There are countless hutongs in Beijing, and the names of these hutongs are all very unique. The only difference is that their names all come from the daily lives of Beijingers, and they appear to be very vital. Alleys named after people
Currently, there is a Wen Prime Minister Hutong on the north side of Fuxue Hutong Road on the east side of Jiaodaokou South Street in Dongcheng District, which is named after Wen Tianxiang, the prime minister of the Southern Song Dynasty. In 1278 AD, after Wen Tianxiang was captured by the Yuan army in Haifeng County, Guangdong Province, he was escorted here and imprisoned for three years. But he never chose to surrender. Kublai Khan personally went to prison to persuade him to surrender and promised him the high position of prime minister. But Wen Tianxiang said frankly: "Death is enough". In January 1283 AD, he died at the west entrance of Fuxue Hutong. In order to commemorate him, this alley was named after him, Prime Minister Wen Alley. Some hutongs are named after their official titles and surnames
There are many hutongs named after people’s titles and official positions, such as Wudinghou Hutong, Yongkanghou Hutong, Sui’anbo Hutong, etc. The names of these alleys are clear at a glance. They were the residences of princes and counts in the past. Over time, people named these alleys after their titles and official titles.
In addition, there are many alleys named after surnames in Beijing. Such as Shijia Hutong, Hanjia Hutong, Xiejia Hutong, etc. These names all reveal the atmosphere of life. However, there are more alleys named after the surnames and occupations of small traders and craftsmen, which basically account for the largest number of alleys named after them. This shows that Beijing is a city dominated by the daily lives of civilians and ordinary people. For example, Tofuchen Hutong sells tofu, Suluobo Hutong sells radishes, etc.
Nowadays, although Beijing is already a modern city. However, these alleys are still preserved, and although some are in dilapidated condition, this does not affect their status in the slightest. They represent Beijing’s hutong culture, are witnesses of history, and are the memories of generations of people living here.