Most of the hutongs in Beijing are concentrated within the second ring road, which means that from Tiananmen Square as the central point, it can be reached within 20 minutes by subway.

If you are visiting Beijing for the first time, you can give priority to the following four hutongs: Beiluogu Lane, Guozijian Street, Wudaoying Hutong, and Liulichang Ancient Culture Street.

From south to north, pass through Nanluogu Lane and cross Gulou East Street to reach Beiluogu Lane. Beiluogu Lane has a leisurely atmosphere, which is the biggest difference from the noisy Nanluogu Lane. There are few people in Beiluogu Lane, which is suitable for walking and taking photos. There are many small shops, cafes, and restaurants hidden inside, and you can also have a quiet afternoon tea.

Picture: The Biyong Hall of the Imperial Academy is a hall where the emperor lectures.

Guozijian Street is named after the Confucian Temple and Guozijian located here. There are also several temples and four archways on this street, making it the most suitable for exploring history and culture.

The Guozijian was the highest institution of learning established during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. At that time, studying at the Guozijian was considered a way to honor one's ancestors. The Confucian Temple was a place where Confucius was worshipped during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Inside, there are 198 stone tablets inscribed with the names of three generations of successful candidates, including over 50000 people such as Shen Junru, Xu Guangqi, Zeng Guofan, and Yuan Chonghuan.

How to get there

Get off at Yonghegong Station on Metro Line 2 or Line 5 and walk for 2 minutes.

Picture: Wudaoying Hutong in winter. By snow pear

Wudaoying Hutong is over 600 meters long, adjacent to Guozijian Street, and is a new favorite among young people. There are not many Hu people here, most of whom are very leisurely and want to stay here for an afternoon, or tourists who come here to take photos.

Because most of the early investors in Wudaoying are foreigners. So there are various coffees, pubs and western style light restaurants here, which is a gathering place for petty bourgeoisie in Beijing and one of the favorite places for foreigners to live. Some bosses who opened stores in Nanluoguxiang and Gulou also came to the scene and opened branches or new stores in Wudaoying.

How to get there

Take Metro Line 2 and get off at Andingmen or Yonghegong Station. Walk for 5 minutes to get there

Beijing's hutongs originated in the Yuan Dynasty, with a maximum of over 6000. The earliest known hutongs in history were located between Chaoyangmen Inner Street and Dongsi, with a well planned layout. Hutongs may look similar on the outside, but their internal characteristics are different. Walking along any ordinary alley is a comfortable choice.

Image: Rongbaozhai, a time-honored brand with over 300 years of history, sells ink, brush, paper, and inkstone, which can be used for mounting calligraphy and paintings. By unemployed wanderers

Liuli Factory has nothing to do with "Liuli" now, and there is no trace of "Liuli". But during the Yuan Dynasty, this area was still in the suburbs, so an official kiln was opened to burn glazed tiles. In the 32nd year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, this place became an urban area, so the "Liuli Factory" at that time was relocated to a farther place, but the name was preserved and has been passed down to this day.

Nowadays, Liulichang is a street selling the Four Treasures of the Study. Many old pen shops, bookstores, and China's largest bookstore, "China Bookstore," are located here. Since the early Qing Dynasty, officials and exam takers often gathered at Liulichang to browse the book market, causing bookstores from various places to set up stalls, build rooms, and sell a large number of books. In the late Qing Dynasty, literati and ink makers often gathered here, and during the Republican era, the older generation of calligraphers and painters such as Yu Youren, Zhang Daqian, Wu Changshuo, Qi Baishi, etc. also frequently visited Liulichang to purchase ink, paper, and inkstones.