On this trip to Beijing, I decisively gave up the chain hotel and stayed in a youth hostel converted from a century old quadrangle courtyard next to Nanluogu Lane. Pushing open the vermilion painted courtyard door and stepping through the green brick crevices, I realized that the real Beijing was hidden deep in the folds of the hutongs.
Day 1: Dawn and Twilight - Time Folding Technique in Hutongs
07:00-09:00 | Symphony of Hutongs in the Morning Light - Poetry of the Streets in the Courtyard
At 6:30 in the morning, I was awakened by the shouting of "grinding scissors and chopping knives" in the alley. Pushing open the carved wooden window, the old man from the neighboring courtyard was strolling around with a birdcage. The chirping of the thrush in the cage intertwined with the sound of bicycle bells and the sizzling of pancake stalls, creating a unique Beijing morning song. The hutong breakfast provided by B&B is a surprise: fried coke rings with shredded salted vegetables, fermented sour milk made from ground mung bean wow gold in a coarse porcelain bowl, and sesame Shaobing (Baked cake in griddle) just out of the oven. Even the air has the sour smell of fermented old noodles.
Accommodation recommendations:
Hutong Xiaozhu "Youth Hostel (next to Nanluogu Lane): A century old quadrangle courtyard renovation, preserving the courtyard fish tank, providing free Hanfu experience, with an average price of 150 yuan/night for multi person rooms
Hidden Sea Hutong Homestay (Shichahai area): The designer has transformed the old house into a loft structure, with underfloor heating and smart toilets, priced at about 300 yuan/night
10: 00-12:30 | Cycling through Shichahai - Exploring Celebrity Residences Deep in Hutongs
I rented a "80 bar" bicycle at a homestay (with a deposit of 100 yuan, 20 yuan/day) and rode north along the cigarette bag sloping street. The road signs in the hutongs hide hidden mysteries: "Mao'er Hutong" is named after the gathering of hat making workshops in the Qing Dynasty, "Yuer Hutong" houses the Qibaishi Old Residence Memorial Hall (admission fee 5 yuan), and the wall of "Luoyi Hutong" is actually embedded with a whole piece of bluestone monument, engraved with the Hutong Convention of the Republic of China period. The most interesting thing was the chance encounter with a wedding in a hutong - the newlyweds rode retro crossbody motorcycles covered with the word 'xi' to welcome the bride, which attracted old neighbors to offer tea and blessings.
Cultural Easter eggs:
Pay attention to the stone carvings on the alleyway gate piers: Lion shaped gate piers are mostly used as residences for military officials, while drum shaped ones belong to civil officials
Many quadrangle courtyards have wooden signs hanging at the entrance that say 'No Visitors', but if you say' Have you eaten yet? 'to the host, you may be invited to have a cup of jasmine tea in the courtyard
15: 00-17:30 | Handmade class under the Bell and Drum Tower - Learning from Rabbit God with Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritors
In the afternoon, we moved to Gulou West Street to experience the painted Rabbit God at the sixth generation successor studio of "Mud Man Zhang" (120 yuan/time). The master teacher explained while painting, "The armor of the Rabbit God needs to be painted with seven layers of cloud patterns, corresponding to the Big Dipper; with a command flag inserted on the back to represent the commander of the heavenly army." When my "crooked mouthed Rabbit God" was decorated with cinnabar by the master, the sound of the twilight drum could be heard outside the window - five hundred years ago, this bell drum was once a timer in the northern capital city.
Money saving tips:
Every Wednesday afternoon, the Beijing Folk Museum (Dongyue Temple) offers a free intangible cultural heritage experience activity
Some studios in the 798 Art District offer "work for accommodation" programs, which can help galleries organize exhibits to offset accommodation expenses
19: 00-21:00 | Sugar Room Coffee Roof Party - A tipsy moment overlooking the panoramic view of the alley
In the evening, climb to the top of the sugar shop coffee shop (Shichahai store), order a cup of "Erba Sauce Latte" (sesame sauce flavor special), and watch the sunset dye the gray tile roof honey. On the terrace, the international student band is using guitar to adapt "Qianmen Emotional Big Bowl Tea", while the Beijing grandpa at the next table joins the chorus with Er Guo Tou in hand. When the evening wind carries the burnt fragrance of Roasted chestnuts in sugar-coated heated sand with sugar, I suddenly understand the artistic conception of "autumn in Peiping is heaven" in Lao She's writing.
Day 2: Fireworks and Zen - Life on the AB Side of Hutongs
06:30-08:30 | Donghuamen Morning Market - Beijing's Morning BGM
To experience the most authentic hutong life, I specially woke up early to rush to Donghuamen Morning Market (note: the morning market has been relocated to a new location and can be changed to Xianyukou Food Street). At six o'clock in the morning, the street seemed to be enchanted: the master of the deep-fried dough sticks stall threw the noodles into a perfect parabola, and the fried cakes rolled into a golden moon in the oil pan. The most shocking thing was to see the Hui uncle who sold cut cakes cut Glutinous rice cakes weighing up to 100 kg with a knife edge. The jujube paste and glutinous rice were as distinct as the wheel of the year.
Must eat list:
Yin San Dou Juice (North Gate of The Temple of Heaven): Jiaoquan+fermented sour milk made from ground mung bean wow gold+spicy pickled cabbage three piece set (10 yuan)
Heiyaochang Street Sugar Youbing (Deep-fried round and flat dough-cake): Double Sugar "Aircraft Carrier" Sugar Cake (4 yuan)
10: 00-12:00 | Slow Time at Fayuan Temple - Copying Scriptures and Feeding Cats in a Thousand Year Old Temple
Avoid the crowded Yonghe Temple and move to Fayuan Temple. This ancient temple, founded in the Tang Dynasty, lies quietly in the depths of Niujie Hutong, amidst the shadows of lilac flowers. Monks are writing books on the ground with bamboo brooms, and stray cats are dozing off on stone lanterns. I spent 30 yuan in the tea room next to the scripture pavilion to experience "Zen tea copying". When the tip of the brush touched the rice paper, the distant sound of chanting and resonance with the pigeon whistle could be heard in my ears.
Cultural knowledge:
Fayuan Temple is the oldest surviving Buddhist temple in Beijing, and Li Ao's novel "Beijing Fayuan Temple" is set against this backdrop
On the first and fifteenth day of each month, the temple provides free vegetarian meals (registration is required in advance)
14: 30-16:30 | Zhihua Temple Capital Music -500 Years of Unfinished Court Elegant Music
In the afternoon, rush to Zhihua Temple in Lumi Cang Hutong to attend the 2:30 pm Beijing Music Performance (admission fee is 20 yuan). This court music, inherited from the Ming Dynasty, uses instruments such as cloud gongs, pipes, and sheng to perform ancient songs such as "Qingjiang Yin" and "Taking Swan". The oldest musician is already 82 years old, but he can accurately play the Ming Dynasty opera sheet music with his eyes closed. After the performance, visit the Zaojing Museum and look up at the original Golden Dragon Zaojing from the Ming Dynasty, as if seeing a galaxy falling into the world.
Visiting tips:
The first 200 visitors can visit for free every Wednesday
Terauchi Creative Store can stamp a limited edition "Zhihua Terakyo Music" color seal
18: 30-20:30 | Hutong Private Cuisine - The Secret to Eating Boss Down in a Courtyard
The last dinner was given to "Juqi" (Wudaoying Hutong Store), a creative Beijing restaurant transformed from a quadrangle, which played the elements of hutong to the extreme: honeycomb briquette Fried Rice was dyed with bamboo charcoal, rabbit master mashed potatoes were hidden in a sugar painting cover, and the signboard "Baylor Master Barbecue" was actually a waiter pushing a copper pot to the table to stir fry on the spot. When the waiter suddenly announced the dish name on the quick board, the Beijing man at the adjacent table explained with a smile, "This is called 'eating culture'
Ways to save money:
Follow the "Beijing Consumption Coupon" mini program to receive a 30 yuan discount on dining vouchers every Wednesday for orders over 100 yuan
The breakfast set of Huguo Temple Snacks (Xinjiekou Branch) (noodle tea+sugar fire+noodle tea) only costs 12 yuan
Hutong Survival Guide: Living Like Old Beijing
Accommodation options:
The king of cost-effectiveness: Hutong Capsule Hotel (80 yuan/bed), recommended "Beiping International Youth Hostel" (Houhai branch)
Family experience: Book a single room in a hutong quadrangle courtyard through Airbnb (about 200 yuan/night), and the landlord often provides free hutong tours
Traffic tips:
The combination of shared bicycles and subway is the most convenient, and the no parking areas in hutongs can refer to the prompts on the "Beijing Bike" app
It is recommended to take a tricycle for a Night tour of Hutong (about 80 yuan/hour), and the driver will tell ghost stories while peDaling
Cultural taboos:
Do not take photos of residents' clothes or underwear hanging out at will
Do not rush in when you see red paper with the words "xi" or "funeral" posted at the door
Hidden gameplay:
On the last Saturday of each month, Dashilan Commercial Street offers free alley tours (reservation required)
Pay attention to the official account of the "White Pagoda Temple Regeneration Plan", and you can register for the siheyuan renovation workshop
When the return flight broke through the clouds, I looked through the pictures saved in my mobile phone: pigeons on the grey tile roof, the sugar coating of Tomatoes on sticks melting in the sunset, and the handwritten slogan on the wall of the home stay - "Come here, you are the Hutong people". The most beautiful scenery in Beijing has never been in the red walls of the forbidden city, but in the folds of these alleys that have been preserved by time. Next time I come back, I'll stay longer - maybe I can wait until the familiar voice behind a mottled courtyard door says, 'Have you eaten yet?'
Related Posts
Create Your Customized Trip
Take about 2 minutes to fill the form to tell us how you like to travel, and get a reply within 1 working day.
