798's Yesterday

The 798 complex, which brings together contemporary art, architecture, and culture at a historically interesting location and with an urban lifestyle, 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.

In the 1990's, because the productions of most factories did not sell well, the factory owners rented out some of the unused workshops in order to tide over the difficulties.
The 798 complex came into being in 1995, when the Central Academy of Fine Arts' rented it to use as a sculpture workshop. The workshop, which in its early days was known as the sculpture factory, is still thriving.

In 2000, an American named Robert, an active figure in Beijing's art circles, came to the area. Robert changed the factory dinning hall into an art bookstore, which has since become the haunt of local artists. Upon Robert's recommendation, more and more people came to 798 to set up art workshops, exhibition halls, and galleries. Robert, in effect, introduced factory 798 to the world.

Beginning in 2002, more and more artists and cultural organizations began to divide, rent out, and re-make the factory spaces, gradually developing them into galleries, art centers, artists' studios, design companies, and even restaurants and bars. Hence, gradually the 798 complex became a "Soho-esque" area of international character, replete with "loft living," attracting attention from all around.

 Blooming in Spring

The people who work or live in this area are not merely limited to the urban fringe -- bei piao (those who want to find a job or develop their career in Beijing) --, but also include a large number of contemporary artists.