Idea #202 – Visiting the old town of Beijing
The imperial palace is surrounded with two districts, Dongsheg and Xicheng, who established formerly the Tartar city. These districts were inhabited by the aristocracy of origin mandchoue, which reigned over China from 1644 till 1911. Residences got organized around a court, a “siheyuan” conscript, just like the palaces of the big, served by networks of alleys, the “hutong”. These houses were afterward divided and occupied by numerous plebeian families, transforming them into quasi-shanty towns, without water and without heating. Toilet were also common, shared between several houses, even non-existent… The city of Beijing recently made destroy a big partof these districts and renovate some parts, to make them again healthy. We find also the tower of the drum and the tower of the bell there, which sounded the hours and informed of the presence of the emperor in the Cité Interdite (Forbidden City). A little farther, around the lake Beihai, extends Hukka hated, a well restored pedestrian tourist district, which offers numerous shops and an intense night-life. To visit these districts, we opted for the rickshaw.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Dongcheng and Xicheng, Beijing, China
Larger Map