BEIJING HUTONG

Compared to Harbin, Beijing was temperate. I had read many warnings about pollution in Beijing, but in crisp January, the sky was blue.

From the vantage point of the Drum Tower (left) or the Bell Tower (right), you have a panorama over one of Beijing's several remaining Hutong neighborhoods. The Hutong are residential alleys where you can walk, get lost, and soak up some atmosphere.

In the Tartar days, all of Beijing outside the palaces was Hutong. The large city was actually a collection of villages, and each village consisted of very private courtyard dwellings.

Many Hutong, especially near the Bell and Drum towers, are in the process of being gentrified. Others will inevitably disappear to make space for apartment blocks.


Compared to Harbin, Beijing was temperate. I had read many warnings about pollution in Beijing, but in crisp January, the sky was blue. From the vantage point of the Drum Tower (left) or the Bell Tower (right), you have a panorama over one of Beijing's several remaining Hutong neighborhoods. The Hutong are residential alleys where you can walk, get lost, and soak up some atmosphere. In the Tartar days, all of Beijing outside the palaces was Hutong. The large city was actually a collection of villages, and each village consisted of very private courtyard dwellings. Many Hutong, especially near the Bell and Drum towers, are in the process of being gentrified. Others will inevitably disappear to make space for apartment blocks.

	Although the Hutong are charming, most of the people live there in conditions that are primitive for a large city of the 21st century: They heat themselves with charcoal brickets (left) and use public toilets. Also, one of my friends explained that the four families who share a courtyard dwelling live very closely, often sharing chores such as babysitting. Arguing over utility bills is, I hear, also frequent. Many inhabitants of the Hutong are happy to be relocated to modern apartment blocks.

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