Beijing Hutongs

40) Jiansuo Zuoxiang
Mao Zedong lived here for a while in 1918 when he worked in the library at Beijing University.

41) Dajiao Hutong
"Dajiao" means "big feet", alluding to hose girls whose feet were not small enough (during the Qing Dynasty they bound women's feet for beauty) who were kept here on reserve for the emperor when he ran out of enjoying those with little feet!

42) Xiaojiao Hutong
 "Xiaojiao" means "little feet" and the little bound feet were kept for this is where the pretty girls with the emperor.

43) Qianliang Hutong
During the Ming Dynasty this was where coins "qianliang" were kept, later Marshal Liu Bocheng (one of Mao's "Ten Marshals") lived in a courtyard here.

44) Niaoqiang Hutong
The shape of this hutong is like a "niaoqiang'" or "bird gun", a name probably given during the Republican period.

45) Jiaozi Hutongcarried
This was where the workers who the nobility on shoulder carriages "jiaozi" lived.

46) Dongsi Jiutiao
This was where the White Banner clan of the Manchurian Bannerman lived during the Qing Dynasty. During the Republican period Zhang Xueliang, the warlord who led a coup against Chiang Kaishek leading to the iUnited Fronti against the Japanese lived here. Of special interest, "Chuandao Fangzi" the mysterious Manchurian female secret agent who plotted with last Emperor Pu Yi to establish the Japanese puppet state ofiManchukuoi lived here.

The red capital club, located in one of the best preserved courtyard homesin Beijing is open to the public for dinner and located here.

47) Dongsi Batiao
Dating back to the Ming Dynasty, this is one of Beijing's best preserved hutongs where famous writer and CPPCC Vice Chairman Ye Shengtao had his home, now a preserved courtyard, and where Beijing Opera female impersonator Mei Lanfang used to work in the National Theatre Association Building. Tian Han who wrote China's national anthem also hadoffices here at one time.

48) Dongsi Liutiao
Here is the palatial courtyard complex of Chongli, Empress Dowager Cixi's security minister Who used the funds which the Empress allocated to repair the Summer Palace to build his own home which is now a national monument and one of the best collections of interlocking courtyard houses in Beijing. The Chongli residence is a national monument under protection of the State Council.

Dongsi Wutiao
Xu Donghai, one of the Presidents during the Republican period had his home on this street.

49) Nanmencang Hutong
This hutong dates back to the Yuan Dynasty when it was the main location for grain warehouses. The hutong continued to serve this function as a granary throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties up until the late Republican period when the Kuomintang turned it into a military hospital. Today the Peoplefs Liberation Army Beijing Military Region Hospital occupies the site of the Kuomintang's old hospital. Some of the old Republican buildings on the hospital grounds can still be seen -- and are still in use.

50) Cangnan Hutong
During the Yuan Dynasty there was a large temple here, but it is now long gone. During the Republican period Beijing warlord and Republican Prime Minister Duan Qirui built his home here on No. 5. The old spirit wall of the house can still be seen.

51) Shaojiu Hutong
"Shaojiu" means literally to "brew wine" which is a descript name for the hutong where all of the wine breweries were once located. Prince Chen had his palace here during the Jiaqing Emperor period. The palace is now gone.

52) Cuihua Hutong
During the Republican period there was a Qing revivalist movement led by Zhang Xun who pulled Pu Yi out and led a group of "bianzi bing" ("soldiers with braided hair") to Beijing to turn the city upside down. The braids did not impress the warlord troops who kicked the whole lot out. For a while Zhang Xun lived at residence No. 9 on this hutong.

53) Dongchang Hutong
The Ming dynasty imperial secret service had their headquarters and operated out of this hutong. Later during the Qing, the Off-White Bannermen lived here. Famous personalities who lived on this hutong included: Ronglu (a Qing general who was loyal to Empress Cixi and helped her crush Emperor Guangxu's 100 days reform); LiYuanhong (a Qing official who acted as temporary President for the fledgling Republic when the 1911 revolution was sparked until Sun Yatsen could return to take the reigns).

54) Fengfu Hutong
China's famous modem writer Lao She lived at No. 19 on this hutong and his home is a museum now open to the public.

55) BaofangHutong
Leopards -- favored animals in the Ming dynasty imperial court -- were raised on premises in this hutong. A temple was established here during the Ming dynasty by eunuch Liu Tong. In 1860 when the Foreign Imperialist Forces invaded Beijing, Prince Gong negotiated with British invaders in a house on this hutong.

56) Beichizi Santiao
During the Ming and Qing dynasties this whole area was forbidden to normal people and housed eunuchs serving the imperial court.

57) Wenshu Guanxiang
During the Qing dyansty this hutong was part of the imperial grounds and Empress Dowager Cixi loved performances by performing artists and story narrators. The area was reserved for them to live.

58) Xila Hutong
Empress Dowager Cixi lived here when she was a little girl. Warlord Yuan Shikai also lived here for a period of time. Republican period Beijing mayor He Siyuan once lived here as well.

59) Xitangzi Hutong
"Tangzt" was the word for brothel during the Ming dynasty. In those days, this hutong was the hot red light district due to its proximity to the main commercial area. No. 25-27 was once the courtyard of Qing general Zuo Zongtang who fought in Xinjiang as well as against British and Russian invaders.

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