Doomed to demolition, the hutong in the Caochang area to the east of Qianmen are becoming a rising attraction frequented by visitors with cameras in their hands who are there trying to catch a last glimpse of the disappearing alleyways. As part of the government's ambitious renovation blueprint, the hutong in this area are being torn down to make way for wider streets and higher buildings that will mark the modernity the city seeks.

Spanning a large area between the bustling Qianmen Dajie and newly widened Tiantanbei Dajie, the hutong here are more crude and original without too much modification. Compared with the restored hutong for tourism in the Shichahai Lake area and for residence in the northern part of the city, the hutong here impress people as a living reference to the history of Beijing's commerce and ordinary people's lifestyles hundreds of years ago.

Originally built symmetrically along the old watercourse running to the city moat, the Changxiang and Caochang hutong became prosperous thanks to their convenient location near the Qianmen area, where Beijing's most thriving commercial area partially remains. As successful businessmen settled here, so did a large number of ordinary folk arriving from elsewhere in search of a better life.

In addition to household functions, shrewd businessmen used their courtyards as workshops and warehouses to facilitate their businesses within close reach of the Qianmen area. One example is the boss of Shengxifu - a famous old quality hat brand in Beijing - who once used his courtyard as a warehouse. Having survived the travails of time and numerous events in the past, standing conspicuously in the middle of Xixinglong Jie, the well-constructed courtyard is now entering its final phase of existence.

A diversified cultural ambience different from that in the other old hutong neighbourhoods is the remarkable characteristic of this area because it used to be a transitional home for migrant people . Today, you can still find traces of the dominant influences of the bankers from Shanxi Province during the Qing Dynasty in the hutong, where Shanxi food is still served in many small eateries.

The courtyards in this area are also different from others in the northern part of the city. Mainly used as homes for people of lower or outdated social status in the past, the courtyards were restrained in scale, style and decoration, and were incomparable to the fancy courtyard homes of high-ranking officials and figures. The courtyard difference serves as a vivid reminder to the unwritten rules asserting that the southern part of Beijing was mainly the domain of the poor people with lower status. However, the area also offers an insight into the optimism of poor Beijingers, as they strove to make the best of their harsh living conditions.

Another attraction of the hutong here is a unique restaurant called Liqun Roast Duck. Set deep in the Beixiangfeng Hutong, the restaurant is famous for serving roast duck prepared in a traditional way at lower prices, in its crowded rooms and patio that are converted from the owner's courtyard. In fact, the inconspicuous restaurant enjoys a particular popularity among foreigners thanks to many reports by foreign media including the National Geographic. The business is so successful that people coming without reservations are usually turned away as diners are urged to finish within a certain timeframe. As the area's renovation project trundles on, Zhang Liqun, the owner of the restaurant, is becoming clouded with gloom, as the restaurant is an inevitable candidate for demolition.

It is suggested that you start wandering from the east end of Xixinglong Jie leading onto Tiantanbei Dajie. Not long after you walk into the narrow street running east to west, you will feel a serenity in stark contrast to the bustling street and on your left side you will discover connections to the winding hutong that are numbered unimaginatively from one to 10.

It is sad that you cannot now see the various businesses that congested the street in the past, with the residents moving out and the demolition of the courtyards bringing an end to this layman's commerce. In fact, the courtyards on the right side of the street have almost been torn down completely, while courtyards on the opposite side are temporarily spared from the sledgehammers, as families await relocation.
This little odyssey is completed at the west end of the street that is divided from the entrance of the famous Dashilan Street by Qianmen Dajie. With a pair of comfortable shoes and maybe a scarf to protect you from the dust, you will spend a couple of hours walking in the living history that is soon to disappear. But there is still time and you will have a chance to witness not only the disappearance of many alleyways but also the lifestyle that will be carried away in lorries forever.

Getting there: Walk westward from under the overpass connecting the Beijing New World Department Store in the Chongwenmen area or get in from the west end of the street at Qianmen Dajie.