hutong
- noun
- /hʊˈtɔŋ/
- From Lama Temple (A on the map), head west through lively Wudaoying Hutong (B), home to dozens of cafés, restaurants, and shops.
- hutong neighborhood
- hutong (alley)
- old hutong
Examples
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Whiz through some of Beijing's oldest hutongs.
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Then head back to Qianmen (C) to see what happens when hutong preservation goes commercial.
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The first commercial hutong in the city, it has dozens of small shops, restaurants, and bars.
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Continue north up Andingmen Inner Street (E) until you hit Fensiting Hutong (F).
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Carting recycled goods down a centuries-old hutong alleyway.
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Do a lap of Tian'anmen (A), the largest public square in the world, and marvel at the grandiose Great Hall of the People and the National Museum before heading south through some of the oldest hutongs in Beijing.
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Here you'll find Mao Mao Chong on Banchang Hutong (D), the best cocktail bar in Beijing.
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Hop back on your bike and meander through the hutongs in the Di'anmen (C) and Meishuguan (National Art Museum) neighborhoods until you hit Jiaodaokou.
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Weave your way through the hutongs west of Andingmen Inner Street (D) and stop in Baochao Hutong (E) to relax on The Orchid hotel's rooftop patio.
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I strolled through the narrow hutong to explore the traditional shops and cafes.
Synonyms
A narrow street between buildings, often behind shops or houses
A narrow passage between buildings, often behind them
A narrow passage between buildings in a town or city
How Narrow
Surface Forms
Etymology
Hutong comes from the Mandarin Chinese word hutong (胡同), used in Beijing to name the old, narrow alleys between houses. Think of a hutong as a tight 'lane' where families lived close together, which is why today it means a traditional narrow street or alley.