"Hutong", these two words are originally the transliteration of Mongolian. "Analysis of Jin" records that "Xiangtongben dialect" was inherited from the founding of Dadu in the Yuan Dynasty in 1267 and has a history of more than 700 years. Therefore, Beijing Hutongs are the product of a long history. They reflect the history of Beijing and are rich in content. The word "Hutong" appears in "Three Kingdoms", which means that Hu and Han people lived together in the same alley.
In order to protect the style of the ancient capital and maintain its traditional characteristics, more than 20 alleys in Beijing have been designated as historical and cultural protection areas. Nanluogu Lane, Xisibei 1st to 8th Street, etc. have been designated as courtyard bungalows. protected area.
The Hutongs of old Beijing formed since the Yuan Dynasty have a checkerboard pattern. The formation and development of hutongs also left traces of historical changes in their names and reflected social customs.
Every time an alley is formed, people will naturally give it a name. Once this name is accepted by most people and is widely used, it will truly represent the role of this alley in the entire city. Orientation has become an indispensable symbol in people's interactions, communications and other activities. This is a practical reference to the name of the alley.
Since the names of hutongs were first formed in the Yuan Dynasty, they have only been passed down orally from people to people. As for writing them in words on signs and hanging them at the entrance of the alleys, they only appeared after the Republic of China.
Extended information
Beijing’s Hutong names are actually people-centered. There are more than a hundred Hutongs named directly after people’s names, surnames and surnames. Some are named after national heroes whom people admire, and some are named after historical celebrities and dignitaries from several dynasties.
However, the largest number are named after ordinary people, small businessmen, and small handicraftsmen, because what they do is closer to the lives of ordinary people living in hutongs. The names of such alleys fully reflect the humanistic tendency.