Old Beijing - a personal journey of discovery

From high points such as the Zhonggulou's Drum Tower I could look across the older city's spread. Major streets were generally straight whereas crisscrossing lanes were smaller and narrow. Directly around the Drum and Bell towers there stretched a myriad of single floor courtyard dwellings, many being traditional Beijing "siheyuan". Looking farther north could be seen high-rise developments that had grown close to the 1990 Asian Games Village while eastwards lay the international areas near Chaoyang's Liangmaqiao where many embassies located. What was also interesting was how beyond the former walls domestic buildings changed in style. Post 1949, Beijing had been transformed partly into an industrial city, but the factories were located mostly outside the walls. Today most have closed while the homes of former workers remain, including six-story brick apartment blocks, some going back to the 1950s. Beyond rose taller 18 floor towers dating from the 1980s.

At every opportunity I would climb the hill at Jingshan Park to try and appreciate Beijing's layout. Looking north, Dianmen Outer and Inner Streets ran south from the towers of Zhonggulou following what was the historic axis line along which Old Beijing had been spread out. The city was an example of a strict geometric layout that centered on the massive Forbidden City directly south of the hill. The Axis Line continued not just through the Imperial Palace but went several kilometers down to the Yongdigmen Gate. The Palace being home to the succession of emperors, no dwellings or commercial buildings within Old Beijing could be higher than its walls. In contrast, the alleys, being residential neighborhoods, tended to reflect more the city's grassroots culture. This was particularly true south of Qianmen Gate although for the northern hutongs around the Shichahai Lakes there I would think of imperial officials walking around wearing their elaborate costumes.