阚超群

I could easily list 10 things I do not like about Beijing， but at the same time I could list twice as many that I love about the city， which has been my home for 10 years.

As the countrys capital， Beijing has the best of everything China has to offer， from technology and culture to talented people. I love life in the cosmopolis， with its modernity and convenience， and the international exposure it provides.

I like the part of Beijing life that connects the present and the past， such as the retired men who gather in Jingshan Park for “bird walking” （morning walks carrying their caged birds）， people fishing in the Liangma River， and the wormwood hung on the gates to the Dragon Boat Festival to ward off misfortune.

Where to live： Haiyuncang Hutong

Haiyuncang Hutong mixes the modern with the traditional. Its name means “barn storing grains that were transported by sea”. It is an old community full of life， 3km north-east of the Forbidden City， the vast imperial palace in central Beijing.

Every morning， our neighbourhood of apartment buildings， home to some 10，000 people， is full of parents sending children to school on their bicycles， grannies holding bags of vegetables from the morning markets and old men practising tai chi in the park.

Across the street are rows of traditional hutong （narrow alleyway） houses， along with restaurants， schools， cultural spaces， barbershops and mah-jong rooms.

If I want a taste of “modern” Beijing， five minutes on the trolleybus takes me to Sanlitun， one of the citys most dynamic， fashionable and international areas， full of interesting bars， nightclubs， fancy hotels and flagship luxury stores.

Where to have dinner

Beijing has several good Yunnan restaurants， but In & Out， which is part of a chain， is the one I go to. The cooking in southern Chinas Yunnan province is famous for its freshness and use of herbs. For me， it has the best mushroom dishes of any Chinese cuisine.

The In & Out near the Workers Stadium sports complex is spacious and simply decorated， with greenery and artwork from ethnic minorities such as the Yi and Hani. The waiting staff are from Yunnan， and are always willing and proud to answer my questions on their dishes.

Where to discover art

Songzhuang art colony in the citys eastern suburbs is the biggest concentration of artists in Beijing， numbering thousands. Many of their works are reflections on social issues.

As the area has become more famous， however， property developers have been eyeing it up， and many galleries and studios have already been demolished. The artists themselves， who embody a spirit of free thinking and creativity， remain committed to fighting to retain their community.

Where to watch a film

Located in a hutong in central Beijing， Camera Stylo is a cinema， bar and art space. It screens several classic films each week and has monthly themes， such as Halloween.

You can rent a room for private screenings. I have done this a few times with friends. One summer night a few years ago we selected a film， ordered some wine and had a beautiful night on the roof with fierce discussions about politics and current affairs.

Where to listen to music

East Shore Live Jazz Café， hidden away in a corner of the touristy Houhai lake area， is small and cosy. Sitting at the window， you can see the lights from nearby venues reflected on the lake and watch tourists laughing and taking photos， while the beautiful jazz flows through the room. It is a place for me to forget my worries.

Where to walk

Ditan Park is big， quiet and very central. It is beautiful in the autumn when the ginkgo （maidenhair） trees turn yellow. “Ditan” means “altar of the earth”， and the park has a temple and altar dedicated to the god of the earth. Pensioners join in with group activities here， such as dancing， singing Beijing opera， practising tai chi or just strolling.

Where to write

I need to pay special tribute to The Bookworm in Sanlitun， which closed because of a problem with its lease. During its 14-year life， it was the centre of Beijing literary life. A bookshop， library， bar， restaurant and event venue， it was the best place to meet people， or to sit by yourself， reading or writing.

Nowhere else in the city compares for the dynamic， open environment it provided for deep discussions or constructive debate. It may be premature to say the bookshop is dead， however， as its management team is looking for a new venue.

我可以轻松列举出我不喜欢北京的10个理由，但同时也能列舉出我爱北京的20个理由。北京是我生活了10年的家。

作为中国的首都，北京拥有中国所能呈现的最好的一切，从科技到文化到人才。我喜欢这个国际大都市的生活，享受它的现代和便利，以及它提供的国际交流机会。

我喜欢北京生活中连接现在与过去的那些场景，比如退休的大爷聚集在景山公园遛鸟（早晨拎着鸟笼散步），人们在亮马河钓鱼，临近端午节在门上悬挂艾草辟邪。

在哪儿住：海运仓胡同

海运仓胡同融合了现代与传统。它的名字意思是“储存海运谷物的粮仓”。这是一个充满活力的老社区，位于紫禁城——北京市中心庞大的皇家宫殿——东北方向3公里处。

我们这个小区约有1万居民，每天清晨，小区附近都是骑着自行车送孩子上学的父母、拎着早市上刚买的一袋袋蔬菜的大妈，还有在公园里打太极的大爷。

街对面是一排排老式的胡同（狭窄的小巷）房，还有餐馆、学校、文化空间、理发店和棋牌室（可打麻将）。

如果想领略“现代”北京，只要搭乘无轨电车，5分钟就能到三里屯——北京最有活力、最时尚、最国际化的地方之一，尽是有趣的酒吧、夜总会、豪华酒店和奢侈品旗舰店。

去哪儿吃

北京有几家不错的云南餐厅，而我常去的那家连锁餐厅名叫“一坐一忘丽江主题餐厅”。云南省位于中国南部，其烹饪以新鲜食材和使用药草闻名。我认为云南有全中国最好的菌菇菜。

这家店靠近工人体育馆，店面宽敞，装修简单，摆放了绿植及彝族、哈尼族等少数民族的艺术品作为装饰。服务员都来自云南，对于我关于他们家菜肴的提问，总是乐于回答，言语满是自豪。

到哪儿探寻艺术

宋庄艺术区位于北京东郊，是北京最大的艺术家聚集地，聚集了几千名艺术家。他们的很多作品都反映了社会问题。

然而，随着宋庄艺术区的名气越来越大，房地产开发商也瞄准了这里，很多画廊和工作室已被拆除。代表着自由思想和创造精神的艺术家们依然全力争取保留他们的社区。

上哪儿看电影

位于北京市中心一条胡同里的“摄影笔”是一家电影院，同时也是酒吧和艺术空间。那里每周都会放映几部经典电影，还有万圣节这样的月度主題展映。

你可以租一间私人放映厅。我就跟朋友租过几次。几年前一个夏天的晚上，我们选了一部电影，点了一些红酒，在屋顶露台热烈地讨论时事政治，度过了一个美好的夜晚。

到哪儿听音乐

“东岸爵士吧”隐匿在游客嘈杂的后海的一个角落里，空间不大，很舒适。坐在窗边，能看到附近场地的灯光倒映在湖里，看到游客说笑拍照，与此同时，优美的爵士乐在室内流动。对我来说这真是个忘却烦恼的好地方。

去哪儿散步

地坛公园位于市中心，地方很大，很安静。秋天银杏变黄时，公园美极了。“地坛”意思是“祭地之坛”。公园里有一座寺庙和祭坛，用于祭祀地神。退休的老人会来这里参加集体活动，比如跳舞、唱京剧、打太极，或者就是散散步。

在哪儿写作

我要对三里屯的“老书虫书吧”致以特别的谢意。这家书吧因为租约问题已停止营业。在14年的营业生涯里，它一直是北京文学生活的中心。它不仅是家书店，同时也是图书馆、酒吧、餐厅和活动场所，不管是与人会面，还是独坐看书写字，那里都是最好的去处。

“老书虫书吧”为进行深度交流或建设性辩论提供了活跃开放的环境，北京其他任何地方都无法与之媲美。不过，说这家书店已死可能为时尚早，因为管理团队正在寻找新的场地。

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者）