An elder hutong resident sits along a street of Shichahai area.[Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

Hutong is one of the many labels associated with old Beijing, not only because of its distinctive architectural style which is long and winding, with houses standing along two sides of a narrow road, but also because of the people who live there and the life they lead. No matter how the outside world changes, these old Beijingers live the way their parents and grandparents lived, buying groceries from the same old closet-sized stores across from their homes, and visiting neighbours while wearing pajamas. Their lifestyle embodies the essence of traditional Beijing culture as it is very much a living heritage.

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