Hutong

Hutong is a Characteristic street in Beijing, the building in Hutong is Courtyard, it is the local house of the local family. Hutong is mostly disappeared in mid-20th century beacause of the construction of Beijing. The rest hutong had been protected by the goverment in the purpose to preserve the Beijing traditional residence culture.
Hutong, mongol language, means water well in the ancient times, the residence live by the well as the necessary life, the people live near to one well is formate a community.

In the early 15th century, Ming dynasty, Beijing is compose with the Inner City and Outer. The royal family and the officer live in the inner city near to Forbidden City. The courtyard could varied with the ranking by its construction, include the carve and roof beam, etc.. The aristocrats lived in the east and north area of Beijing and the civilian lived in the north and south area. The courtyard in the north and south is more smaller the hutong is narrower also.
Hutong is a representation of Beijing, with the long capital history, the hutong represent the normal life for the civilian of ancient Beijing. Nowadays there are some local people live in Hutong, the most famous Hutong is located in Shichahai.

The longest Hutong in Beijing is Dong, Xijiaominxiang hutong. The narrowest one is Gaoyou Hutong located in north of Zhushikou, Chongwen district, this hutong is only 0.65 meters wide. The oldest one is located in Changchun street, Xuanwu district, named Jiexiang Hutong, it own more than 900 years history.
Nowadays many people visit China would like to have a visit to Hutong, there are more and more Beijing tours cover hutong in Beijing. Such as half day hutong tour or one day Hutong, Panda Zoo and Lama Temple Tour, etc.. All of them are welcome by the foreign guest for its convenient and economy.
The most welcome Hutong is around Shichahai, it is named for there are 10 temple within this area in the ancient times. The lake is lay by the Hutong in this area. From Qing dynasty, it became a place for the summer resort and also a best scenery in local Beijing.
You could have a boat on Shichahai in the summer and skating in the winter. After year 1949, Beijing is make a clear silt in Shichahai and built baluster in this area. Many ancient royal garden and palace is located here, such as the Mansion of Prince Gong and the Mansion of Prince Chun. It is also the business area in the ancient times.