Street vending as part of Beijing’s cultural landscape

Abstract

For centuries, street vending has been an important part of urban life in China. Until the late 1950s, endless trade raws stretched along the streets. Thousands of itinerant artisans and vendors were wandering offering their goods and services. To attract customers, they used various means of information transfer: shouting calls, playing improvised and real musical instruments, and carrying recognisable symbols of their trade (usually it was just the necessary work equipment). In China, street vending invariably developed a distinct subculture, understood by all residents of a certain area. Established calls existed, passed down from generation to generation. A specific vendor was identified by the timbre of his voice or the sound of a particular instrument. These characteristics could vary from city to city and even from neighbourhood to neighbourhood. Beijing, one of the largest cities in the world, was no exception. Founded in 1045 BC, it served as the capital during the Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, and repeatedly fell to foreign invaders. The local culture has absorbed many non-Chinese traditions and possesses a distinctive flavour. The calls of Beijing vendors resembled singing. These calls, along with the musical or vocal accompaniment they evoked, were called huosheng 货声, "the sounds of commerce." It was popularly believed that there were 72 types of commerce in Beijing (an imaginary and approximate number), each with its own distinctive style of call. To this day, seasonal fruits and vegetables are sold from small trucks in Chinese cities. Street vending of prepared foods is particularly important. There are both permanent food streets with numerous establishments and temporary food markets that gather in the evenings for a few hours. Different foods are sold at different times of the year and day, but certain snacks and drinks are popular regardless of the season. In Beijing, particularly popular dishes traditionally include roasted lamb or beef stomachs, chatang (tea soup), douzhi (a thick soybean drink), and, in summer, shaved ice with flavours and chilled drinks. Peddling and calling have become a thing of the past and are now practiced only in small towns and rural areas.