|
 Hutong
refers to the ancient alleys and lanes typical in
Beijing. It is a term passed down from history,
believed to be a Monglian word from the times of
Changkis Kan, who built Beijing as the capital of
the Mongolian Empire (1206-1341).
Hutong runs into several thousand,
surrounding the magnificent royal tempeles and
palaces in Beijing, quietly demonstrating the life
of grass-root people in this ancient city through
the history.
One kind of hutong, usually referred to
as the regualr hutong, was near the palace to the
east and west and arranged in order fashion along
the streets. Most of the residents of these hutongs
were imperial kinsmen and aristocrats. Another kind,
the simple and crude hutong, was mostly located far
to the north and south of the palace. The residents
were merchants and other ordinary people. |
