English
If you happened to be in the beautiful China’s capital, walking through the hutongs is a must do. These small alleys are perfect to discover the true essence of the city and its still deep-rooted traditions. There is nothing like it. The hutongs are far more than a beautiful landscape, these streets are magical places where one can escape from the modern cities and go deep into Beijing’s core. Let’s stroll through the most authentic streets in China.
Strolling through the huntongs is very enjoyable, because they are pedestrian streets. It is very impressive to see that all the buildings in this area are small houses, of no more than two floors, right in the middle of a huge and chaotic city. It´s like traveling in time. This area has nothing to do with the rest of Beijing.
Photo: lyng883
All houses have yards, which are the places where people frequently have social interaction; it is a meeting point for entire families. If you were wondering about the toilets, yes there are shared bathrooms, which are generally located outside of the buildings as in the ancient times. The hutongs were built during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. If you see people walking in pajamas or children with a hole on their pants, don’t panic, they do this, so they don’t have to buy diapers.
Major Hutongs: While in the north of the city there are usually wider and tidy streets, in the south you’ll find chaotic and narrow streets: Qianshi Hutong is the narrower and Sanmiao Hutong is the oldest. However, I also recommend paying a visit to Qianmen Hutong (very commercial), and the maze-shaped Jiuwan. One of the most quiet and away from the noise of Beijing, is the one between the Drum Tower and Shichahai Lake, where you can even rent a boat, it is very nice. And finally the Jinsitao Hutong, which is the most traditional of all.
In 2000 there were still around 4,500 Hutongs, but most of them were demolished as part of adaptation to host the 2008 Olympic Games. Furthermore, every time the government of the city has a new commercial or residential plan, the worst part is carried by these beautiful alleys.
If you want to take a ride on “rickshaw” (tricycle), it is advisable to negotiate a good price in advance; keep in mind that Chinese expect you to bargain and if they see that you don’t, they’ll just get the extra money. They are usually half-hour rickshaw tours, but that depends on the hutong.
A culinary advice: I was not much into the roasted duck, but in Beijing I realized that this dish could be exquisite. Right beside Shichahai Lake, there is a restaurant called Nuage in which this dish is their specialty. Do not forget to try the Beijing duck wrapped in pancakes. It is yummy and very well priced. The restaurant is very elegant and full of friendly people, which is something that can’t always be said about Chinese people. Ah! They can also speak English.
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