A breadbox, or miandi, was the Beijinger's nickname for the now deceased mini-van taxi. Usually yellow, the breadbox had a flimsy build, few safety mechanisms, and allowed the passenger access across Beijing for only 10 yuan. The breadbox taxi arrived in Beijing in 1988 and quickly grew in popularity and demand, accounting for 50% of the city's taxis by 1993. Rickety and eccentric, the breadbox became an image synonomous with Beijing.

In 1999, with both the nation's 50th anniversary celebration and the 2008 Olympic bid approaching, the breadbox taxi was banned. The cars were mostly taken to massive breadbox graveyards where they were turned into scrap metal. The disappearance of the inexpensive and widespread automobile signaled the end of an era, as newer, cleaner, safer cars were introduced.