Now that factory is closed down, but it has been replaced by a new enterprise, which Eric Duluc, president of the Paris-based Federation International du Tourisme, described as "le Palais du Louvre of the People's Republic of China," or China's Louvre, during his visit to Beijing last November.

It is Beijing Baigongfang, the largest handicraft development and production center in China, which had just started operation at that time.

"Baigongfang" literally means "a workshop for 100 kinds of handicrafts." Because it has served as the country's capital for many centuries, Beijing has developed a wide range of highly sought arts and crafts with distinctive local features, some of which date back more than 900 years. And Chongwen District is believed to have been the cradle of Beijing's handicraft industry.