Hutong is an ancient urban hutong unique to Beijing. Hutong was originally Mongolian, which is a small street. Due to the strict planning of urban construction in ancient Beijing, hutongs are relatively straight and dotted, with more than 7,000 * * * names, some of which are named after characters, such as Wen Prime Minister Hutong; Some are named after markets and commodities, such as Goldfish Hutong; Some of them are named in Beijing dialect, such as Huluguan Hutong. The longest hutong in Beijing is the east-west Jiao Min Hutong, with a total length of 6.5 kilometers. The shortest one-foot street is no more than ten meters long; The narrowest alley is Qianshi Hutong in Dashilan area of Qianmen, which is only 0.7 meters wide. People who are a little fatter have to hold their breath before they can pass. In Beijing, there are thousands of hutongs around the Forbidden City, most of which were formed in the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties in China's history.
The Origin of Beijing Hutong
Most of the hutongs in Beijing were formed in the Yuan Dynasty in the 3rd century A.D./KLOC-0, and have experienced hundreds of years of evolution and development. The direction of Beijing Hutong is mostly due east and west, and the width is generally only nine meters. Almost all the buildings in Hutong are quadrangles. Siheyuan is a kind of building surrounded by four houses in the form of square symmetry. Large and small quadrangles are arranged next to each other, and the middle passage is hutong. Although hutongs are similar in appearance, they have different characteristics. In the west of Beijing, there is an alley called Jiudaowan, because an alley takes nine turns. If a celebrity once lived in some hutongs, then this hutong will be named after this person, such as Shilaoniang Hutong and Wangcobbler Hutong. Other hutongs are named after shapes, such as Yangwei Hutong and Erduoyan Hutong, which sounds so vivid. There are countless hutongs in Beijing. Isn't there a saying like this: "The famous hutongs are 3.6 thousand, and the nameless hutongs are a dime a dozen?" Many hutongs have a history of hundreds of years.
The Existence Significance of Hutong
Hutong is not only the pulse of the city, but also the place where ordinary people in Beijing live. Beijingers have a special affection for Hutong, which is not only a passage for people to go in and out of their homes, but also a folk museum, which has left many marks of social life. Hutong is generally close to the urban area, so it is convenient to buy a catty of soy sauce eggs. There is no noisy traffic in the alley, but there is a friendly and harmonious neighborhood. Hutong, a unique ancient city lane in Beijing, has become the carrier of Beijing culture. Old Beijing lives in the corner of this hutong, in the brick and tile of this quadrangle, and in the neighborhood among the residents. Only by being there can we have the deepest understanding.
Architectural characteristics of quadrangles in Beijing
Siheyuan is an inner courtyard house surrounded by houses in the east, west, south and north. Beijing quadrangles, as the main architectural form that old Beijingers have lived in for generations, are well-known at home and abroad and all over the world. First of all, it has a long history. Since Beijing was formally established as the capital in Yuan Dynasty, quadrangles and palaces, office buildings, blocks and hutongs in Beijing have appeared at the same time. According to Xiong's "Analysis" at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, "The metropolitan street system, the north and south are called meridians, and the east and west are called latitudes. The street is 24 steps wide, with 384 long lanes and 29 narrow lanes. " Secondly, the composition of quadrangles is unique. Its courtyard is spacious, surrounded by independent houses and connected by verandahs, making it very convenient to live; Closed doors make quadrangles have strong privacy, and closed doors come from heaven and earth; All four doors in the courtyard are open to the courtyard, and home and music are beautiful; The spacious courtyard can also plant trees and flowers, feed birds and fish, and stack rocks and scenery to let residents enjoy the beautiful scenery of nature.
Cultural connotation of quadrangles in Beijing
Although quadrangles are residential buildings, they contain profound cultural connotations and are the carriers of China traditional culture. The construction of quadrangles pays great attention to geomantic omen and geomantic omen theory, which is actually an ancient architectural environmentology in China and an important part of China's traditional architectural theory. The decoration, sculpture and painting of quadrangles also reflect folk customs and traditional culture everywhere, showing people's pursuit of happiness, beauty, prosperity and auspiciousness, such as the pattern composed of bats and longevity characters, which means "longevity and happiness"; The Chinese rose pattern in the vase means "peace in the four seasons"; The auspicious words embedded in the door hairpin and the door head, the couplets stuck on the pillars and the masterpieces of calligraphy and painting hung indoors are all ancient teachings of the sages and philosophers. They use ancient and modern famous sentences, or praise the beauty of mountains and rivers, or learn to live in the world, or recite the ambition of a swan. They are elegant and full of rich cultural atmosphere, just like the halls of traditional culture in China.