Beijing - Hutongs and Drum Tower

Hutongs are narrow alleys that run through traditional courtyard (walled) residences. They are very maze-like and can be disorienting to newcomers since they are all constructed of grey brick and everything looks mostly the same. 

Luckily, we had Vivie to guide us and we took pedi-cabs to tour the neighborhood.

The distinguishing features of the hutongs are the doors.  The doors to the residences are brightly colored, usually red, with statues/pedestals on each side.  Like everything (it seems) there’s meaning attached to what the doorways look like.  For example, you can tell the status or class of the person who once lived in a hutong based on the number of hexagons above the door.  Four hexagons represent the highest class.

Dave really loves the door pedestals like this one:

Unfortunately, they are a bit big to put in our carry-on luggage!

Since the mid-1900s, the number of Beijing hutongs has dropped dramatically as they are demolished to make way for new roads and buildings.  Now some hutongs are being designated as protected areas in an attempt to preserve Chinese cultural history.  Vivie told us that the government had required some people to renovate their hutongs.  The rehabilitation costs were borne by the hutong owner with some government subsidy OR the government did the renovations and became the property owner (though they’d kindly allow the former owner to continue living in the residence post-renovation).  I’m pretty sure that this approach to redevelopment wouldn’t stand up to most US states’ “takings” laws!

Finally, we took a walk to the Drum Tower, which was used until about 1912 to mark time for the people in Beijing:

And to “Smoking Pipe Alley", which is no longer a tobacco shop area, but a collection of shops and cafes.

A hand-blown sugar treat (looked like blown glass) in the shape of ox of the Zodiac

Vivie had estimated the walk through the alley to go quickly…but our group had a penchant for taking its time and an inclination to investigate the little shops along the way, so it probably took four times as long as she’d planned.  However, she was super patient and didn’t seem to mind our lollygagging around.  She marveled that the men in the group (all two of them) seemed to be more intrigued by the shopping than the women and girls! 

ith those activities under our belt, we headed back to the hotel for some snacks, swimming, and a Chinese acrobat show (no photos of it).  Hard to believe we didn’t consider this our “biggest” day – we saved that for Day 4.