The famous Eight Grand Hutongs

Here it is-The ShiTou (stone) Hutong, one of the famous Eight Grand Hutongs. Since the demolition began in south Beijing, the appearances of the old style coutyards there are not so easy to keep up as they used to be. Hutong refers to long and narrow alleyways with an enclosed courtyard residence in Beijing. Usually a Hutong becomes famous for its association with historical figures. The most famous ones are Eight Grand Hutong, and they did not house any historical VIPs, but were homes to hookers.
In the old days, the area outside the Front Gate of south Beijing around the Great Fence was scattered with hundreds of brothels. Hookers at the Eight Grand Hutongs were reputed as the best, not in terms of attractiveness, but their ability to sing and play musical instruments.
Photographed on June 5, 2007 © Mingfang Huang.