At that time, there was no hutong in Beijing, just streets and roads. The word "hutong" is said to originate from the Mongolian language, which is one of China's minority languages.
It means passages between rows of siheyuan courtyard houses. Siheyuan is the traditional residence of Beijingers, each consisting of a rectangular courtyard surrounded by one-storied tile-roofed houses, usually one to six meters wide. Hutongs are where life was going on for the last 700 years since they first appeared in the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). In the early 13 century, because of the war, the old city was destroyed. So they had to rebuild it. In the newly-built city, you can find streets and hutongs.
Most of the hutongs, which remain today were formed in the Ming and Qing dynasties. But you can still find some from the Yuan dynasty. For instance, the Zhuanta Hutong in Xisi on the west side of the city is a typical example. In the Yuan dramas this hutong was often mentioned.
The area was also the home of famous playwright Guan Hanqing, China's Shakespeare of the Yuan dynasty. And over the last 7 centuries with the growth of the city, more and more hutongs appeared.
In the rich and historical culture of Beijing, the hutong has a very special and important position. Beijing's hutongs are not only an appellation for the lane but also a kind of architecture. It reflects the vicissitude of society.
