 Hutong is an old city alley or lane, and the hutongs of Beijing are one of its most distinctive features. The capital city is home to thousands of hutongs, many of which were built in the area surrounding the Forbidden City during the Yuan (1279 - 1368), Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1911) dynasties. During China’s dynastic heyday, the emperors planned the city and arranged the residential areas according to the etiquette systems of the Zhou Dynasty (1027 - 256 BC). At the center of the metropolis was the Forbidden City, surrounded in concentric circles by the Inner City and Outer City. Citizens of higher social status were permitted to live closer to the center of the circles.
The city’s hutong are Beijing’s veins and transportation channels. They came into being after the city became the capital of the Yuan Dytnasty (1271-1368). The city’s appearance symbolizes the development of society. Like folk custom exhibition centers, displaying the variety of ways of living, the hutong record the changes in history and the look of the times and they contain the rich flavor of cultural life.
Rickshaw, which allows tourists to enjoy the street scene and visit Old Beijing residents home, also you can visit Prince Gong's Mansion, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, and some other ancient buildings. |
