The History of Zhongguancun: Building a Park and Establishing a Benchmark

The Zhongguancun area was formerly an old river way for the Yongding River, which was known to Beijing residents as “Zhong Wan er (or Middle Bay).” As early as the Ming Dynasty, the area’s picturesque scenery attracted palace eunuchs looking for the perfect burial grounds, thus becoming a sought-after eunuch cemetery. As eunuchs were called “Zhong Guan er (or Chinese officials),” the modern-day innovation hub derived its name, dropping the ‘er’ and becoming “Zhong Guan Cun.”