Beijing Hutong

In Beijing, the ancient narrow streets or alleys were called Hutong. Hutong is a symbol of folk life and memory of ancient Beijing and it is also one of the most popular tourist destinations of Beijing tours!

Hutong is a Mongolian word meaning water well. In the Yuan Dynasty, Mongolians attached great importance to water, so almost every community in the city was designed around a well. Until now, the dry wells can still be found in Hutongs. Hutong with a long history represents an important culture of Beijing. Beijing is a capital city for six dynasties, thanks to this long history, nearly all the hutongs has its anecdotes, and some are even associated with historic events. After the foundation of People's Republic of China in 1949, the number of Beijing hutongs has dropped dramatically as they are demolished to make way for new roads and buildings. More recently, some hutongs have been designated as protected areas in an attempt to preserve this aspect of Chinese cultural history.

Top 5 Hutongs in Beijing
No.1 Nanluoguxiang
Nanluoguxiang is one of the oldest hutongs in Dongcheng District in Beijing, it is not very wide and the alleys and hutongs are still retained the planning of Yuan Dynasty. Now Nanluoguxiang is a hot tourist site in Beijing with unique stores and best preserved quadrangle courtyards. It is an ideal place to taste the old Beijing culture.

No.2 Yandaixiejie
Yandaixiejie is located at the Shichahai culture protected area, with a length of nearly 300 meters. It is said that, the Manchu people living here at that time have the hobby of tobacco and water pipe. With the needs of the pipe growing, many Pipe smoke shops were opend in this street. Now the street is endowed with a flavor of modernization with some bars and restaurants.

No.3 Mao'er Hutong
Mao'er Hutong preserved the best quadrangle courtyards: No.5 and No.9 of Mao'er Hutong are Ke Garden; No.11 is the Wenyan's Residence who used to be the grand secretary of late Qing dynasty; No 13 is the former residence of Feng Guozhang who is the president of the northern warlords; No.21 is the historical relic of Zitong Temple Wenchang Palace; No35 and No.37 are the former residence of Wanrong who is the Xuantong empress of Qing dynasty, etc.

No.4 Guozijian Street
Guozijian Street is one of the rare existing old streets in Beijing with the lush cypresses along the street shield it from the hustle and bustle of the busy metropolis. These lofty and silent plants add to the nobility and elegance of the street. Residential houses still preserve the quaint and charming style of old Beijing, which is hardly seen elsewhere nowadays.

No.5 Liulichang Street
Liulichang Street it is known throughout China and the world for its ancient books, calligraphy, paintings, rubbings, ink stones and ink. With a length of nearly 800 meters, this street is regarded as one of Beijing's traditional old streets. Liulichang Street is a great destination for tourists who wish to experience the commercial aspect of popular Chinese folk artwork in Beijing

To learn more about the history and the lifestyle of ancient Beijing, Hutong is second to none!