This city called Beijing is really strange. After you live in it for a long time, you will realize that its charm is not limited to the majestic royal buildings. It is also hidden in the inconspicuous alleys and the smell of fireworks that permeates every brick and tile.
Many people come to Beijing for the first time and rush to check out the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. However, they often overlook the actual background of the city.
In fact, if we want to describe the humanities and history of Beijing, we have to start from two sources. One is the resplendent royal style, and the other is the hutongs and courtyards that are the roots of urban life.
Today we will talk about how to see through this three thousand year old capital from these angles.
The origin of Peking Opera and the arrival of Huizhou troupes in Beijing
Speaking of Beijing’s cultural symbols, Peking Opera Definitely at the top.
But it is not native, its roots are in the South.
In 1790, this year was the fifty-fifth year of Qianlong's reign. In order to celebrate the emperor's birthday, Anhui's Sanqing Class came to Beijing, the Sixi Class also came to Beijing, the Chuntai Class also came to Beijing, and the Chun Class also came to Beijing one after another.
This performance in Beijing was an unprecedented success.
During the performance, the Hui Troupe absorbed the essence of Han opera, Kun opera, Qin opera and other tunes. On the fertile cultural ground of Beijing, they continued to integrate and carefully polish it, and finally created the national quintessence that we later knew - Peking opera.
So you see, Beijing's inclusiveness has already begun since then. Complex and diverse cultures from all over the world have gathered here and collided with each other. Only in this way can new vitality and vitality be sprouted, and new buds can then grow.
The legacy of Yuan Dynasty in the Hutong
After talking about the drama, let’s talk about where to live.
Hutongs can be said to be the most distinctive residential form in Beijing.
The word first originated from Yuan Dynasty , which means "small streets and alleys" in Mongolian.
At that time, Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, started the construction work of Dadu in the Yuan Dynasty. The city was planned according to the square system. The neat streets and alleys became the initial form of hutongs.
There are many old alleys in Beijing. These old alleys are distributed as densely as stars and chess pieces. When it was at its most prosperous, the number reached more than 7,000, and each alley has its own story.
As for the oldest one, it is Sanmiao Street. It has a history of more than 900 years. When you walk there, you can feel the weight of time.
The most well-known one nowadays is probably Nanluogu Alley. It is now one of the eight characteristic commercial streets in Beijing. It has a large number of foreign friends. The alleys are lined with Ming and Qing-style buildings on both sides, and there are various bars and small shops hidden in them. The ancient and modern have achieved a superb fusion here.
Philosophy of life in the courtyard
The texture of the alley is made up of blocks Siheyuan constituted.
Most of the former residences of celebrities and royal palaces scattered in the urban area are quite authentic courtyard houses, such as Prince Gong's Mansion on Qianhai West Street. Its regulations and grandeur will allow you to see at a glance the exquisiteness of the royal palaces of the Qing Dynasty.
Siheyuan has the characteristics of squareness and harmony. Family members live together and people meet each other when they raise their heads and meet each other when they lower their heads. This is extremely conducive to the cohesion of family ties.
Unfortunately, over the years, Beijing has seen more and more towering buildings, while intact courtyard houses have become extremely rare.
Today, only within the Second Ring Road, there are still two or three relatively complete courtyard protected areas.
People who live in buildings always talk about the intimacy of living in bungalows. What they probably miss is the down-to-earth feeling full of reality.
Royal gardens and mountain and river barriers
If Hutong courtyards represent the "people" of Beijing, then the royal gardens and military fortresses represent Beijing's "power".
The Summer Palace, with Kunming Lake and Wanshou Mountain as its base, adopts the design techniques of Jiangnan gardens. It is the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China. It is called the "Royal Garden Museum". You can understand how grand the royal aesthetic is after just one visit.
The barrier to the north of Beijing is inseparable from Juyongguan Great Wall .
First, it is located at the north entrance of the Guangou Ancient Road in Jundushan, Yanqing County. Secondly, it is known as "one of the nine fortresses in the world". Third, it is an extremely important barrier for the capital Beijing. Fourth, historically it has always been a key place that military strategists must compete for.
Further to the northwest, at the foot of Tianshou Mountain in Changping District, the Thirteen Ming Tombs are located. Thirteen emperors of the Ming Dynasty are buried here. The total area of the mausoleum area reaches more than 120 square kilometers. It is one of the largest imperial mausoleum complexes in the world with the largest number of imperial mausoleums. Each mausoleum carries the memory of the rise and fall of a dynasty.
From Jicheng, the capital of Yan, to the capital of the world
The history of Beijing is far older than we think.
It began to have cities in the Zhou Dynasty. The city belonged to the Ji State and was later replaced by the powerful Yan State. The capital of the Yan State is now Liulihe Town in Fangshan District.
The State of Yan, one of the Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period, got its name because of its proximity to Yanshan Mountain. Its capital was also called "Yandu".
Later in the Han Dynasty, Wei, Jin and even the Tang Dynasty, all were set up here. Youzhou .
Until the Yuan Dynasty, the new city was rebuilt with the palace of the Jin Dynasty (now Beihai Park) as the center. In the ninth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1272), it was renamed "Dadu", commonly known as Yuan Dadu. In this way, Beijing officially became the capital of a unified dynasty.
Since the Yuan Dynasty, Beijing's status has shown an increasing trend, gradually replacing the core status of Chang'an and Luoyang. This change in status relies on its unique geographical location and military value.
Every historic site in Beijing is a wave in the long river of history.
Whether you are listening to the melodious tunes of Peking Opera, walking through the alleys and feeling the smell of fireworks, or looking up at the magnificent scenery of the royal gardens, you can feel the pulse of the city.
There are so many stories here that it is impossible to tell them all at once, but as long as you have this intention, you can always read from the bricks, tiles, grass, and trees, and interpret the richness and calmness contained in it after three thousand years.
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