Liuquanju

Liuquanju is a historic restaurant brand in Beijing, China, with origins traditionally dated to 1567 during the Ming dynasty. Its name is translated as “Willow Spring House,” a reference associated with a large willow tree that was recorded as standing in the restaurant’s courtyard. The establishment was initially known as a Beijing yellow-wine tavern and became part of the city’s long tradition of food, drink, and hospitality businesses. Historical accounts state that Liuquanju’s first owners were merchants from Shandong Province. This background connects the restaurant to the commercial networks that linked Beijing with other parts of China during the late imperial period. Rather than being documented primarily as a modern corporate chain, Liuquanju is presented as a longstanding individual restaurant institution whose significance comes from its age, local identity, and continuity within Beijing’s urban history. In 1949, the restaurant moved to 217 Nandajie Street in Xinjiekou, Beijing. The relocation is a major documented turning point in its history and places the establishment within one of the city’s established commercial and residential districts. Available reference material identifies Liuquanju chiefly through its historical role as a yellow-wine tavern and old Beijing restaurant; it does not provide reliable information about a modern parent company, ownership structure, chain expansion, financial performance, website, or current operating status. Liuquanju’s brand value is therefore primarily heritage-based. Its identity rests on its Ming-dynasty origins, association with Beijing’s traditional drinking and dining culture, Shandong merchant beginnings, evocative willow-tree name, and documented post-1949 relocation. The surviving public information is limited, so details about its current menu, service format, locations, management, and commercial activities remain unconfirmed.

Liuquanju is documented as having been founded in 1567, during the Ming dynasty, making it one of Beijing’s oldest restaurants. Its historical identity was initially that of a yellow-wine tavern serving the city’s dining and drinking public. The establishment’s name is translated as “Willow Spring House.” Historical descriptions connect the name with a large willow tree that stood in the courtyard, giving the business a distinctive place-based identity rooted in its physical surroundings. The first owners are described as merchants from Shandong Province. Their involvement reflects the role of regional merchants in the development of Beijing’s commercial life, although the available reference does not identify the individuals by name or provide a detailed account of the original ownership arrangement. Liuquanju’s early reputation appears to have been tied to yellow wine and tavern culture rather than to a documented modern-style restaurant brand system. Over the centuries, the establishment became associated with Beijing’s long history of traditional restaurants and drinking houses. The available historical account does not document every stage of its development, nor does it establish a continuous record of ownership, renovations, menu changes, or branch operations. Consequently, its history is best understood through the specific milestones that are documented rather than through unsupported claims of uninterrupted operation in a particular form. A significant twentieth-century development occurred in 1949, when Liuquanju moved to 217 Nandajie Street in Xinjiekou, Beijing. This address marks the restaurant’s documented location after the founding of the People’s Republic of China and represents an important transition in its physical history. The reference material does not state whether the move resulted from a change in ownership, government policy, redevelopment, or ordinary business relocation. Publicly available source material identifies Liuquanju primarily as a historic Beijing restaurant and former yellow-wine tavern. It does not establish a current corporate parent, listed status, financial profile, executive team, official website, or confirmed network of branches. Its continuing relevance in reference works comes from its reported 1567 origin and its place among Beijing’s oldest restaurant institutions. Further research would be needed to verify its current operating status, present address, menu, ownership, and relationship to any modern hospitality organization.

• 1949

  Relocation to Xinjiekou

  [1]Liuquanjuen.wikipedia.org

  The restaurant moved to 217 Nandajie Street in Xinjiekou, Beijing.

• 1567

  Founding during the Ming dynasty

  [1]Liuquanjuen.wikipedia.org

  Liuquanju is traditionally dated to 1567, when it began as a Beijing yellow-wine tavern. Its first owners were reportedly merchants from Shandong Province.

A historic Beijing dining and tavern institution positioned around heritage, longevity, and traditional yellow-wine culture.

• Traditional alcoholic beverage

  Beijing yellow wine

  Liuquanju was historically known as a Beijing yellow-wine tavern. The available source identifies yellow wine as central to its original business identity, although it does not specify particular labels, brewing methods, serving formats, or whether the offering remains available today.

• Restaurant dining

  Traditional restaurant food

  As a restaurant and tavern, Liuquanju provided food alongside its beverage service. Public reference material does not document a reliable menu or identify signature dishes, so the cuisine is described only at the level supported by its historical restaurant classification.

1. 1Liuquanjuen.wikipedia.org
2. 2京城老字号推出“送餐到家”服务beijing.qianlong.com