一、胡同的演變

　　胡同是北京特有的古老城市小巷。

　　北京的胡同大多形成于十三世紀的元朝，它們圍繞在北京城市中心的紫禁城的周圍，經歷了元、明、清三個朝代的發展演變，到今日已有七百年多的歷史。

　　胡同的走向多為正東正西，寬度一般不超過9米。胡同兩邊的建筑幾乎都是四合院。四合院是一種由東西南北四座房屋以對稱的形式圍成一個院子的建筑物。大大小小的四合院一個緊挨一個排列起來，它們之間的通道就是胡同。

　　北京的胡同既是北京城市的交通脈絡，更是北京大多數普通老百姓日常的生活場所。胡同一般距離鬧市很近，但又沒有車水馬龍的喧囂，可謂是鬧中取靜的城市居所。

　　北京人對胡同有著特殊感情，因為胡同是他們出入家門的共同通道，這對于鄰里之間的交流和融洽，胡同發揮了特殊的作用。從外表上看胡同的模樣都十分相似，但不同的胡同其內含卻又各有特色。老北京的生活氣息就存在于胡同的每個角落，存在于四合院的一磚一瓦之中，生　　活在胡同之中的居民有著獨特的手足之情、鄰里之情。也可以說胡同是一座老北京的民俗風情博物館。

　　北京的胡同到底有多少呢？據文獻記載，在元末熊夢祥撰寫的《析津志輯佚》中，北京當時共有街巷胡同413條，其中29條直接稱為胡同。明代張爵的《京師五城坊巷集》記載了1170條街巷，其中有459條胡同。清末朱一新的《京師坊巷志稿》中，共有2077條街巷，其中有978條胡同。1949年前后，北京街巷數量達到高峰，其時共有3216條街巷，其中有1039條胡同。1980年以后，隨著經濟和城市建設的發展，北京的城區有了很大的擴張，據1982年中國展望出版社出版《古今北京》一書說：“至今，北京城區的胡同約有4550多條。”但在改造建設城區之中又拆遷了一些老的街巷，昔日的許多街巷胡同變成了高樓林立的社區，一些老胡同也隨之而消失了。伴隨人口的增長，城區的擴大，截止到2003年的統計，北京的老城區尚存有1000多條胡同。

　　北京胡同歷經了數百年的風雨蒼桑，它既是老北京生活的象征，又是北京傳統文化的生動體現。歲月如歌，古老的胡同雖然大都改變了模樣，但還在生生不息，還在向人們講述著一個老北京的故事。

　　二、胡同的由來

　　根據史料記載，胡同一詞最早見于元朝雜曲，寫作“”。

　　元朝雜曲名家關漢卿的取材于三國故事的《單刀會》中，有“殺出一條血來”的臺詞。富有神話色彩，表現男女愛情故事的李好的元雜劇劇本《沙門島張生煮海》中也有如下對白：“張羽問梅香：‘你家住哪里？’梅香說：‘我家住磚塔兒。’”其中提到的磚塔兒胡同，就是今天西城區西四的磚塔胡同。

　　明朝萬歷年間順天府宛平知縣沈榜所著《宛署雜記》中記載：“本元人語，字中從胡、從同，蓋取胡人大同之意。然二者皆從行，迨我朝龍興，胡人北徙，同于荒服，亦基讖云。”也就是說 “胡同”一詞本是元朝的語言，是“胡人大同”的意思。到了明朝，胡人被打敗，所以又加上了“行”字。字形雖變了，讀音卻沒有改。這里所說的元人，即建立元大都的蒙古人。

　　根據史料記載和民間傳說，目前學術界對“胡同”一詞含義和來源的解釋主要有三種：

　　1、源于蒙古語，即“水井”之意：著名語言學家張清常教授認為，根據語言考證，胡同二字來自蒙古語“HOTTOG”的音轉，即水井之意。在蒙古語、突厥語、滿語中，水井一詞的發音與胡同非常接近，在歷史上，北京吃水主要依靠水井。鄉有鄉井，市有市井，除了河道、湖泊之外，井泉是居民生命之源，因此水井成為居民聚居區的代稱，進而成為街道的代稱，由此產生了胡同一詞；

　　2、元朝時遺留的名稱：蒙古語將城鎮稱為“浩特”，蒙古人建立元朝后，按照自己的習慣，將中原城鎮街巷也稱為“浩特”，后來“浩特”演化為“火弄”或“弄通”，進而演化成今日的“胡同”和“弄堂”；

　　3、胡人大同：認為胡同一詞是元朝時政治口號“胡人大統”的簡化版。

　　三、胡同的命名

　　北京胡同的名字從不同側面反映了舊北京的地理、政治、軍事、經濟、文化、宗教和民俗，是研究北京歷史文化的重要資料。

　　北京胡同的名稱看上去包羅萬象，名目繁多。這些胡同的名稱不僅具有如同記號一樣的實用指代功能，具體標出這條胡同在北京的地理位置，而且還有賦予意義和美學功能，能表達出給胡同起名的人們的思想和希望。

　　北京胡同的名稱大約可以分為四大類：

　　1、以人名命名的胡同。

　　2、以建筑物命名的胡同。

　　3、以地形景物來命名的胡同。

　　4、以商業故地和商業名稱的胡同。

　　在以人名命名的胡同中，直接以人的名字命名的就有上百條，這其中既有歷史人物，英雄豪杰，達官貴人，也有平民百姓，小商販，小手工業者名字來命名的。如以南宋丞相文天樣之名命名的“文丞相胡同”，以元朝著名塑像家劉元命名的“劉蘭塑胡同”。西城李閣老胡同，是因為明代文淵閣大學士李東陽曾住在這里。按清朝宮場稱謂，部院的尚書、侍郎稱之為大人，冠以姓，所以就有以乾隆年間兵部尚書班弟曾住過的胡同叫“班大人胡同”。另外，以經營豆腐生意的陳氏命名的“豆腐陳胡同”，以賣蘿卜的蘇氏命名的“蘇蘿卜胡同”，以經營絲棉生意的馬氏命名的“馬絲棉胡同”等等。其他如張自忠路、趙登禹路、石附馬大街、張皇親胡同，方家胡同，史家胡同、蔡家胡同、蔣家胡同等等，皆屬此類。

　　以建筑或遺址命名的胡同如：東城區交道口的府學胡同，因明、清兩代的順天府學坐落在其中而得名。建國門內有貢院頭條、二條胡同。是因明、清兩代的貢院設在此地而得名。

　　其他如黃寺大街、東廠胡同、祿米倉胡同、西什庫胡同、國子監街等都屬于此類。

　　以地形特色、景物命名的胡同如：金魚池、龍須溝、北河沿等，又如崇文區的三里河大街，是以明代開鑿于此的三里河命名的。廣安門外元代以前有蓮花水域，因而留下了蓮花池胡同、蓮花池東路、蓮花池西里等地名。

　　以商業故地和商業名稱命名的胡同如：崇文區的花市地區，自清代中期便有人家以種植、制作并銷售真假花為業，現在留下的西花市大街、東花市大街、花市上頭條、花市下頭條等街巷胡同，都與花市有關。東四以南的燈市口大街，從明朝起就是有名的燈市，因此留下了燈市口這個地名。 宣武門外的菜市口，曾是蔬菜交易市場。西城區有條斜街，名為煙袋斜街，這條街上，從清代至民國，直至解放以后，有許多商店賣煙袋，還在店門前懸掛一根大木制煙袋為幌子，這樣就自然地定名為煙袋斜街。 其他，如曉市大院、牛街、珠寶市、果子巷、干面胡同、錢糧胡同、磁器口等，皆屬此類。

　　四、最后的胡同

　　胡同的歷史和老北京城一樣久遠，現在的北京舊城是以元大都為基礎修建的，元大都舊城共有十一座城門，城門內的大街構成了全城主干道。主干道相交形成若干長方形居民居住區，居住區中又有等距離東西走向的若干小巷，這些小巷就被稱為胡同，當時規定大街寬二十四步（約37.2米），小街寬十二步（約18.6米），胡同寬六步（約9.3米），胡同、大街和小街構成了完整的元大都城市街道體系。

　　明北京城是在元大都的基礎上修建的，基本沿襲了元大都的格局，內城包括磚塔胡同在內的許多胡同都是元代的遺存。但自明代開始，對城市建筑的規范越來越寬松，出現了許多斜街和不規則的街道，明英宗時期開始修建的外城斜街和曲折的胡同就更多了。

　　但是隨著歷史的發展，越來越多的胡同和平房區成為危房改造的對象：一方面是居住在舊城區的市民日益感到老式房屋不堪使用，生活不便，另一面是市區政府和房地產開發商急于利用舊城大片的土地。在這種來自上下兩層的重壓之下，北京的胡同正在以每年數十條的速度加速消失，取代胡同的是現代化但沒有北京建筑特色的高樓大廈和寬闊大道。因此，一些人士也發出警告：文化的北京正在因為胡同和四合院的消失而消亡，世界城市建筑史上的經典之作的明清北京城正瀕臨徹底消失的邊緣。

　　2004年2月1日，建設部簽發《城市紫線管理辦法》，規定國家歷史文化名城內的歷史文化街區的保護范圍，即紫線范圍內，禁止進行違反保護規劃的大面積拆除、開發；禁止對歷史文化街區傳統格局和風貌構成影響的大面積改建；禁止損壞或者拆毀保護規劃確定保護的建筑物、構筑物和其它設施；禁止修建破壞歷史文化街區傳統風貌的建筑物、構筑物和其它設施；禁止占用或者破壞保護規劃確定保留的園林綠地、河湖水系、道路和古樹名木等；禁止其它對歷史文化街區和歷史建筑的保護構成破壞性影響的活動。這一管理辦法為北京舊城胡同和四合院的保護提供了重要的法律依據。

　　在歷史上和現實中，胡同都是城市普通市民生息的場所，胡同與北京文化的形成和存在起到了決定性的作用，相比于代表皇家文化的紫禁城、天壇、頤和園，胡同可以說是北京平民文化的代表，青磚灰瓦清水脊幾乎已經成為老北京的象征。

　　但歷史的腳步總是朝前邁進的，北京的一些著名的老胡同和街巷，雖然己被劃為舊城保護區中得以保護，但它們也在不斷的被修繕、改建，在悄然中改變了原來的模樣。從2005～2008年我拍攝北京胡同期間，就看到不少這樣的場景，這些延續了幾百年的最后的胡同，未來將以何種方式得以留存下去，不得而知？

　　Hutong ? Story of Old Beijing

　　Feng Jianguo

　　I  Evolution of Hutong

　　Hutong are ancient city alleys typical of Beijing.

　　Most of hutong in Beijing came into being in the Yuan Dynasty in 13th century. Situated around the Forbidden City in the centre of Beijing, and having experienced the evolution through Yuan, Ming, Qing dynasties, Hutong of Beijing boast a history of more than seven hundred years till now.

　　Most of hutong go from east to west, with its width commonly no more than nine meters. Along its both sides are Siheyuan---quadrangles, units of buildings characteristic of Beijing, which is a inner open courtyard surrounded by 4 houses　respectively situated on  the east, west, south and north. Siheyuan of different size stands closely with each other and form a pathway in between. And the pathway becomes hutong.

Hutong not only function as part of the transportation system of Beijing, but also is the living place of most ordinary residents. Situated near downtown area but exempted from the noise and uproar of city, hutong can be seen as a precious place of tranquility in the midst of noisy city.  

　　Beijing residents cherish special sentiments for hutong, the common pathway for them to go in and out of home, which play a special role in the communication between neighbors and the harmony of neighborhood. Hutong have similar outlook but different hutong have different characteristics. The aroma of old Beijing exists in every single corner of hutong, in every single brick and tile of Siheyuan, and residents there not only look on each other as brothers and sisters, but also hold special feelings for each other. In other words, hutong can be called as a Museum of folk custom of Beijing.   

　　Then, how many hutong are there in Beijing?  We can find some clue from literature records. According to Analysing the 　　　History of Capital, written by Xiong Mengxiang in the Yuan Dynasty, there were 413 alleys, of which, 29 were directly called hutong then. Zhang Jue in the Ming Dynasty in his A Book of Alleys in the Capital recorded 1,170 alleys, of which, 459 are called as hutong. According to Capital Lanes Annals written by Zhu Yinxin in the Qing Dynasty, there were 2,077 alleys and lanes then, of which, 978 had the word hutong in their names. In about 1949, the number of streets and lanes in Beijing increased dramatically, with as many as 3,216 alleys then, of which, 1,039 are called hutong. After 1980, with the development of economy and urban construction, urban area of Beijing expanded greatly, with the book Ancient and Modern Beijing published by Chinese Expectation Publishing House saying: “Up to the present, there are over 4,550 hutong in urban area of Beijing.”  But in the process of modernization and reconstruction, the number of Beijing hutong has dropped dramatically as many of them are demolished to make way for new roads and buildings. With the increase of population and expansion of urban area, up till 2003, there are still over 1,000 hutong in Beijng.

　　Having experienced hundreds of years of development, Hutong is now a symbol of the life of old Beijng as well as a lively representation of the tradition and culture of Beijing. As time passed, though most of hutong have changed its outlook, they still show strong life and tell the story of old Beijing to all the people.

　　II  Origin of  Hutong

　　The earliest written record of the Chinese word “hutong” is found in the Yuan drama, written as “hutong”.

　　In a drama called Dandaohui written by Guan Hanqing, a famous writer in the Yuan Dynansty, there is an actor’s line “to strive and carve out a hutong to escape from danger.” It can also be found in the following dialogue in a drama written by Li Hao in the Yuan dynasty: “Zhang Yu asked Mei Xiang: ‘Where do you live?’ Mei Xiang answered: ‘I live in Zhuantaer Hutong.’ ” And the “Zhuantaer Hutong” mentioned above refers to the Zhuanta (Brick tower) Hutong in Xicheng district now.

Shen Bang, the head of Wanping County in the Ming dynasty, wrote in his Story of Wanping County, “The word Hutong gets its origin from the Yuan people, who are also called as Hu people. Hutong means the Hu people unify and govern the whole country. ” The Yuan People here refer to the Mongolians, who established the Yuan Dynasty.

　　As to the meaning and origin of the word “hutong”, there are following 3 editions of explanations based on historical records and folklore:

　　1. It originated from a Mongolian word, which means “water well”. According to Prof. Zhang Qingchang, a famous linguist, it originatied from a Mongolian word “ huttog”, which means a water well. The pronunciation of “water well” in Mongolian, Turkic as well as in  Manchu are quite similar to the pronunciation of hutong. And in history, resident of Beijing got water mainly from water wells. There were wells in both townships and cities. Except rivers and lakes, water wells were the most important source of water for city residents in old times. So water well became the address of  residential area,  and further became the address of street. The word “hutong” thus appeared.

　　2. It is a word left from the Yuan Dynasty. Township in Mongolian is called “haote”. After the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongolians called the townships as “haote” as well according to their own customs. And “haote” became “Huonong (fire alleys)” or “Nongtong (passageways)”, and further became “Hutong ” and “Nongtang” today.

　　3. It is an abbreviated version of “Hu Ren da tong”, a political slogan in the Yuan Dynasty, which means “the Hu people unify and govern the whole country.”

　　III  Domination of Hutong

　　The names of hutong in Beijing can reflect different respects of old Beijing, from its geography, politics, military strength, economy, culture, religion to its folklore, and can serve as important  references for the research of the history and culture of Beijing.

　　The very different names of hutong not only function as signals to tell people its exact geographical location in Beijing, but also show the thoughts and hopes of people who named it through its specific meaning.

　　The names can be divided into four categories:

　　1.　Hutong named after people;

　　2. Hutong named after buildings;

　　3.　Hutong named according to the geographical features around it;

　　4. Hutong named after famous goods sold at market.

　　Among the Hutong named after people, there are over 100, which use the names of people directly as its name. These people range from heroes in history, riches, high-level officials, to common people, pedants as well as handicraftsmen. Typical examples are Wenchengxiang Hutong [ a hutong named after Wen Tianxiang, Chengxiang( a rank of officials, compared  to Prime Minister today)of the Nan Song Dynasty) , Liu Lan su Hutong( a hutong named after Liu Yuan, a famous sculptor in the Yuan Dynasty) and Ligelao Hutong ( a hutong named after Li Dongyang, famous scholar in the Ming dynasty). Similar examples include Bandaren Hutong[a hutong named after Bandi, the defense minister of the Qing Dynasty( such high-level officials as ministers are called Daren then)],  Doufuchen Hutong(a Hutong named after a person with his surname as Chen, who was famous for the bean curd he made), Suluobo Hutong(a Hutong named after a person with surname as Su, who sold radish), and Masimian Hutong(a Hutong named after a person with surname as Su, who ran the silk business then), etc. Others, such as Zhang Zizhong Road, Zhao Dengyu Road, Shi Fuma Street, Zhang Huangqin Hutong, Fangjia Hutong (the Fangs), Shijia(the Shis) Hutong, Caijia (the Cais) Hutong and Jiangjia (the Jiangs) Hutong, etc, also fall into this category.

　　Hutong named after famous buildings or relics include Fuxue (state-run school)  Hutong, which gets its name because the famous Shuntian state-run school was situated there), Gongyuan(examination site)  Toutiao Hutong, Gongyuan Ertiao Hutong, both of which get its name because it is the location of  Gongyuan in both Ming and Qing Dynasties. Others, such as Huangsi Street, Dongchang Hutong, Lumicang Hutong, Xishiku Hutong, and Guo Zijian Street are all Hutong named after buildings.

 Hutong named according to the geographical features around it include Jinyuchi (Goldfish Pond), Longxugou (Longxu Dike), Beiheyan (north riverbank), etc. The Sanlihe (Sanli River) Street in the Congwen District gets its name from the Sanli River dug there in the Ming Dynasty. Because there were lotus ponds around Guang’an Gate, such names as Lianghuachi (Lotus Pond) Hutong, Lianhuachi East Road and Lianhuachi Xili are left.

　　Hutong named after famous goods sold at market include West Huashi(flower market)Street, East Huashi Street, Huashi Upper Toutiao Street, Huashi Lower Toutiao Street, all of which get its name because since the mid-Qing Dynasty, people in the Huashi area of Chongwen District have been making a living on the planting of flowers or on the production as well as sale of false blossoms. The Dengshikou (light market) Street south of Dongsi Area gets its name because it has been famous light market since the Ming Dynasty. Caishikou (food market) outside the Xuanwu Gate was once a market to trade vegetables. The Yandai (tobacco pouch) Xie(tilted) Street in the Xicheng District was named this way, because from the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, till after the Liberation, there have been many shops on this street, which sell tobacco pouches, and many shop owners hang a big, wooden tobacco pouch on its gate as a signal for advertisement, so it was naturally named Yandai Xie Street. Others, such as Xiaoshi (Morning Market) Yard, Niu (Beef) Street, Jewelry Market, Guozi (fruit) Alley, Ganmian (dried flour) Hutong, Qianliang(money and food) Hutong, and Ciqikou(magnetic street), fall into this category.

　　IV  Final Destiny of Hutong

　　The history of hutong is as long as that of Beijing. Today’s old urban area of Beijing City is constructed on the basis of the capital of the Ming Dynasty. The Capital, then had altogether 11 city gates, and the roads in these city gates formed the main roads of the city, which crossed with each other to form some inhabitant areas. In these inhabitant areas, there were some east-to-west alleys, which were called as hutong. It was prescribed then that the width of a main avenue be 24 steps (about 37.2m), the width of a back street be 12 steps (18.6m), and the width of a hutong be 6 steps (9.3m). Hutong, street and avenue constituted the whole transportation system of the capital in the Yuan dynasty.

　　The layout of Beijing in the Ming dynasty followed the style of the Yuan dynasty. A lot of hutong in Inner city, including Zhuanta Hutong, were relics from the Yuan dynasty. But since the Ming Dynasty, the regulation on city construction became looser and looser, and many tilted streets and irregular streets appeared, especilly those constructed during the reign of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynsty.

　　With the development of history, more and more hutong and bungalows become the targets of the city reconstruction effort. On the one hand, it is because residents who live in the old urban area feel more and more strongly that the old houses are not only too old but also inconvenient. On the other hand, the government and the real estate developers are so eager to make use of the land of old urban area. For the above two reasons, the number of hutong in Beijing is decreasing so rapidly that almost tens of then disappear every single year. In its place are the modern skyscrapers and broad roads without the characteristics of Beijing architecture. So, some people demolish that cultural Beijing is vanishing as hutong and quadrangles disappear and that old Bejing city, the classic work in world architecture history –is on the brink of disappearing completely.

　　On Feb. 1st 2004, the Ministry of Construction enacted the Regulation of city purple-ray management. It stipulates that in the protection domain of cities with historical and cultural heritage, namely in the purple-ray domain, it is forbidden to carry out any large-scale block out and exploitation scheme, which may violate the protection layout; it is forbidden to carry out any large-scale reconstruction, which may affect the traditional pattern and scenery of the historical and cultural blocks; it is forbidden to shatter or demolish any constructions, buildings or other establishments confirmed to be the targets protected by the protection layout; it is forbidden to construct any buildings or other establishments which may destroy the traditional scenery of the historical and cultural blocks; it is forbidden to engross and destroy the gardens and greenbelts, the rivers and lakes, roads, the old and precious trees, and etc.; it is also forbidden to make any other actions which may have devastating effect on the protection of the historical and cultural blocks and historical constructions. This regulation provides important legislative authority for the protection of hutong and Siheyuan in Beijing.

　　In history and in reality, hutong is a place where ordinary residents live, and it plays a decisive role in the formation and existence of Beijing culture. In contrast to the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, which represent the imperial culture, hutong is the representative of the folk culture. The green brick and gray tile almost become the symbol of old Beijing.

　　But history is always treading forward. Although some famous old hutong and streets in Beijing have been protected, they have gone through continuous improvement and rebuilding. Some of them have their appearances changed. In the photos I have taken from 2005 to 2008, a lot of such scenes can be seen. What is the destiny waiting for these last hutong with a history of hundreds of years? And in what way these last hutong can be preserved in the future? Perhaps no one has the answer.