts.
