These old hutongs located around the center of Beijing were once the bustling and most-visited places of the city. Coming to Beijing, you cannot control yourself thinking about the hutongs which bear so many legendary stories you want to hear. Now let us walk into these old hutongs which have weathered hundreds of years of history.

The Oldest Hutong--Brick Tower Hutong (砖塔胡同: Zhuan Ta Hutong)

The Brick Tower Hutong is the oldest hutong in Beijing. It is said that the hutong was built just when the people of the Yuan Dynasty entered today’s Beijing. Hidden in the hutong is a famous ancient blue brick pagoda whose name is “Yuan Wan Song Old Man Pagoda”, which has experienced over 600 years of history so far. The name of the hutong was given after this old pagoda and has been kept to now. Some famous Chinese figures once lived in the hutong, including Liu Shoqi (the former Vice Chairman of China), Lu Xun (one of the most outstanding Chinese writers in modern times) and Zhang Henshui (quiet a famous Chinese writer in the Republic of China).

Address: Near Xisi Pailou, Beijing (北京西四牌楼)

The Narrowest Qianshi Hutong (钱市胡同)

Located west of Zhubaoshi Street (珠宝市街), Qianshi Hutong is the narrowest hutong in Beijing, with the narrowest part of it being only 0.4 meters wide. If two people want to cross the hutong in a line, they need to lean on their sides to pass through it. It is impossible for one person to cross the hutong while bringing a bike with him. This hutong is counted as the earliest the financial market in Beijing, and is the relic of the “Money Market (Qian Shi)” opened by the government of the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, this hutong was given this name. Today’s Qianshi Hutong still preserves the buildings of the past financial companies and even some wooden structures of the late Qing Dynasty.

Address: (A bit South) Mid of Zhubaoshi Street, Qianmenwai, Beijing (前门外珠宝市街偏南)

The Hutong with the most bends--Nine-Bend Hutong (九弯胡同: Jiu Wan Hutong)

The most prominent feature of the hutong is it has the most bends, 13 in total. The temple was once named Prajna Temple (般若寺: Bo Re Si), because of a little temple. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, the hutong’s name was changed to Jiu Qu Wan (九曲弯: Nine Bends) and was finally named Jiu Wan Hutong in 1965. Entering deeper into the hutong, you will also meet an area where only one person can pass.

Address: Zhushikou, Xicheng District, Beijing (西城区珠市口)

Widest Hutong----Lingjing Hutong (灵境胡同)

Lingjing Hutong was named after Lingji Palace (灵济宫), located near Xidan. It was divided into the eastern and western parts. Since Lingji Palace was located in the eastern part of it, this part was named Lingji Palace, and the western part was called Xuanchengbo Back Wall Street. In 1911, the eastern part’s name was changed to Huang Cheng Gen (Imperial City Wall Root), and the western part was changed to Lingjing Hutong. It is said that the teacher who taught the young Puyi (the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty) once lived in Lingjing Hutong. Today Lingjing Hutong has been widened and turned into a wide street.

Address: Near Xidan, Beijing (西单地区一条东西向的胡同)

The Shortest Hutong---Yichi Hutong (一尺大街: One Foot Long Street)

Yichi Street is usually called a street but is in fact the shortest hutong in Beijing. Although it is the shortest, it is the epitome of Beijing’s hutongs. It is recorded that this street has 70 years of history. If you visit Liulichang, you might as well go there to have fun.

Address: The western part of Yanmeizhu Xiejie (杨梅竹斜街)

The longest hutong---Dongjiao Minxiang (东郊民巷)

Dongjiao Minxiang begins from Tiananmen Square in the west and ends at Chongwenmennei Street in the east and is the longest hutong in Beijing. After the Second Opium War, Dongjiao Minxiang was called Embassy Street, for foreign embassies such as British, French, American and Russian embassies were established on the street. After 1949, Chairman Mao of China ordered the Chinese military troops to march across the street, for in the past Chinese armed forces were not allowed to march across the street. Today the western style buildings can still be seen on the two sides of the street, telling us the stories of the past.

Address: Near Tiananmen Square

The most stylish hutongs---Bada Hutong

Bada Hutong(八大胡同, literally means eight great hutongs) is a little bit different. More than a traditional residence group, this area with such a plain name used to be the red-light district of Beijing during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. Generally speaking, Bada Hutong includes Baishun Hutong (百顺胡同), Yanzhi Hutong (胭脂胡同), Hanjiatan (韩家潭), Shaanxi Xiang (陕西巷), Shitou Hutong (石头胡同), Wang Guangfu Street (王广福斜街), Zhujia Hutong (朱家胡同), and Li Shamao Hutong (李纱帽胡同).

Address: Near Qianmen Street

Source: Translated from 北京胡同之最