People say that the real culture of Beijing is the culture of Hutong and courtyard. They attract more tourists from home and abroad than the high-rise buildings and large mansions. Hutong is the name given to a lane or small street that originated during the Yuan Dynasty. Now they have become representatives of Beijing's culture. It is said that by 1949 there were as many as 3,250 Hutongs. But with the passage of time, and the requirement for city construction, the number of Hutongs has fallen dramatically. Now only no more than 1,000 remain. Thus, protecting Hutongs is an urgent problem for modern people.
人们说，真正的北京文化是胡同（Hutong）和四合院（courtyard）文化。他们比高楼大厦吸引更多海内外游客。“胡同”这个名字源于元朝时对小巷（lane）或小街道的叫法。现在它们已经成为北京文化的代表。据说，截至1949年，胡同的数量曾多达3250个。但随着时间的流逝，以及城市建设的需要，胡同的数量已经急剧下降。现在的胡同仅剩不到1000条。因此，保护胡同对现代人来说是迫切的问题。
