Routes offer glimpse into capital's past

When one talks about Beijing, one of the first things that comes to mind, in addition to the signature historical scenery such as the undulating Great Wall, or the Forbidden City with its red walls and green tiles, is hutong.

Each year, the capital's many hutong have attracted millions of tourists who try to get a glimpse of the folk customs and see what the life of Beijing natives has been like, both in the present and in the past.

Among the hutong clusters in Beijing, two major and classic routes are favored by tourists - one south of the city in Dashilan, around the Qianmen area; and the other in the city's north, along the Shichahai area.