Jiuwan Hutong is located in the east part of Xuanwu District. Its eastern entrance is connected to Puchenshi Hutong (铺陈市胡同) and the western entrance is connected to Xiaoweiying Hutong (校尉营胡同). It is 390 meters long with more than 13 tortuous parts, which is why it is called the most tortuous hutong in Beijing.

A little ways south of Qianmen Street, Jiuwan provides the perfect excuse to get into a really old neighborhood that is entirely lacking in tourist amenities. Travelers curious about how old Beijingers live need look no further. Families occupying this hutong have been here for generations.

Jiuwan translates to "nine curves" but the hutong has apparently grown more since its inauguration. The disorienting route demands the full attention of those who navigate it on two wheels as it haphazardly careens in new directions and presses through some surprisingly tight squeezes.

"It's very famous because hutongs represent a kind of Beijing lifestyle," explained a local resident surnamed Yin. "Foreigners come here not only to see the old buildings but to admire the hutong culture. In apartment buildings, people don't even know their neighbors. Here, some people can let themselves into their neighbors' homes, no problem. So people live here without many barriers between them."

How to get there: From Ciqikou Station (Subway Line 5), walk 20 minutes west to Qianmen Street. Walk south 500 meters to Yaoer Hutong, and enter right. Immediately to the right is Puchenshi Hutong, and Jiuwan Hutong is the first left.

Source: english.cri.cn