Beijing Hutong Tour

Hutong tours in Beijing are organized by several our network companies, running from morning until evening. The Pedi cabs are usually found near Beihai Park and Shichahai Lake, and the drivers are well versed with the alleyways and are good guides for the entire tour.

When the city of Beijing was totally destroyed by the army of Ghengis Khan, it was redesigned with hutongs; the city's most charming narrow alleyways that once ran into thousands. Hutongs are usually of two kinds. The regular ones run near the Imperial Palace and are arranged in a perfect order. The original dwellers in these hutongs were mainly imperial kinsmen and aristocrats. The residents have now changed to ordinary people as well as affluent folk.

The second variety of hutongs are mainly located far away from the Palace Museum, mostly towards the north and south directions. The r e s i d e n t s were mainly traders, showing a clear demarcation of the different classes of people and their areas of residence.

Visiting a hutong is a "must-see" during your trip to Beijing as these are the places where traditions and cultures have remained intact.

Pedicab tours are tremendously popular and take visitors through the most seemingly inaccessible narrow lanes with ease and make the whole experience incredibly lively.

Usually tourists start their Pedi cab tour from the north entrance of Beihai Park to the picturesque Shichahai Lake area; The lake is a broad expanse of water surrounded by beautiful willow and poplar trees and the green water with its mild waves create a magnificent ambience.

Walking along the bank of this lake is a favorite pastime for the residents of the hutongs and as you ride along the road that runs parallel to the beautiful lake, the cool wind sweep past your Pedi cab and the clean air is so refreshing. During summer, boat rides are popular here and the lake turns into a good skating rink during winter.

Usually two tourists share one Pedi cab and the driver is quite knowledgeable about the local culture. And you can learn a lot about common life of the Beijing traditional history.

As your Pedi cabs roll along the narrow lanes, you will come across the typical housing pattern of the area. The houses are mostly of one level, all of a grey color. The main buildings in the hutongs are almost all quadrangles; a building complex formed by four houses around a courtyard. The houses vary in size and design according to the social status of the residents. Each alley is christened after a family - the alley of the "Zhou" family for example will refer to their hutong as the Zhoutangzi Hutong.

Riding down and alongside the lanes of this quiet and peaceful area, tourists will be arranged and greeted to each assigned host's house.

Usually the house was also built in a quadrangle pattern with roof beams and pillars all beautifully carved and painted, each with a front and back yard. Two Chinese lions guarded the entrance to his house, signifying that the resident was an affluent man.
You enter the property and are welcomed into the courtyard, which has a perfect seating arrangement. Hot steaming green tea and buns are served immediately. There are separate bedrooms and a kitchen for guests where you could even relax.

Talking to your host for a while, you can learn a bit of the tradition of the host’s family, how they came to stay in the hutong. A little later, a typical Chinese lunch will be served, including soups, starters and main dishes. Your host might have a good collection of pet birds in his house and if you have such a hobby, the host might talk about his pigeon-feeding experience and the young visitors can feed the birds. After the free chat for a while, you can be up once again on your pedicabs, riding on the lanes towards the historical attractions near this area.

The Drum Tower is the first stop. Destroyed and rebuilt, this tower dates back to 1273 when it was actually built marking the centre of the old Mongol capital.

The drums are beaten at every hour of the day. To see the large array of drums on display, you have to walk up a steep flight of stairs.

The main attraction is the bell tower, right behind the drum tower. Built in around 1420 and rebuilt with bricks in 1747 during the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the original iron bell was replaced by a great bronze bell, which was rung at 7 pm every evening until 1924.

Combing the city's historical interior and going further than the typical touristy attractions, your voyage to the city's hutongs will be a visit worth remembering, showcasing the rich traditions and culture of China's capital

For detailed information, please drop in an email and you will get a tailor-made itinerary
john@chinahuangshan.com congzhang35@hotmail.com

For detailed information, please drop in an email and you will get a tailor-made itinerary exclusively for your tour calendar and interest.
john@chinahuangshan.com congzhang35@hotmail.com