Nancai

What’s in a name? Plenty, if you’re talking about Nancai Town. Nancai sits right here in the center of Shunyi District, Beijing. It’s a bustling area, south of Beixiaoying Town, west of Yang Town, north of Lisui and Renhe Towns, and east of Shuangfeng Subdistrict. In 2020, over 73,000 people called Nancai home. The story of Nancai’s name is fascinating. It originates from a village simply called “Cai.” During the Yuan dynasty, Cai Village split, creating north and south villages. The southern half became what we now know as Nancai. This division happened sometime between 1271 and 1368, giving Nancai a history stretching back hundreds of years. Nancai Town wasn’t always a town. It went through many changes over time. Before 1949, the area we know as Nancai was divided between two counties: Yuxinzhuang in Miyun County and Daxingzhuang in Sanhe County. After 1949, it became part of Shunyi County as the 7th District. It transitioned from a management district within a People’s Commune, to a People’s Commune itself, then a township, and finally achieved town status in 1989. It even absorbed another township, Fengbo, in 1997. Today, Nancai Town is made up of one community and 26 villages. Imagine the tapestry of lives woven together within this vibrant community! This area has seen dynasties rise and fall, its name echoing the changes through time. From a single village to a dynamic town, Nancai holds a piece of Beijing’s rich history within its borders.