A Walk through Beijing's Most Beautiful Hutongs, Beijing, China

Hutongs are the narrow alleyways in Beijing that are formed by traditional courtyard houses, also called siheyuan. The old center of Beijing consists of many hutongs and many of these are still residential. This guide shows you Beijing’s most beautiful hutongs and how to find them.

A great starting point for exploring the most beautiful hutongs in Beijing is Qianmen. Just a stone’s throw away from Tian’anmen and the Forbidden City, the area near Qianmen includes several hutongs of historical significance. The avenue proceeding south from the Qianmen Gate is known as “Qianmen Street”, and has been a commercial center for several centuries, although it now mainly caters to tourists from other parts of China. Many renowned stores and restaurants started out here, including the most famous Peking duck restaurant, Quanjude (全聚德). Qianmen Street is also considered the origin of Beijing snack foods.

While the main Qianmen Street isn’t at all authentic and quiet hutong, the side streets are even more alluring. Take a walk west along Dashila’r, another well-known hutong street. Walk further west and explore smaller hutongs like Tan’er Hutong, Tiaozhou Hutong and Da’er Hutong for a glimpse into daily life in a real hutong. Here, you will find small courthouses, tiny antique and calligraphy stores, butcher shops and even bookstores – and you will barely find any tourists here. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).