A little bit of beijing nax blad

A Little Bit of Beijing

NANL U O G U X I ANG

CO NTENT 11

Postscript as Preface

17

Nanluo Narration

36

The Commercial Origin of Nanluoguxiang

44

We Come from Hong Kong

52

Time Frozen in the Fragrance of Coffee

60

Those Flowers

68

A Fighter Plane Engineer’s Obsession with Hutong

76

In the Name of Nostalgia

84

Red Lantern Hung High

92

Carry the Chinese-Western Combination to the End

8

9

100

My Home Is inside the Second Ring Road

108

Drama Is Free

116

Axonometric Models of Nanluoguxiang

119

Hutong Stories

129

Chronological Events of Nanluoguxiang

137

Map of Nanluoguxiang

A Little Bit of Beijing

NANL U O G U X I ANG

CO NTENT 11

Postscript as Preface

17

Nanluo Narration

36

The Commercial Origin of Nanluoguxiang

44

We Come from Hong Kong

52

Time Frozen in the Fragrance of Coffee

60

Those Flowers

68

A Fighter Plane Engineer’s Obsession with Hutong

76

In the Name of Nostalgia

84

Red Lantern Hung High

92

Carry the Chinese-Western Combination to the End

8

9

100

My Home Is inside the Second Ring Road

108

Drama Is Free

116

Axonometric Models of Nanluoguxiang

119

Hutong Stories

129

Chronological Events of Nanluoguxiang

137

Map of Nanluoguxiang

A Little Bit of Beijing

NANL U O G U X I ANG

NANLUO NARRATION Zhu Qipeng

Today’s Nanluoguxiang is one of Beijing’s trendy tourist attractions. It is also the spot where people often spend their weekend and one of stops on the subway line 6. However, around ten years ago, it was just one of Beijing’s many common streets, without special beauty, nor a glaring history. People are born here until growing old, living the most ordinary life. Meanwhile, buildings are constructed and turned in ruins, repeatedly being repaired.

From ordinary to special, everything is changing in silence. Although this boundary inside the second ring is often edited by scenery and objects, the record more or less takes on the city’s ordinary course. It seems to have gone through wind and waves, but is actually a trifle of daily life. People pay attention to Nanluoguxiang, and its history has never been forgotten or fallen into the shadows.

MEDIEVAL URBAN PLANNING One day, at the end of the 13th century, several new houses appeared in the center of the capital city. The craftsman measured the land, and nailed a

16

17

A Little Bit of Beijing

NANL U O G U X I ANG

NANLUO NARRATION Zhu Qipeng

Today’s Nanluoguxiang is one of Beijing’s trendy tourist attractions. It is also the spot where people often spend their weekend and one of stops on the subway line 6. However, around ten years ago, it was just one of Beijing’s many common streets, without special beauty, nor a glaring history. People are born here until growing old, living the most ordinary life. Meanwhile, buildings are constructed and turned in ruins, repeatedly being repaired.

From ordinary to special, everything is changing in silence. Although this boundary inside the second ring is often edited by scenery and objects, the record more or less takes on the city’s ordinary course. It seems to have gone through wind and waves, but is actually a trifle of daily life. People pay attention to Nanluoguxiang, and its history has never been forgotten or fallen into the shadows.

MEDIEVAL URBAN PLANNING One day, at the end of the 13th century, several new houses appeared in the center of the capital city. The craftsman measured the land, and nailed a

16

17

A Little Bit of Beijing

30

NANL U O G U X I ANG

31

A Little Bit of Beijing

30

NANL U O G U X I ANG

31

Star Hotels are too common.

They are the same all over the world. Staying in boutique hotels is becoming more popular.

The Suos was a rich family wellknown in Beijing during the end of the Qing and the beginning of the Republic. They, along with the Nas, Wangs, and Yangs, were together called the four giants of the capital.

A boutique hotel is a small fashionable hotel with a unique culture.

The predecessor of the Duge Courtyard Art Boutique Hotel is part of the Suos’ garden.

Each unit has its unique aspects: nasturtium, white house, bamboo.

A distinct blue door contracts strongly with a standard red doorframe.

Within the courtyard is a smaller yard, quiet and subtle.

If Zhang Yimou’s films have satisfied Westerners’ expectations of Chinese movies and society, Duge Boutique Hotel satisfies, even exaggerates their expectation of noble courtyards.

With a foreign logical model, they design the Chinese courtyard’s image.

The bold color on the wall creates a welcoming and exciting atmosphere.

There are blue-floral porcelain wares, Ming-style furniture, red walls and gray tiles, carved beams, needless to say red wine and cigars, flat-panel displays and luxurious hot tubs; Bright red, green, golden and silver: mostly complex, simple, elegant and vulgar.

Star Hotels are too common.

They are the same all over the world. Staying in boutique hotels is becoming more popular.

The Suos was a rich family wellknown in Beijing during the end of the Qing and the beginning of the Republic. They, along with the Nas, Wangs, and Yangs, were together called the four giants of the capital.

A boutique hotel is a small fashionable hotel with a unique culture.

The predecessor of the Duge Courtyard Art Boutique Hotel is part of the Suos’ garden.

Each unit has its unique aspects: nasturtium, white house, bamboo.

A distinct blue door contracts strongly with a standard red doorframe.

Within the courtyard is a smaller yard, quiet and subtle.

If Zhang Yimou’s films have satisfied Westerners’ expectations of Chinese movies and society, Duge Boutique Hotel satisfies, even exaggerates their expectation of noble courtyards.

With a foreign logical model, they design the Chinese courtyard’s image.

The bold color on the wall creates a welcoming and exciting atmosphere.

There are blue-floral porcelain wares, Ming-style furniture, red walls and gray tiles, carved beams, needless to say red wine and cigars, flat-panel displays and luxurious hot tubs; Bright red, green, golden and silver: mostly complex, simple, elegant and vulgar.

A Little Bit of Beijing

NANL U O G U X I ANG

A Fighter P lane E ngineer ’s Obsession with H utong

68

69

A Little Bit of Beijing

NANL U O G U X I ANG

A Fighter P lane E ngineer ’s Obsession with H utong

68

69

Duge Courtyard Art Bou que Hotel

Duge Courtyard Art Bou que Hotel

A Little Bit of Beijing

NANL U O G U X I ANG

My H om e Is inside the S econd R ing R oad

100

101

A Little Bit of Beijing

NANL U O G U X I ANG

My H om e Is inside the S econd R ing R oad

100

101

A Little Bit of Beijing

sacrificial ceremonies.

1904

NANL U O G U X I ANG

1955

established street office in the Nanluoguxiang area.

In the thirtieth year of Guangxu’s reign of the Qing Dynasty, the Imperial Academy of Medicine moved to the

1958

East Avenue, Nanluoguxiang’s south gate.

1910

1913

In the second year of Xuantong’s reign of the Qing Dynasty,

1966 – 1976

archways, plaques on buildings, doorways and brick

Nanluoguxiang was included in Zone Three Left.

carvings were destroyed by the red guards, and Nanluoguxiang became a disaster area. Many former

In the second year of the Republic of China, Wanqing

residents relocated as new residents moved in.

Nanluoguxiang was renamed as Huihuang Street, with surrounding hutongs renamed. The area eventually

of China, and the original site is still intact today.

In the eleventh year of the Republic of China, Wanrong Guobuluo was carried into the Forbidden City from her

recovered after the Cultural Revolution.

1976

courtyard. After the earthquake the shelters still hadn’t

empress of China.

been dismantled, and most courtyards were gradually reduced to storage for groceries.

In the seventeenth year of the Republic of China, Beijing was reduced to Beiping City, with a redefined boundary, with its inner city divided into six districts, and

1978

Nanluoguxiang, and the services range from food and cloth, to entertainment and accommodation. Therefore

In the twenty-seventh year of the Republic of China, the

Nanluoguxiang has become a notable commercial area.

original Yellow Banner Official School was renamed as “The City Front Yuanen Temple Primary School”, now merged with the “Black Sesame Hutong Primary School”.

1987

Li Fuzeng, a resident of the Ju’er Hutong, contacted neighbors to report to the municipal government the situation of the poor bungalow. The following year, Wu

The Central Academy of Drama was established, and the

Liangyong, a professor from Tsinghua University, started

former prime minister’s residence was authorized as its

design work and renovation plans.

location.

1990

132

With the reform and opening up, a large number of self-employed shops have sprung up in the streets of

Nanluoguxiang was transferred into the Inner Five District.

1950

Due to the Tangshan earthquake, Nanluoguxiang was affected, and residents began to build shelters in the

parent’s home in Mao’er Hutong, becoming the last

1938

During the Cultural Revolution, the city’s temples,

the inner city of Beijing was divided into ten districts, and

of the five main pawnshops in the first year of the Republic

1928

Dongcheng district was established and Nanluoguxiang was transferred to Dongcheng district.

pawnshop was established in No.3 of Nanluoguxiang, one

1922

Yu’er hutong office was established, the earliest

The renovation project of Ju’er Hutong was completed and

133

A Little Bit of Beijing

sacrificial ceremonies.

1904

NANL U O G U X I ANG

1955

established street office in the Nanluoguxiang area.

In the thirtieth year of Guangxu’s reign of the Qing Dynasty, the Imperial Academy of Medicine moved to the

1958

East Avenue, Nanluoguxiang’s south gate.

1910

1913

In the second year of Xuantong’s reign of the Qing Dynasty,

1966 – 1976

archways, plaques on buildings, doorways and brick

Nanluoguxiang was included in Zone Three Left.

carvings were destroyed by the red guards, and Nanluoguxiang became a disaster area. Many former

In the second year of the Republic of China, Wanqing

residents relocated as new residents moved in.

Nanluoguxiang was renamed as Huihuang Street, with surrounding hutongs renamed. The area eventually

of China, and the original site is still intact today.

In the eleventh year of the Republic of China, Wanrong Guobuluo was carried into the Forbidden City from her

recovered after the Cultural Revolution.

1976

courtyard. After the earthquake the shelters still hadn’t

empress of China.

been dismantled, and most courtyards were gradually reduced to storage for groceries.

In the seventeenth year of the Republic of China, Beijing was reduced to Beiping City, with a redefined boundary, with its inner city divided into six districts, and

1978

Nanluoguxiang, and the services range from food and cloth, to entertainment and accommodation. Therefore

In the twenty-seventh year of the Republic of China, the

Nanluoguxiang has become a notable commercial area.

original Yellow Banner Official School was renamed as “The City Front Yuanen Temple Primary School”, now merged with the “Black Sesame Hutong Primary School”.

1987

Li Fuzeng, a resident of the Ju’er Hutong, contacted neighbors to report to the municipal government the situation of the poor bungalow. The following year, Wu

The Central Academy of Drama was established, and the

Liangyong, a professor from Tsinghua University, started

former prime minister’s residence was authorized as its

design work and renovation plans.

location.

1990

132

With the reform and opening up, a large number of self-employed shops have sprung up in the streets of

Nanluoguxiang was transferred into the Inner Five District.

1950

Due to the Tangshan earthquake, Nanluoguxiang was affected, and residents began to build shelters in the

parent’s home in Mao’er Hutong, becoming the last

1938

During the Cultural Revolution, the city’s temples,

the inner city of Beijing was divided into ten districts, and

of the five main pawnshops in the first year of the Republic

1928

Dongcheng district was established and Nanluoguxiang was transferred to Dongcheng district.

pawnshop was established in No.3 of Nanluoguxiang, one

1922

Yu’er hutong office was established, the earliest

The renovation project of Ju’er Hutong was completed and

133

A Little Bit of Beijing

18

M ap of N A N L U OG U XI A N G

1

Traveler Bar

2

Letian Pottery Society

3

Initial Shop

4

Shalou Café

5

Little New Café

6

Beiping Café

7

Old Wu Bar

8

Interesting Photos-PMT Art Shop

9

Local Awareness Shop

13 3

2

20

10 Kaopuer Shop 11 Duge Courtyard Art Boutique Hotel 12 Carefully Thinking Bar 13 Ju’er Quarters 14 Penghao Theatre 15 Arch Brick Carving of Former Residence of Fengshan 16 No. 60 Bar

10

18 Suzuki Kitchen

9

N

17 69 Impression Music Café

A

19 Takoyaki Kinpatei

N

20 Kodo Lifehouse

L

8

U

21 Dujiangyuan Restaurant

O

22 Domingo Hair Style Salon

11

G

23 Cambulac Bar

U

(Hutong Bubbles)

X

24 Future Mail Souvenir Shop

I

25 100+ Creative Design Store

A

26 Xiaoqi’s House Clothing Shop

N

22

27 Central Academy of Drama

16

G 25

7

5 4 19 23 24 17

14 27

6 15

12

1

21 26

136

A Little Bit of Beijing

18

M ap of N A N L U OG U XI A N G

1

Traveler Bar

2

Letian Pottery Society

3

Initial Shop

4

Shalou Café

5

Little New Café

6

Beiping Café

7

Old Wu Bar

8

Interesting Photos-PMT Art Shop

9

Local Awareness Shop

13 3

2

20

10 Kaopuer Shop 11 Duge Courtyard Art Boutique Hotel 12 Carefully Thinking Bar 13 Ju’er Quarters 14 Penghao Theatre 15 Arch Brick Carving of Former Residence of Fengshan 16 No. 60 Bar

10

18 Suzuki Kitchen

9

N

17 69 Impression Music Café

A

19 Takoyaki Kinpatei

N

20 Kodo Lifehouse

L

8

U

21 Dujiangyuan Restaurant

O

22 Domingo Hair Style Salon

11

G

23 Cambulac Bar

U

(Hutong Bubbles)

X

24 Future Mail Souvenir Shop

I

25 100+ Creative Design Store

A

26 Xiaoqi’s House Clothing Shop

N

22

27 Central Academy of Drama

16

G 25

7

5 4 19 23 24 17

14 27

6 15

12

1

21 26

136