The City at Night One third of the day, we work. Another 1/3, we sleep. We keep the precious rest to ourselves for fun. Work may change at any time. Time slips away in bed. Only nightlife is immortal. Forget about your daytime worries and get lost in this wild, nighttime playground. Beijing: In Search of Happiness Compared with Shanghai and Guangzhou, Beijing's nightlife seems less charming. Even Beijingers would have to agree. Whether it is due to climate or custom, Beijing's nightlife doesn't hold a candle to Guangzhou or Shanghai. However, there are still places for you to go and enjoy the night. Don't worry about having the latest nightlife guide. The Sanlitun bar strip remains the most popular and recognizable bar district in Beijing. Most of the patrons are young and like to play just as hard as they work. If you're looking for a more intense night, try the disco halls or Karaoke clubs(more commonly known as KTVs, short for Karaoke Television). Want to experience a traditional Beijing night? Try Laoshe Teahouse in Qianmen for its original flavor. Sip the culture of the old city from a cup of tea or watch the traditional Beijing opera in an elegantly furnished building. Don't forget to shout 'Bravo!' for the brilliant performers! Another place to visit is the Shicha-hal Bar Zone. Shicha-hai is a natural lake with a 700-year history. Since Beijing is short of water resources, Shicha-hai is considered a blessed place. While the rest of the capital city is on the express train to modernization and globalization, Shicha-hal is one of the few places where you can still hear the singing of insects and stroll around old Siheyuan(traditional style. single story houses with rows of rooms around the four sides of a courtyard). These bars have one thing in common, unattractive outsides and unexpectedly charming insides. Old compounds and vogue trends have their proper place, making Shicha-hal sexy. If you go hungry and want to try something special in a restaurant, don't miss Guijie in the eastern part of the city. The food vendors on the street thrive after 2 a. m. The most popular color here is the red of the lights that stretch along the street, and the most mouthwatering cuisine is the spicy crayfish. In the hot days of summer or on snowy winter nights, this street is always a hot hit. You can try all kinds of Chinese cooking along this street that is no more than 1500 meters long. The food is cheap and the service is good. Most of the restaurants are in business around the clock. Your only worry is about how to eat it all with only one stomach! It's easy to overlook familiar sites but it is a mistake to do so in Beijing. Keep yourself curious, explore the city and the Beijing nights won't desert you. Shanghai: Players with Taste Shanghai nights are a mixture of cigar smoke, jazz and red wine with a lingering fragrance of romance. It appeals to all your sensory organs and can be an emotional experience. Shanghai is the most Xiaozi city in China. Xiaozi refers to a specific life style. and spiritual pattern practiced mainly in white collar and intellectual(知识分子) circles. It is characterized by the pursuit of individualism, extraordinary and refined tastes and exquisite and graceful lifestyles. Paoba(loitering in bars), is quite Xiaozi. Pao means soaking, an accurate metaphor of what one does in a bar—soaking oneself in a relaxing atmosphere as in a hot spring, soothing your flesh and soul with good wine, music and conversation. The people in Shanghai put emphasis on the style. of Paoba. There are a host of exotic, top grade bars in the city, most of which are clustered on the renowned Hengshan Road, which used to be a lofty uptown area during the French Concession in the early 20th century. The styles of the bars are as varied as th