Commenting on this phenomenon, mainland Chinese cultural critic Xie Xizhang notes that the residential patterns of old Bei-jing were disrupted by the Cultural Revolution. High-ranking government officials used to live primarily on the east side, and the area had a very cultured air. Rich merchants congregated on the west side, while the south side was the plebian part of town.
針對這樣的現象，大陸文化評論家解璽章表示，過去北京有所謂的東貴西富，是指東城多住官員，有著濃厚的士大夫文化，而西城是生意人的地盤，至於南城，則屬常民的天橋文化。