Xuanwu Men Station | "Xuan Nan"(South of Xuanwumen)

During the 32nd year of the Jiajing reign in the Ming Dynasty (1553 AD), when the construction of the outer city of Beijing was underway, seven “Fang”(districts in ancient China)were established, including Zhengxi (west) Fang, Zhengnan (South) Fang, Xuannan Fang, Xuanbei Fang, and Baizhi Fang which were located in the area south of Xuanwumen and west of Qianmen. As a result, the term "Xuannan" originated and gradually became a general term used by people during the Ming and Qing Dynasties to refer to this area. Exploring Xuannan culture allows one to experience the development and unique characteristics of Beijing's cultural heritage.