Hutong

Tuesday evening I was invited to a send-off dinner for an HBA friend and five or six others at a hutong in Gulou. Since my circa 1999 Chinese Nokia cellphone doesn't have internet (and only barely has texting), I scribbled down the directions manually and queued up a rough image of the journey on my Ipod before leaving the safety bubble of my apartment's wireless router and hopping onto a city bus in rush hour traffic. In my haste, I neglected to anticipate the beauty of the place I was headed.

The hutong is an intimate space -- especially at sunset. Its narrow alleyways hum to the tune of bustling commuters on electric bikes, navigating labyrinthes of earth-tone walls just high enough to define boundaries without hogging attention from the occasional willow tree. Rows of shops, restaurants, and fruit stands empty onto open squares full of picnic tables and hanging lanterns. Old men in sweaty wife-beaters play cards over dinners of beer and cigarettes. Children play in the streets. Somewhere there is music. The neighborhood feels alive.

Say what you want about living in Beijing -- they've completely nailed the concept of community. Hutongs like Gulou were grown organically by the placement of one siheyuan (courtyard house) next to another, a building scheme that has prioritized interconnectedness. The atmosphere in a hutong is rich with tradition and timelessness, at odds with what Beijing is rapidly becoming. In comparison, the touristy international district where I live feels sterile and effete. If my apartment weren't already paid for and within walking distance of my office, I would absolutely find a way to live in Gulou.

The home itself was incredible. Many of the old houses in Gulou have undergone careful renovations to bring them into the modern era while retaining crucial elements of their original architecture. This one had its courtyard capped with a glass skylight and converted into an open living room, which made for an elegant dining locale. Our meal was delicious, and the mini-HBA reunion much appreciated. All in all, a great night that will become an even greater memory.

再见
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