The Beijing Hutong: Home Sweet Hutong
Hutong, the traditional alley, evokes in the minds of old residents and visitors to Beijing the very essence of civility in this historic city. Of Mongol origin (huo-dong), the hutong is often narrow, not necessarily long, but always picturesque in an understated way. It generally means compound living around a well and/or where hu-people gather. Behind the walls of these alleys are the four-structures houses around a courtyard (seven if around two courtyards, the middle being shared).
