Hutongs

Introduction

A Hutong is a local name given to a narrow lane or small street between rows of single storey houses where Beijingers lived in the past. These Hutongs were built hundreds of years ago during the Ming and Qing dynasty era between 1368 and 1912 and up to date retain the same traditional culture and way of life of the past times.

These hutongs are as little as 40 centimeters to as wide as 10 meters. The compounds that line the alleys are known locally as "siheyuan" meaning four joined-together courtyards. They are mainly old buildings taking a four-sided layout enclosed by a wall. These dwellings give an insight to the ancient lifestyle of typical locals and have gained a great appeal to tourists who wish to witness first hand the evolution of locals from a simple lifestyle to the rapid urbanized that is China today. The hutong streets and alleys crisscross with each other and meander in confusing ways. It is fun to walk around them trying to uncover and figure them out.

In 1215 Mongolians captured the Beijing area and started to build the Yuan Empire in 1271 and during this time, a 36-meter wide road was a standard street, an 18-meter wide road was considered a small street and a 9-meter wide road was named a Hutong. Therefore the word hutong originated from the Mongolian word hottog that means water well. In ancient times, villagers dug a well and then lived around it.

In the Ming and Qing Dynasty reign, wealthy families like the Qiao Family built their siheyuan compound close to the Forbidden City along hutong lanes and as time passed their number gradually increased. In Beijing, there are many hutongs but all of them maintain a unique charm that keeps attracting tourists all year round. As time went by due to urban development and in the process of giving way to building roads, the number of hutongs rapidly decreased. The remaining ones like Nanluoguxiang and Yandaixiejie Street are remaining ideal hutong destinations for most foreign visitors and Jiuwan and Wudaoying Hutong are the best destinations for sightseeing, shopping, unwinding and trying local delicacies and traditional tea. Now, these courtyards are preserved and most of them are even under the protection of the government.

Things to see and do on a visit

Take a Hutong tour by rickshaw

Riding a rickshaw is the best way to comfortably take a close glance at the traditional settings in a short time but visitors who wish to take a walk by foot or rent a bike can also appreciate the simple and tranquil atmosphere of the traditional settings with locals going by their day to day life.

Visit family’s run restaurants

Visitors who wish to interact on a more personal level with the locals can visit family-owned restaurants where they can learn cooking skills and their meal preferences with regards to health philosophies followed by Chinese locals.

Explore the hutongs at night to hunt for traditional Beijing snacks and eateries

Wudaoying hutong and Baocaho hutong offers a peaceful and quiet destination for visitors who want to catch up, relax or read a book as they savor local snacks, meals, coffee and traditional Chinese tea. There are brunch deals in many of its restaurants and cafes with a wide variety of international cuisines. For visitors who want to try local dishes, there are noodles and dumplings amongst many other local dishes.

Shop at interesting shopfronts

Nanluoguxiang has small thrift shops and brand name stores where people can shop for a variety of interesting souvenirs.

Enjoy quality drinks in hutong cafés and bars

In Fangjia Hutong and Nanluoguxiang Hutong visitors can relax in quiet cafes and bars as they unwind and catch up in the midst of the spirit of local life enjoying locally brewed beers from Peiping Machines and extra large cocktails in stylish bars and cafes. There are live music bands and performances in some of the restaurants.