 |
|
|
Surrender to the Charms of Beijing’s Siheyuan2009/06/15
Text by Rocky Li Beijing’s Nanluoguxiang is well known to Chinese and foreigners alike. Whether you’re a fan of fashionable things or objects of antiquity, the narrow lanes, old houses, exquisite boutiques and special foods and snacks found along this street will dazzle you. Corresponding with Nanluoguxiang, there is also a Beiluoguxiang (nan means south and bei means north); both are getting much more attention from tourists and visitors than in the past, because the areas have retrained their original ancient style, featuring Beijing’s hutong (lanes) and siheyuan (courtyard homes), the last of their kind, in an only slightly commercialized environment. Browsing the hutong and living in a siheyuan can be fascinating. A German friend said his most favourite Exiting the Andingmen Station on Subway Line 2, we turned onto Beiluoguxiang. Big Chinese scholar-trees make the hutong special; walking along its lanes, you forgot the heat of a summer’s day. Many of the sometimes shabby siheyuan lining the street are being refurbished. Turning into Shaluo Hutong, we spotted the Jihouse Courtyard Hotel, one of our destinations for the day. After knocking on its red gate, a waitress welcomed us into its courtyard. Despite having 40 waiters or waitresses to serve guests, the waitresses’ sweeping of leaves in the courtyard and the courtyard’s ambience made us feel like we’d wandered into a family home, not a hotel. Providing shade for the small courtyard was a large Chinese date tree and two persimmon trees. The branches of the trees stretched over the roofs of the houses, protecting the houses and their guests from a burning sun. Bird cages hung from the low limbs of the trees. Falling leaves sometimes fell gently upon our shoulders. The grounds of the courtyard are paved with old gray bricks. A rectangular stone goldfish bowl, some bonsai trees, stone stools and tables are scattered about the courtyard. Some pet birds, released from their cages, were allowed to bound about the courtyard to amuse themselves. Sparrows living under the eaves sometimes dived down into them to loot their food. Our host looked on, enjoying the scramble just as we. A foreign guest leisurely sat on a stone stool smoking and watching the birds. We chatted and he told me he’d already stayed in this courtyard for four days, appreciating it very much. The host said the Jihouse Courtyard Hotel has only six guest rooms. During the 2008 Olympic Games, the hotel served many foreign guests; now, many of its guests are from Most of these guests had returned In addition to the guest rooms, our host showed us a meeting room underground that surprised us. The cellar room was decorated with traditional Chinese cultural symbols. This room is a favourite of businessmen who use it for business training programmes, brainstorming activities, contract signings and tea ceremonies. If the guests like, this hotel can provide traditional
Address: 7 Shaluo Hutong, Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng District 东城区北锣鼓巷纱络胡同7号 Tel: +86 10 8404 7676 / 3131 (English service available) WWW: www.jihousecn.com
闹中取静，一隅吉庆堂……
文/薛京晶 走进内院，凉棚、鱼缸、枣树、柿子树依稀透出老北京浓浓的韵味，庭院内青砖满地青苔隐现见证了这座四合院厚重的历史。午后的阳光撒满了整个院落，没有王府般的奢华，却在平淡中透出几分尊贵。脑海中便不由地涌上一段曾经电影中的经典场景——这是一座名叫“北平”的城市，清晨可以听到小鸟清脆的叫声，午后的城市上空不断传来阵阵鸽鸣，傍晚隐约作响的灶台声连成一片…… 不一会儿，北房的屋门轻轻推开，从屋内走出的美国朋友见到有客来访并未感到惊讶，只是微微一笑后走向餐厅，像是早已熟识的家人一般。然而，对于这家只有6间客房的四星级标准酒店来说，这种平淡、简单的“家”中生活才是其精华所在。 午后的天气有些闷热，主人便提议带我们到一个凉爽的地方，于是推开一扇门沿着台阶走下小院的“地窖”，顷刻间眼前便豁然开朗了，不禁感叹在这小小的院落中竟有这番“别有洞天”的雅致。在这座面积近 |
| * |
京ICPè¯050057å·http://www.miibeian.gov.cn