There is no other place in Beijing that has the strongest Beijing flavor than hutongs. With the development of the city, the hutongs in Beijing have also carried cultural and historical changes. When you are free, why not stroll around these hutongs and feel the cultural charm of old Beijing?

1. Dongjiaominxiang

Dongjiaominxiang is located in the bustling area of Beijing, starting from the south side of Tian' anmen Square and extending eastward to Chongwenmennei Street. It is one of the longest hutongs in Beijing. In the past, it was originally called Dongjiaomixiang because it was a canal area. It was once open to the public as an embassy district, where embassies, banks and post offices were stationed. There are many foreign houses along the street, including the Japanese Embassy in the shape of a triangular mountain flower, the exquisite St. Michael's Catholic Church, and the Shogin Bank in both Western and Japanese styles. Unlike the bustling city, it is a peaceful and quiet place.

With Chinese Courts Museum nearby, visitors can learn about the development of judicial civilization and appreciate the treasures of ancient Chinese and foreign legal texts. Dongjiaominxiang has a unique historical flavor, and the exotic buildings on both sides tell the history of changes and carry the memories of Beijing city.

2. Shijia Hutong

Shijia Hutong is located in Dongcheng District, starting from Chaonei South Street in the east and ending at Dongsi South Street in the west. The south side leads to the East and West Luoquan Hutongs, and the north side is adjacent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs Street. Xu Xiangqian and Shen Congwen once lived here, and it was also the examination site for the selection of students from the Qing Dynasty to the United States. The name of Shijia Hutong was initially said to be due to the presence of the ancestral shrine of Shi Kefa, a famous general in the late Ming Dynasty. It was later found that the name was recorded as early as the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, so the real origin of the name has not been verified. But it also reflects the respect and nostalgia of the people for this patriotic general.

There is the first hutong museum in Beijing, Shijia Hutong Museum, located at No. 24 Shijia Hutong. The original site is the former residence of Ling Shuhua, one of the three most talented women in the Republic of China. The exhibition hall has been restored to a miniature landscape of 130 courtyards, with 8 exhibition halls and a multi-purpose hall. The various exhibits recreate the hutong life of the time in its original form, helping visitors to better understand the culture of old Beijing.

3. East Cotton Hutong

In Nanluoguxiang, there is such a hutong which retains the brick arches of the late Qing Dynasty, holds a theater front and harbors the famous Central Academy of Drama. This is the "East Cotton Hutong". It was first called Cotton Hutong in the Ming Dynasty. Later, because there was another one called Cotton Hutong in Xicheng District, the word "Dong" was added to distinguish it from the other.

Nowadays, most of the buildings in East Cotton Hutong are private houses. Among them, the No. 15 private house is remarkable, as it was once the residence of General Fengshan in the late Qing Dynasty. The courtyard has an arch door with strict layout and fine workmanship. The patterns of flowers, animals and auspiciousness on the walls are still clearly visible today.

The Penghao Theatre is also hidden in this hutong. This small, low-key theater is the frontier of Beijing theater. Every year, the Nanluo Theater Festival is held here. The famous Central Academy of Drama is located at the end of the East Cotton Hutong.

Tip: Do not disturb the life of hutong residents during the tour

4. Wudaoying Hutong

Wudaoying Hutong starts from Yonghegong Street in the east and ends at Andingmennei Street in the west. The short 632-meter lane has many unique stores and exotic restaurants. It is quieter than Nanluoguxiang and offers more living atmosphere than Gulou, so it is called "the most literary hutong in Beijing".

There are restaurants with various tastes, diverse creative small stores, exquisite handicraft work galleries, leisurely and relaxing cafes. Each store has its own characteristics. The quiet, literary and slow life are all concentrated in this small hutong. Wudaoying Hutong is telling the new story of the old hutong in another style.

5. Dazhiqiao Hutong

Dazhiqiao Hutong is the first pedestrian street in the bungalow residential area of Xicheng District. The hutong, which is less than 200 meters long, not only carries the city life of ordinary people, but also has a clear cultural lineage. From the east to the west and then extending north, it contains more than 10 historical sites such as Yang Jiaoshan Shrine, the former residence of Shen Jiaben and Taiyuan Guild Hall.

Among the hutongs in Beijing of all sizes, this is not a special one. Unlike the crowded Yangmeizhu Xiejie, and unlike the literary style of Wudaoying, this area is dominated by residential houses, presenting the most original appearance of hutong courtyards. The overall style of the hutong is in Republican style, and there are chic flower beds and screen walls standing by the road every ten meters or so. Several bird cages are hung under the grapevine. The residential houses on both sides are all in clear green bricks, gray tiles, mahogany doors and carved windows. It is the atmosphere of Beijing life.

The former residence of Shen Jiaben has also been restored and thematic exhibitions have been set up. Through historical materials, pictures and objects, it shows the life and achievements of Shen Jiaben, a modern Chinese jurist, and reflects the development of China's legal system.

Tip: Due to the epidemic, the opening of the former residence of Shen Jiaben to the public has been suspended. You can visit the residence online through the VR tour function on the wechat public number of "Beijing Shen Jiaben's Former Residence".