Hutongs in Beijing are the most vivid carriers of memories in this millennium-old imperial capital, with each one telling stories of years gone by. Today, let’s step into Beijing’s hutongs and feel that unique Beijing charm~
Historical Origin
Beijing’s hutongs originated in the Yuan Dynasty, boasting a profound historical and cultural heritage. During the Yuan Dynasty, hutongs formed a chessboard-like pattern and were built around wells. Their number kept growing in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, reaching as many as 2,077 by the late Qing Dynasty. The term “hutong” is derived from Mongolian, with meanings such as “well” and “settlement”.
Recommended Featured Hutongs
- Nanluoguxiang: One of Beijing’s oldest neighborhoods, it is the only place in China that fully preserves the texture of Yuan Dynasty hutongs and courtyards. Running north-south, it has 8 hutongs on each east and west side arranged in a “fishbone shape”, also known as “Centipede Street”. Here, you can find the simplicity of Ming Dynasty residences blended with the vitality of modern cultural and creative works, and Qi Baishi’s former residence is hidden in the alley.
- Yandai Xiejie: Located in front of the Drum Tower on Di’anmen Outer Street, it runs east-west in an oblique direction. From the late Qing Dynasty to the 1920s and 1930s, the street mainly sold tobacco pipes and other smoking utensils. The buildings on both sides of the street are elegant and simple, featuring typical Ming and Qing traditional styles, and you can also find the carved gate tower of the century-old “Guangfu Temple”.
- Mao’er Hutong: Connected to Nanluoguxiang in the east and the central axis of Di’anmen (Beijing’s dragon vein) in the west, it is one of the 25 remaining hutong protection areas in Beijing. Many imperial relatives and nobles once lived here, and Courtyard 35 was the pre-marital residence of Wanrong, the last empress of China.
- Zhuanta Hutong: The only hutong with documented records throughout history, named after the Wan Song Old Man Pagoda built in the Yuan Dynasty. Lu Xun wrote “The True Story of Ah Q” here, and you can see old blue-brick courtyards and uncles walking birds here.
- Dongjiaominxiang: The longest hutong in old Beijing, stretching from East Tiananmen Square Road in the west to Chongwenmen Inner Street in the east. Both sides of the road are lined with various Western-style buildings, such as red-roofed small foreign houses and Gothic churches, full of exotic charm.
Travel Tips
- The best time to experience hutongs is at 7 or 8 in the morning or in the evening, when you can feel the strongest sense of daily life.
- Most public toilets in hutongs have been renovated, but some courtyards are still private residences, so please do not enter casually.
- When you get tired, you can buy a bottle of porcelain jar yogurt at the neighborhood store at the alley entrance and rest under the shade of locust trees.Beijing’s hutongs are like a living history book. Every time you wander through them, you can make new discoveries and gain insights. Come to Beijing’s hutongs and start your own cultural journey!
