Hutong Culture

    The name of a hutong represents its origin, location or history. It is in the gray-tiled deep lanes that families play, travel, buy goods, gossip and connect. In Beijingers' eyes, hutong means a period of history, a cordial lifestyle and even an "encyclopedia of Beijing".

    Within the numerous hutongs are scattered the residences of famous personages. Laoshe, a well-known playwright is just one of them. Laoshe was born in a small lane, in the west of the city. The memory of his childhood was so dear and left such a deep impression that after he'd been away from Beijing for more than 20 years, he still clearly remembered his birthplace, and he made it the backdrop of his novel "Four Generations under One Roof". Many famous operas and dramas are based on the themes of hutong life. A visit to the hutongs plus a drama by the Beijing People's Art Theatre, such as "Teahouse" or "Small Hutong" in the evening will help you appreciate this fundamental part of Beijing's history.

    When urban construction threatens the existence of these hutongs, Beijingers become worried. Beijing still has about 400,000 residential quadrangles now, mainly distributed over the East, West, Xuanwu and Chongwen districts. The municipal government has earmarked a number of these compounds for protection.

    Courtyard Culture

    The enclosed dwelling compounds or quadrangles (Siheyuan) consist of one-story courtyard houses, which make up old Beijing, and feature typical Chinese residential architecture.

    A pair of stone lions usually stands in front of the vermilion studded door with a painted lintel on the top. There are decorative patterns of flowers and birds.

    Stepping over a high wooden threshold, you will find a stone screen standing ahead. It is built to avoid direct inspection from outside and also believed to dispel evil spirits. Next comes the outer courtyard, flanked by rooms to the east and west. These serve as kitchens and servants' living quarters.

    On the northern end of the outer courtyard is the "Main House" which faces southward to get maximum daylight in the front 3-5 rooms. The up-turned eaves provide a pleasant shade in summer. One room located in the middle of the house is for living or community purposes with smaller bedrooms or studies beside it. Two passages on either side of the Main House, give entry to the inner yard. Rooms on each side were for married children and their families.

    Some courtyards have greenery planted there, making an inner garden. Some large compounds have two or more courtyards, inhabited by an extended family with several generations. "Four Generations under One Roof", a novel by the contemporary writer Laoshe, depicts Beijingers in the 1930s and 1940s living in quadrangles.