Beijing Hutong

At that time, there was no hutong in Beijing, just streets and roads. The word "hutong" is said to originate from the Mongolian language, which is one of China's minority languages.

It means passages between rows of siheyuan courtyard houses. Siheyuan is the traditional residence of Beijingers, each consisting of a rectangular courtyard surrounded by one-storied tile-roofed houses, usually one to six meters wide. Hutongs are where life was going on for the last 700 years since they first appeared in the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). In the early 13 century, because of the war, the old city was destroyed. So they had to rebuild it. In the newly-built city, you can find streets and hutongs.

Most of the hutongs, which remain today were formed in the Ming and Qing dynasties. But you can still find some from the Yuan dynasty. For instance, the Zhuanta Hutong in Xisi on the west side of the city is a typical example. In the Yuan dramas this hutong was often mentioned.

The area was also the home of famous playwright Guan Hanqing, China's Shakespeare of the Yuan dynasty. And over the last 7 centuries with the growth of the city, more and more hutongs appeared.

In the rich and historical culture of Beijing, the hutong has a very special and important position. Beijing's hutongs are not only an appellation for the lane but also a kind of architecture. It reflects the vicissitude of society.

What is Hutong?
The word "hutong" came from the Mongolian language about 700 years ago. According to research, it originates from the word "hottog" in Mongolian meaning "water well". Where there was a spring or well, there were residents. The word "hottog" became "hutong" after it was introduced into Beijing. Hutong means street, lane and alley, and is in fact the passage formed by lines of siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard) where most Beijing residents live. One hutong connects with another, and siheyuan connects with siheyuan, to form a block, and blocks join with blocks to form the whole city.

In old China, there was a clear definition for a street or a lane. A 36-meter-wide road was called a big street. An 18-meter-wide one was called a small street. And a 9-meter- wide lane was called a hutong. The shortest one is just 10 meters' long, and the narrowest hutong is only about 40 centimeters' wide. Some hutong have more than 20 turns. Most of the hutongs in Beijing are in east-west or north-south directions. That has resulted from the need for houses to face south so as to take in more.

Hutong's Culture
From the name of a hutong, one can guess its origin, find its location, or trace its historical, commercial or cultural backgrounds. However, the meaning of hutong has extended to have cultural aspects. Whenever people talk about Beijing, they will naturally think of hutong.

Hutongs are where Beijing people, especially the old Beijing people, live, so they are known as a window onto Beijing folk life. And some people even consider hutongs as the " encyclopedia of Beijing" or the " museum of the history and culture of Beijing".

If you want to really know Beijing, to know its people and to know their life, you'd better go to see a hutong or, if possible, live among the locals. "Hutong Culture" is part of the culture of Beijing. Many famous operas and dramas are based on the themes of the " hutong life".

A visit to hutongs in the daytime and enjoying a drama put on by the Beijing People's Art Theatre, such as " Teahouse" or " Small Hutong" in the evening will help you appreciate the fundamental part the hutong plays in Beijing life. Beijing's hutong is not a simple architecture. It contains a lot of human elements. It's a museum of Beijing folk custom and also the witness of history. Beijing's hutong houses many celebrities.

Laoshe, a well-known playwright is just one of them. Laoshe was born in a small lane, in the west part of the city. The memory of his childhood was so dear and impressive that after he'd been away
4.Stories Behind Hutongs Near the Forbidden City, in the heart of Beijing lies a hutong called "Girl Weaver", which is named after a fairy from the Heavenly Kingdom, who descended to the human world and married a cowherd. Her enraged father, the Celestial Emperor, took the girl back and separated the couple with the Milky Way.

Symmetrically, on the other side of the Forbidden City, there used to be a Cowherd Bridge. This arrangement seems to suggest that feudal emperors living in the Forbidden City are sons of Heaven.

Another example is a bell tower in the north part of Beijing. The bell in it served as a watch for the city. It told people when curfew was, or when officials should go to court. The bell was made of iron in the Ming dynasty about 600 years ago. It didn't sound loud enough to reach the whole city, so the emperor ordered the master who was famous for making bells to make a new bronze bell.

The master tried his best, but failed. None of the bells he made was good enough. However, the deadline was approaching. He had to make a last attempt. The master's daughter was worried. She knew that if her father couldn't finish the bell on time, the whole family would be killed. Having no other alternatives, she threw herself into the melting bronze. A nice looking, good quality bell was made. Its sound reached the whole city.