Take a pedicab ride along the off-the-beaten Hutong (traditional alleyways in the neighborhoods) at the Southwest corner of the Tian'anmen Square- very heart of old Beijing city, have a glimpse at the life in the local hutongs (a network of narrow streets and alleyways that make up a preserved neighborhood of old Beijing), where the courtyard houses have been kept intact and people's life style has changed much here. Have some tea and a chat with residents of a traditional courtyard house and a walk through the Hutong market.

Where to meet:

KFC restaurant near the southwest corner of the Tiananmen Square.

Hutongs & Courtyard Residence (Siheyuan)

Hutongs are a type of narrow streets or alleys, most commonly associated with Beijing, China. In Beijing, hutongs are alleys formed by lines of siheyuan, traditional courtyard residences. Many neighbourhoods were formed by joining one siheyuan to another to form a hutong, and then joining one hutong to another. The word hutong is also used to refer to such neighbourhoods.

Since the mid-20th century, the number of Beijing hutongs has dropped dramatically as they are demolished to make way for new roads and buildings. More recently, some hutongs have been designated as protected areas in an attempt to preserve this aspect of Chinese cultural history.

Hutongs represent an important cultural element of the city 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 Palace, 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.

A siheyuan is a historical type of residence that was commonly found throughout China, most famously in Beijing. In English, siheyuan are sometimes referred to as Chinese quadrangles. The name literally means a courtyard surrounded by four buildings.

Throughout Chinese history, the siheyuan composition was the basic pattern used for residences, palaces, temples, monasteries, family businesses and government offices. In ancient times, a spacious siheyuan would be occupied by a single, usually large and extended family, signifying wealth and prosperity. Today, many remaining siheyuan are still used as housing complexes, but many lack modern amenities.

* Visit a local family in the traditional house of hutong neighborhood and engage a conversation with them.
* Explore in the real neighborhood vegetable market.