Space invaders(3)

Mined for many local ghost tales, No.81 on Chaoyangmennei Dajie is full of haunting

European-style flourishes now in disrepair, such as this staircase. Photos: Li Hao/GT

Into the unknown

As we brush past the thick cotton candy cobwebs of No.81's creaky staircase, Zhao proceeds to don a large gas mask for a photo op. It makes him look like a cross between an elephant on two legs and a glass eyed fly.

"I wear a mask because I don't want to be in the scene," Zhao muffles from within the fascia.

As we make our way to the top of the building, Zhao suggests that walking in alignment with the ceiling beams below might be a good idea to avoid falling through the floor. He's right. The weathered wooden flooring seems to be incredibly precarious in parts. This is not the sort of place you want to have an accident.

On the walls are graffiti inscriptions in Chinese. One says, "Forbidden. Go in and you will die." Another reads, "It's getting cold, bring clothes for me." There's even a quote from Mao's Snow, a rallying poem from 1936: "All are past and gone! For truly great men, look to this age alone."

Flashlight in hand, Zhao leads Metropolitan into the huge basement, announcing that there is rumored to be an underground tunnel leading all the way to Tuanjiehu Lake. We soon discover a hole in the ground in one of the many dank basement rooms. As the more experienced explorer, Zhao volunteers to descend first.

Lowering ourselves in carefully, we tread bent double about 5 meters forward until we reach a turn. The ceiling of the tunnel is incredibly moist. As we turn, a bricked up wall greets us. There's no tunnel to Tuanjiehu Lake after all.

We emerge from the mouth of the basement's concrete burrow and onto the street.

"It's enjoyable to get a sense of the past but it's not the main significance for me," Zhao concludes.

"Sometimes when you're standing in a large discarded place," he says, then pauses for a moment. "It's just a fantastic feeling."

Top 3 urban exploration sites in Beijing

No.81 Haunted House

Built: 1900 in Dongcheng district - Emperor's faith gift to British colonists

Directions: Take Subway Line 2 to Chao­yangmen Station. From exit H take the underpass across Chaoyangmennei Dajie and head east until you reach No.81.

Access level: Medium - guarded compound but easy climb through ground floor window

309 Catholic Hospital

Built: About 1919 in Haidian district - China's first Catholic teacher training college

Directions: Take Subway Line 4 to Anheqiao North Station. Then take bus 697, 112, 718 or 330 to Baiwangshan. Walk 280 meters to the hospital.

Access level: Easy - just walk around the back and into the building

Shougang Industrial Heritage Park

Built: 1919 in Shijingshan district

Directions: Travel to the end of Subway Line 1 to Pingguoyuan Station. Head west on Chang'an Avenue until you see the large industrial zone.

Access level: Difficult - areas not sanctioned for tour groups have guarded and padlocked gates