Hutongs in Beijing Hutongs in Beijing By: Savannah Cotten By: Savannah Cotten

What are What are HutongsHutongs??

Hutongs are narrow streets or alleys most Hutongs are narrow streets or alleys most commonly associated with Beijing. commonly associated with Beijing.

How are Hutongs How are Hutongs formed?formed?

They are formed by lines of siheyuan They are formed by lines of siheyuan ( traditional courtyard residences)( traditional courtyard residences)

Many neighborhoods were formed by joining Many neighborhoods were formed by joining one siheyuan to another to form a hutong, one siheyuan to another to form a hutong, and then join one hutong to another.and then join one hutong to another.

Hutongs in HistoryHutongs in History

A hutong was also once used as the lowest A hutong was also once used as the lowest level of administrative geographical divisions level of administrative geographical divisions within a city in ancient Chinawithin a city in ancient China

However, as the ancient Chinese urban However, as the ancient Chinese urban administration division system gave way to administration division system gave way to population and household divisions instead of population and household divisions instead of geographical divisions, the hutongs were no geographical divisions, the hutongs were no longer used as the lowest level of longer used as the lowest level of administrative geographical division and were administrative geographical division and were replaced with other divisional approachesreplaced with other divisional approaches

DefinitionDefinition

The original Mongolian word was hottog, The original Mongolian word was hottog, meaning " water well." In other words, it meaning " water well." In other words, it means a place where people live, because means a place where people live, because people always gather where there is water.people always gather where there is water.

Turn of the 20Turn of the 20thth Century Century

Many new hutongs, built sloppily and with no Many new hutongs, built sloppily and with no apparent plan, began to appear on the apparent plan, began to appear on the outskirts of the old city, while the old ones outskirts of the old city, while the old ones lost their former neat appearance. The social lost their former neat appearance. The social stratification of the residents also began to stratification of the residents also began to evaporate, reflecting the collapse of the evaporate, reflecting the collapse of the feudal system feudal system

During the Republic of During the Republic of ChinaChina

Conditions of hutongs worsened, siheyuans Conditions of hutongs worsened, siheyuans previously owned and occupied by single previously owned and occupied by single families were subdivided and shared by many families were subdivided and shared by many households, with additions tacked on as households, with additions tacked on as needed, built with whatever materials were needed, built with whatever materials were availableavailable

The 978 hutongs listed in Qing Dynasty The 978 hutongs listed in Qing Dynasty records swelled to 1,330 by 1949. records swelled to 1,330 by 1949.

Decline of HutongsDecline of Hutongs

following the founding of the People’s following the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, many of the old Republic of China in 1949, many of the old hutongs disappeared, replaced by the high hutongs disappeared, replaced by the high rises and wide boulevards of today’s Beijing. rises and wide boulevards of today’s Beijing.

Culture Culture

The hutongs are residential neighborhoods The hutongs are residential neighborhoods which still form the heart of Old Beijingwhich still form the heart of Old Beijing

In contrast to the court life and elite culture In contrast to the court life and elite culture represented by the Forbidden City, Summer represented by the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven, the Palace, and the Temple of Heaven, the hutongs reflect the culture of grassroots hutongs reflect the culture of grassroots BeijingersBeijingers

What do you see?What do you see?

Walking through the hutongs, it is common to Walking through the hutongs, it is common to see groups of elderly citizens sitting together see groups of elderly citizens sitting together playing cards, mahjong or Chinese chess. In playing cards, mahjong or Chinese chess. In the early mornings and evenings, they gather the early mornings and evenings, they gather to practice traditional forms of exercise such to practice traditional forms of exercise such as taijiquan as well as to dance and sing folk as taijiquan as well as to dance and sing folk songs or Peking Opera arias.songs or Peking Opera arias.

TodayToday

some hutongs have been designated as some hutongs have been designated as protected areas in an attempt to preserve protected areas in an attempt to preserve this aspect of Chinese cultural history this aspect of Chinese cultural history

Fun FactFun Fact

Each hutong has a name. Some have had only Each hutong has a name. Some have had only one name since their creation, while others have one name since their creation, while others have had several throughout their history. Names were had several throughout their history. Names were given to hutongs for various reasonsgiven to hutongs for various reasons

Some names include:Some names include:

Plants, such as Liushu Hutong (Plants, such as Liushu Hutong (Liushu means Liushu means willow)willow)

Words with positive attributes, such as Xiqing Words with positive attributes, such as Xiqing Hutong (Hutong (Xiqing means happy)Xiqing means happy)

Markets and businesses, such as Yangshi Hutong Markets and businesses, such as Yangshi Hutong ((Yangshi is a sheep market)Yangshi is a sheep market)

Pictures of HutongsPictures of Hutongs