Hutong Entrance Gateways

The Shijia Hutong Museum occupies a classic courtyard residence marked by a grey-tiled roof and an ornate, carved wooden gate. This courtyard once belonged to Ling Shuhua, a renowned writer and painter who hosted a legendary literary salon…

The Lishi Hutong Courtyard House stands out for its high, gray brick walls topped with a sweeping, dark-tiled roof that keeps the rest of the alley in shadow. This residence once belonged to a prominent Qing dynasty official, providing a…

The gray brick wall of the Dongsisan Alley number seventy-seven courtyard stands out for the intricate, deeply carved wooden gate lintel known as a menzhao. This courtyard is a survivor of the traditional siheyuan style that once defined…

Dongsisi Alley number eighty-six features a traditional gray brick gatehouse with deeply recessed wooden doors and an intricate, weathered brick carving above the lintel. Built in the late Qing dynasty, this courtyard house originally…

The Dongsi Hu Tong Museum occupies a traditional gray-brick courtyard house that once belonged to a local merchant family. Unlike the grand palaces of Beijing, this structure preserves the domestic scale of the city before modern…

The Beijing Double Happiness Hotel sits behind a traditional red gate, distinguished by the elaborate wood carvings and painted eaves that mark the entrance to a classic courtyard house. This building once served as the residence of a…

The Chongli Residence is a sprawling courtyard complex defined by its massive, dark grey brick walls and intricate, weathered wood carvings above the doorways. Built during the Qing Dynasty, it once served as the home for a high-ranking…

The courtyard at number ninety-six Dongsi Qitiao holds a gray brick gatehouse topped by a carved wooden lintel. This dwelling began as a residence for a high-ranking official during the Qing Dynasty, eventually housing the writer Lao She…