Dongzhimen

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Dongzhimen (simplified Chinese: 东直门; traditional Chinese: 東直門; pinyin: Dōngzhímén; Manchu: Tob dergi duka; lit. "East Straight Gate") is the name of one of the gates in the old city walls of Beijing, it is now a transportation node in Beijing.

The 2nd Ring Road currently links, albeit somewhat indirectly, with two roads which eventually become the Airport Expressway and China National Highway 101. A new flyover, and a new express road are being built that will connect directly with the Airport Expressway and is due within 2004.

The Beijing subway network has a node stop at Dongzhimen, where Lines 2 and 13 connect. Line 13 has its eastern terminus at Dongzhimen.

West of Dongzhimen is Guijie, or "Food vessel street" (Dongzhimen Inner Street), extremely well-known to locals as a food street. The character for Gui (簋) refers to a round-mouthed bamboo container for food. The name is frequently mistaken for a similar sounding word, meaning "ghost", so some refer to the street as "Ghost street".

connecting to the east of Dongzhimen is Dongzhimen Outer Street, which connects with the Northern Diplomatic Area and ultimately to the 3rd Ring Road as well as the National Agricultural Exhibition Hall.

1.5 km from Dongzhimen lies the nearby Sanlitun(三里屯） bar street, well-known to the expat community located in the heart of Beijing's North Diplomatic Area.

Just outside the Dongzhimen station is a 'long distance' bus station area, which services a wide range of locations within and outside of Beijing. This includes special buses to the 'great wall' to long distance buses to the mountains and caves north of Beijing and smaller cities like 'Pingguo'.