Keeping Beijing's hutongs alive, sketch by sketch

The Beijing Hutongs [Photo/CGTN]

There are two colors that symbolize Beijing. Red is the color of the brick palaces within the Forbidden City and grey is the color of various Siheyuans (courtyard houses) that lie deep inside the Hutongs of Beijing.

Common Beijingers had a very different lifestyle compared to that of aristocrats who lived in palaces. However, long and winding Hutongs correctly portrays the life of the commoners that lived in "Old Beijing."

"There are about 3,600 Hutongs. Some of them have names, and others are nameless." Hidden inside Hutongs are not only the daily lives of common Beijing residents, but also famous historical relics and the past glory of wealthy families.

However, as time flies, many of these Hutongs are beginning to disappear.