The Origin of Hutong
1 min readIn Beijing,hutongs are Alleys formed by lines of siheyuan,traditional cour- tyard residences.Many neig- hborhoods were formed by joining one siheyuan to another to form a hutong, and then joining one hutong to another.
In the dynasty times,the large siheyuan of high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants often featured beautifully carved and painted roof beams and pillars and carefully landscaped gardens. The hutongs they formed were orderly,lined by spacious homes and walled gardens.The siheyuan of commoners were far smaller in scale and simpler in design and decoration,and the hutongs were narrower.
The term”hutong”appeared first during the Yuan Dynasty, and is believed to be a term of Mongolian language originally meaning”town wells”.
Hutongs represent an important cultural element of Beijing. Thanks to Beijing’s long history and status as capital for six dynasties,almost every hutong has its anecdotes,and some are even associated with historic events.
In contrast to the court life and elite culture represented by the Forbidden City,Summer Pala- ce,and the Temple of Heaven, the hutongs reflect the culture of grassroots Beijingers.The hutongs are residential neighborhoods which still form the heart of Old Beijing.
