There are six branches around Beijing, but the flagship of the empire is at Qianmen Dajie.

BBC: Sampling Beijing��s imperial duck

Zhang is among those who lost their homes within the Qianmen area.

CNN: Beijing's past faces its future

Further north of Qianmen is a neighborhood called Gulou that is home to the historic Drum and Bell Towers, which have helped Beijing mark the time of day for centuries.

CNN: April 10, 2012 -- Updated 1353 GMT (2153 HKT)