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Hutongs are a type of narrow streets or alleys, most commonly associated with northern Chinese cities such as Beijing. 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. Such neighbourhoods are common in all cities of the North China Plain.

Hutongs in Beijing are often lined with siheyuans; many are now inhabited by a single family. Nonetheless, in recent decades many have been demolished, comprehensively redeveloped, or even completely destroyed in the process of modernisation. The demolition of hutongs for commercial development and the modernisation have led to the loss of cultural and architectural heritage.

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Hutong culture still exists in many parts of China and there are also parts of modern cities that emulate the hutong life. In 2001, UNESCO declared parts of the Imperial City of Beijing, including some of the hutongs, a World Heritage Site.

Hutong life has been romanticised by Chinese literature, including Lu Xun’s short story collection, The True Story of Ah Q. In this book, Lu Xun combined humour, pathos, and a keen sense of our mortality to evoke a powerful picture of the hutongs of Beijing. To Chinese people, hutongs convey a sense nostalgia, a longing for the heyday of traditional life, where people joined and mixed with their neighbours and enjoyed age-old traditions and customs.

Hutongs also transcend time, connecting people to the past and providing a link to the future. They are unique, preserving the traditional siheyuan courtyard style that has been much imitated in many areas, even throughout Asia. Apart from their architectural significance, hutongs also have an important social dimension. Life in the hutongs is highly communal, with lanes and siheyuans fostering close relationships among neighbours. They are a hub of family and community life, where people often gather to share meals or chat by the doorways.

Overall, hutongs still remain an integral part of Beijing and of Chinese life. They are a living piece of history, reflecting Beijing as it once was. Revered as a symbol of Chinese history and culture, hutongs form a unique part of everyday life in Beijing, offering us a glimpse into China’s past.