Haibo Hutong

Haibo Hutong

To the east of Xiaochangkou Road on the outer side of Xuanwu Gate Street, there used to be a very famous east-west alley called Haibo Hutong. It was well known because two renowned cultural figures from the Qing Dynasty once lived there: one was Zhu Yizun, author of Ri Xia Ji Wen (Old Accounts of the Capital) during the Kangxi era; the other was a descendant of Confucius and the playwright of the drama “The Peach Blossom Fan,” Kong Shangren.

Haibo Hutong came into being during the Ming Dynasty. The alley originally had an ancient temple from the Ming era called Haibo Temple, so it was also known as Haibo Hutong. The name Haibo Hutong came about because there were many ancient cypress trees in Haibo Temple. People commonly referred to the temple as Haibo Si (Cypress Temple), and thus the alley also became known as Haibo Hutong. During the Qing Dynasty, many literati resided in this hutong, hence the siheyuan (courtyard houses) along both sides were often adorned with wisteria. The combination of “ancient locust trees, wisteria, and siheyuan” gave Haibo Hutong its distinctive charm. Up until the 1990s, Haibo Hutong still existed, and Haibo Temple remained as well (though it had long been turned into a crowded residential compound), with some of its red walls and traditional architecture still retaining traces of their former appearance.

Zhu Yizun (1629–1709), also known as Zhuzhuang, was from Xiushui (present-day Jiaxing), Zhejiang. He passed the imperial examination in the 18th year of the Kangxi reign and was highly regarded by Emperor Kangxi for his vast knowledge. Coming from a humble background, Kangxi referred to him, along with two other renowned literati, Jiang Chenying and Yan Shengsun, as the “Three Scholars of the Realm.” Zhu Yizun first served in the Hanlin Academy, then as a court chronicler, and later entered the Southern Study. He was a prominent scholar in the early Qing period; the Draft History of Qing described him as “erudite and knowledgeable, having read virtually all books under heaven.” His greatest contribution was personally compiling the extensive historical and geographical work about Beijing, Ri Xia Ji Wen, during the Kangxi era. Among ancient historical and geographical books about Beijing, Ri Xia Ji Kao (Examination of Old Accounts of the Capital), compiled during the Qianlong reign, was the most comprehensive, but it was based on Zhu Yizun’s Ri Xia Ji Wen. Commissioned by Emperor Qianlong and organized by official scholars, it was an imperial compilation. To honor Zhu Yizun’s original work, it retained the title Ri Xia Ji Wen, and to distinguish the two, the word “Kao” (Examination) was added. “Ri Xia” means the capital or Beijing. This term originates from Wang Bo’s preface to the Tengwang Pavilion, where he wrote “gazing at Chang’an under the sun,” and since then “Ri Xia” has been used as a metaphor for the capital. Zhu Yizun undertook this massive task alone, and the difficulty can hardly be imagined. He selected materials related to Beijing’s history and geography from over 1,600 types of ancient texts, often visiting historic sites by day and working late into the night by lamplight. He would not put pen to paper until the historical remains matched the records in the texts. Zhu Yizun was rigorously scholarly, and several notable literary figures of the Kangxi era, such as Xu Wenchang, Xu Qianxue, Jiang Chenying, Feng Pu, and Gao Shiqi, all wrote prefaces for Ri Xia Ji Wen. They praised Zhu Yizun for his “meticulous research and dedicated fieldwork.” It is worth mentioning that Zhu Yizun was also a close friend of Cao Yin, grandfather of Cao Xueqin. Zhu Yizun’s collection, Pu Shu Ting Ji (Collected Works from the Book-Drying Pavilion), was funded and printed by Cao Yin, while Cao Yin’s Lin Ting Shi Chao (Poetry Drafts from the Chinaberry Pavilion) was prefaced by Zhu Yizun. Zhu Yizun’s former residence was located at No. 16, south side of Haibo Hutong, marked with a plaque identifying it as a Beijing Cultural Heritage site. The compound was a small, two-courtyard siheyuan, which later became a crowded residential courtyard. In the 1990s, the area was redeveloped, leading to the demolition of the hutong. Zhu Yizun’s study, known as the “Ancient Wisteria Study,” was located in the southern wing. In front of its window grew an ancient wisteria vine planted by Zhu himself. Its gnarled trunk and cascading purple flowers inspired Zhu to write: “Clearing a space of several feet, wisteria blossoms fill the eaves in purple.” The Ancient Wisteria Study once housed tens of thousands of volumes and was a frequent gathering place for literati to compose poetry. Distinguished contemporaries such as Wang Shizhen (Shizhen), Zha Shenxing, and Kong Shangren were regular visitors.

Kong Shangren (1648–1718), styled Antang, was from Qufu, Shandong. While serving in the capital, he held the position of Doctor at the Imperial College. His former residence in the capital was also in Haibo Hutong, a large mansion with a spacious garden, though its exact location remains uncertain. The author visited Haibo Hutong several times in the 1990s and found only Zhu Yizun’s former residence, but could not locate Kong Shangren’s. Many scholars of Beijing's history and geography have written that the exact spot remains undiscovered. Kong Shangren’s study was called “Antang,” which was also his courtesy name. He wrote numerous poems, including collections like Chang Liu Ji (Long Flow Collection) and Yan Tai Za Xing (Miscellaneous Inspiration from Yan Terrace). In the preface of Chang Liu Ji, he wrote: “Antang is my residence in the capital, located on Haibo Temple Street. In front lies a green field, which was a horse pasture in earlier dynasties.” He also wrote: “Green fields of the official farm neighbor the horse stables, and the Haibo Temple connects with the heavenly streets.” Kong Shangren’s most important work is the drama “The Peach Blossom Fan.” During the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, two famous plays emerged: one was Hong Sheng’s Chang Sheng Dian (Palace of Eternal Life), and the other was Kong Shangren’s The Peach Blossom Fan. Classical Chinese drama had experienced a peak during the Yuan Dynasty, flourished in fiction during the Ming Dynasty, and saw another mini-renaissance in the Kangxi era of the Qing, represented by Chang Sheng Dian and The Peach Blossom Fan. A contemporary poem read: “Even if the Yuan had many theatrical works, the stages mostly performed the words of Kong [Shangren].” The premiere of The Peach Blossom Fan took place in the theater of Hou Sun Park. Later, part of Hou Sun Park became the Anhui Guild Hall, and the theater was located within it. The theater still exists today and is the oldest guild hall theater in Beijing, especially notable for having staged the famous plays Chang Sheng Dian and The Peach Blossom Fan, securing its place in history. The debut of The Peach Blossom Fan was a major cultural event in the capital, performed by the leading theater troupe Nei Ju Ban. This troupe was exclusively for imperial performances, and the opening show was presided over by Liang Qingbiao, Grand Secretary of the Hall of Central Harmony in the Forbidden City. On the opening night, officials and wealthy patrons brought wine and set up elaborate seating, creating an unprecedented scene. However, The Peach Blossom Fan contained strong anti-Qing sentiments—even the Qinhuai courtesan Li Xiangjun harshly criticized the scholar Hou Fangyu (Fangyu), who surrendered to the Qing. Someone used this as a pretext to shut down the play. During the highly repressive reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, more than fifty people were implicated due to The Peach Blossom Fan. Fortunately, Kong Shangren was a descendant of Confucius. In the 23rd year of Kangxi’s reign, when the emperor visited Qufu to pay homage to Confucius, it was Kong Shangren who performed the rites and lectured on the Great Learning, earning the emperor’s favor. As a result, he was dismissed from office and returned to Qufu, Shandong. In front of Kong Shangren’s study grew an ancient wisteria vine, said to have been planted by him. He wrote: “In Haibo Lane, worldly dust is scarce; a wisteria frame is my Antang,” referring to his study as Antang. He also penned a line specifically about the wisteria: “The wisteria blossoms are not phoenix trees, yet they attract phoenixes year after year.”

Zhu Yizun (1629–1709), courtesy name Xichang, also known as Zhuzuo, Ffang, or Jin Feng Ting Zhang, and in his later years as Xiao Chang Lu Dai Yu, was from Xiushui (now Jiaxing). After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, he moved to Mei Hui Li (now Wangdian Town, Jiaxing). His great-grandfather, Zhu Guozuo, was the top imperial scholar of the Ming Dynasty and served as Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall. By the time Zhu Yizun was born, the family fortune had declined, and during famines, meals were hard to come by, but he loved learning from a young age. Even when there was no food to cook, the sound of his reading never ceased. In his youth, he devoted himself to classical studies, excelling in poetry and prose, and gained an early reputation for his literary talent. In the second year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1645), when Zhu Yizun was 17 years old...  More details on Zhu Yizun++

Kong Shangren (1648–1718), poet and playwright of the early Qing Dynasty. Courtesy names Pinzhi and Jizhong, also known as Dongtang, Antang, and Yun Ting Shan Ren. From Qufu (now in Shandong), he was the 64th-generation descendant of Confucius. His father, Kong Zhen□, was a successful candidate in the imperial examinations in the sixth year of the Chongzhen reign (1633), known for his erudition and integrity, and chose not to pursue an official career throughout his life. Biography and literary works: As a descendant of Confucius, Kong Shangren inherited Confucian traditions and scholarship. From a young age, he studied rituals, music, military affairs, and agriculture, and even researched musical theory, laying a foundation for his later dramatic compositions. Around the age of 20, Kong...  More details on Kong Shangren++