Dashilar Hutong: Tripping through Time (2)

Visitors from across China flock to this destination, delighted to spend their RMB on China-centric souvenirs and novelties. Although some traditional architecture is visible here (mostly reconstructions), most things historical are obscured by the lights, the pitchmen and the noise.

Some visitors understandably gloss over this sensory overload, but those with a particular interest in hutong culture won't want to miss seeing Qianshi Hutong, the narrowest hutong in the city. Just off of Dashilar's Qianmen end, Qianshi Hutong was once the city's monetary trading center. Its 70 centimeter width was designed to help thwart thieves. Today, the sliver of a hutong is easily overlooked, which is probably for the better: such tight confines are claustrophobic enough with only one person exploring them.

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