"798" is located in the Dashanzi area, to the northeast of central Beijing. It is the site of government-owned electronics factories. Circa 2002, artists and various cultural organizations began to divvy up, rent out, and re-vamp the factory spaces, slowly developing them into art galleries, artists' studios, design companies, cafes, and bars. It markets itself as a "Soho-esque" area of international hipsterism, right down to its loft apartments. I've never seen a neighborhood quite like this before, the perfect venue for a mellow afternoon saunter.

More on 798's history here.