Announcing the condition of present Hutong
At the end of the Qing Dynasty , many newly formed hutongs with irregular houses appeared outside the city, while many old ones lost their former neat arrangement with frequent civil wars and foreign invasions. The city of Beijing deteriorated, and the conditions of the hutong worsened. Quadrangles previously owned by one family became a compound occupied by many households.

After the founding of the people's Republic of China in 1949, hutong conditions improved. In recent years, the houses in many hutongs have been pulled down and replaced by modern buildings. Many hutong dwellers have moved to new housing. The hutong today is fading into the shade for both tourists and inhabitants. However, in the urban district of Beijing houses along hutongs still occupy one third of the total area, providing housing for half the population, so many hutongs have survived. In this respect, we regard Beijing as an ancient yet modern city.

Beijing Tour Routes Includes Beijing Hutong

Beijing Hutong Photo