Walks

1. Hutongs

The word hutong originates from the word "hottog" which means "well" in Mongolian.  There are about 3,000 Beijing hutongs, including Nanluogu Xiang at Jiaodaokou at Beijing's Dongcheng District and hutongs around Xicheng's Shichahai area. The Qianshi Hutong has the city's narrowest passages at 44 cm. The oldest hutong is at Sanmiaojie, which was also known as Tanzhou Street during the Liao Dynasty (916-1125). Courtyards (siheyuan) with doors in different colours, sizes and patterns indicate the classes of the families.

Xie Jies are the interconnecting, winding streets that characterise old Beijing. These often lead into or out of hutong, the old laneways and buildings that are fast being replaced by modern housing.

 

2. Beijing Underground City 北京地下城

Completed in 1979, the city was designed as the answer to natural or human catastrophe.

Address: 62 Damochang hutong (east of Qianmen Dajie and south of Taijichang) Dongcheng District

Opening hours: 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

Tel: +86 10 6702 2657

Admission: 20 yuan

 

3.  Red Building 北大红楼

As the former site of Peking University and the birthplace of "May 4th Movement," the Red Building fostered many contemporary celebrities in China, including Mao Zedong, Lu Xun and Guo Muoruo. This four-storied building in an "I" pattern was built in 1918. It was called "Red Building" because of its red colour. It reopened to the public on July 10, 2005, as the May 4^th Movement Memorial Hall.

Address: 29 Wusi Dajie, Shatan, Dongcheng District

Opening hours: 8:30 a.m. –4:30 p.m.

Tel: +86 10 6402 0957

Admission: 5 yuan

 

4.798 Art Area 大山子艺术区

The 798 Art Area is located in Dashanzi, an area northeast of Central Beijing. It was formerly a large State-owned enterprise built by the Russians in early 1959 as part of a war-reparations deal with Germany.

In 2002, artists and cultural organizations began using the space for design, photography, publishing, exhibitions, performance and art. They rented space in the factory and converted individual workshops into independent studios for art, architecture, music and fashion.

The 798 Art Area and culture project has generated great interest and should not be left out of any Beijing art tour. 798 Space, Knightland Ltd, Yan Club, Sit, Beijing Tokyo Art Projects (B.T.A.P), 798 Photo Gallery and Vibes are studios worth visiting.

 

5. Marco Polo Bridge 卢沟桥

The real name of the Marco Polo Bridge is Reed Ditch Bridge. The bridge derives from the Venetian traveller's description in his famous catalogue. It was built in the early 12th century, over the Yongding River, to provide access to the capital 16 kilometres away. It is famed for its parapets that line each side, with 140 columns crowned by countless lions—as the local saying goes (if you count them there are 485.)

The bridge also bears historical significance, because this is where China’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937–45) violently began. To the east of the bridge is Wanping County and its Chinese People’s Anti-Japanese Aggression War Memorial Hall and other historical sites.

Bus/Subway: take 309 at Changchunjie, or 339 at Liuliqiao