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CHINA | Beijing, China Travel Guide
Monday, December 30, 2024
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The Hutong
A rickshaw in the hutong in Beijing, China
The Hutong
To step out of the modern concrete forest of skyscrapers and get a flavor of old Beijing, a trip to the hutong is a must. Hutong are the alleyways that run between the Ming and Qing dynasty low courtyard houses – still the backbone of Beijing’s residential housing. To the north and south of the Forbidden City the hutong houses are crude and simple, while many of those to the east and west were formerly grand residences belonging to one family, though after the revolution they were transformed into zayuan or shared courtyards for the masses. Although individual houses vary significantly, they all follow the basic siheyuan courtyard form and typically face south in order to maximize light. In spite of much redevelopment, substantial hutong districts still exist around the Forbidden City and are the antidote to Beijing’s inhumanly vast modern streets and flyovers. Stepping into a hutong you are immediately confronted with Beijing’s human side and will see kids playing and old folk watching bicycles casually drifting by – nobody seems to be in a hurry here. There are small shops and restaurants and these days some of the hutong have become trendy places to dine and drink (Nanluoguxiang for example). Some expats have even moved in and restored them to their original splendor. There are also plenty of budget and a few boutique hotel options within the hutong and it’s definitely worth staying here to get a taste of old Beijing. All the more so now, while there are still some hutong left – many have been demolished over the years in the name of progress and, although some areas are now protected, many more are slated for redevelopment.
The best way to explore the hutong is simply to strike out into a promising area and get lost in the maze of alleyways. It’s fairly easy to maintain a rough idea of which direction you’re heading in and, when you’ve had enough, head along one of the major east-west hutong and sooner or later you’ll emerge onto a road from where you can get a taxi (or subway). But if you want more direction or purpose you can go on an organized bike trip with Cycle China or hire a cycle rickshaw.
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