Meet Frank, your Bespoke Beijing Hutong Tour guide
Did you know that the word ‘hutong’ comes from those swarthy horse masters, the Mongolians? Frank does. He also knows that to ‘eat someone’s tofu’ is not going to endear you to your hutong neighbours. Or your wife. And that, behind an innocuous hutong door like this one, vast sums of money might rest on the fortunes of chirping insects. That’s the sort of stuff you know when you’ve spent half a century as a denizen of Beijing’s grey-brick alleyways.
On Frank’s tour you get to share his hutong world, observing the customs and culture of Beijing’s unique residential treasure. You’ll eat auspicious snacks, climb ancient towers, discover tiny private museums, encounter a grouchy, 40-year old tortoise, and truly get inside the beating heart of Beijing. And if you choose to combine our Beijing Hutong Tour with our Meet a Cricket Trainer Tour, you’ll get to hang out with Frank’s pal and one of the most colourful hutong characters of all, ‘Cricket’ Liu (and his remarkable menagerie of animals.) Trust us, you don’t want to miss this one.
Read more: Meet Cricket Liu
What’s so special about Beijing’s hutongs?
Simply put, there’s nowhere else quite like them. Unique to Beijing, these criss-corssing labyrinthine alleyways, the layout of many dating back to the Yuan Dynasty, are where traditional life in the city unfolds. Fruit hawkers, knife sharpeners, gossiping grannies, snack shops, bing bakeries, tofu makers, pigeon trainers, insect trainers (like “Cricket” Liu!), semi-mythical hutong weasels and more… talk about thriving!
Read more: Hutong Weasel Photo Contest
Beijing’s hutongs are a remarkably sociable place too, and not by accident. The courtyard architecture blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, and private and public. Neighbours share everything – including bathrooms. Everybody knows everybody else’s business, so don’t go eating someone else’s tofu or the whole street will be talking about it. (‘Eating tofu’ is old Beijing speak for persistant flirting, btw!)
Help preserve the past
Beijing’s hutongs are where traditional residential architecture juts up against the demands of a modern urban infrastructure – and frequently comes off worse. Fortunately, preservation orders do exist for the swathes of hutongs inside the second ring road. But preservation in Beijing is never 100% guarenteed. The moral? Visit soon! You’ll be doing your bit to show the authorities that Beijing’s hutongs and their inhabitants are a priceless and irreplaceable cultural treasure. (And it’s really, really fun for visitors and residents alike.) Frank is waiting for you!
For tour enquiries, current prices and other information, please click here.