798 Art District

798 Art District is located in the Dashanzi area, to the northeast of central Beijing. It is the site of state-owned factories including Factory 798, which originally produced electronics.

Beginning in 2002, artists and cultural organisations began to divide, rent out, and re-make the factory spaces, gradually developing them into galleries, art centres, artists' studios, design companies, restaurants, and bars. It became a "Soho-esque" area of international character, replete with "loft living," attracting attention from all around. Bringing together contemporary art, architecture, and culture with a historically interesting location and an urban lifestyle, "798" has evolved into a cultural concept, of interest to experts and normal folk alike, influential on our concepts of both urban culture and living space.

798 stands for much more than a three digit number: in Beijing these numbers symbolise the country's cutting edge art movement led by the Chinese vanguard, unchained artistic personalities with alternative life goals. The largest, most influential art district in China - the 798 - hosts world-class international and Chinese exhibitions in the midst of former weapons factories.