Juer Hutong

Juer Hutong

Juer Hutong is located in the northwest of Dongcheng District, Beijing. It stretches from Jiaodaokou South Street in the east to Nanluoguxiang in the west, neighbors Houyuan’ensi Hutong to the south, and connects to Shoubi Hutong to the north. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Jiaodaokou Subdistrict Office. The hutong is 438 meters long and 6 meters wide, with an asphalt road surface. Currently, most of the northern side of the hutong has been demolished and rebuilt into buildings and courtyard houses.

Juer Hutong belonged to the Zhaohui Jinggong Fang during the Ming Dynasty and was called Ju’er Hutong. In the Qing Dynasty, it was under the jurisdiction of the Bordered Yellow Banner and was called Juer Hutong during the Qianlong era. “Juer” has two pronunciations: one is “jie” (洁), and the other is “ju” (橘). “Juer” is the colloquial form of “ju.” The latter pronunciation is considered correct here. During the Xuantong era, it was called Juer Hutong. The name continued after the Republic of China. In 1965, during a citywide effort to standardize place names, it was renamed Jiaodaokou South Second Alley. During the Cultural Revolution (“0”), it was temporarily renamed as - Road Eighth Alley before reverting to its original name. In 1979, Xiaojuer Hutong was incorporated, and the name Juer Hutong was restored.

Courtyards No. 3, No. 5, and No. 7 within Juer Hutong were the residences of Ronglu, the Governor-General of Zhili and Grand Secretary of the Qing Dynasty. No. 3 was the ancestral hall, No. 5 was the residence, and No. 7 was the garden. Ronglu later moved to Dongchang Hutong. Courtyards No. 3 and No. 5 were designated as cultural heritage sites under protection by Dongcheng District in 1986. Courtyard No. 7 once served as the Afghan Embassy. Courtyard No. 41 was originally a temple. Legend has it that the founding monk of the temple was a substitute monk for the emperor.

Juer Hutong

Coming out of Nanluoguxiang, you can easily reach Juer Hutong. This area is already part of Beijing’s Dongcheng District, and perhaps the most historically dense part lies right here. The most sedimented aspects of old Beijing culture are presented here in architectural form. Each hutong here carries a prominent past and stories that send shivers down your spine. For example, Courtyards No. 3, No. 5, and No. 7 of Juer Hutong in Dongcheng were the residences of Ronglu, a prominent official of the Guangxu Emperor during the Qing Dynasty. No. 3 was the ancestral hall, No. 5 was the residence, and No. 7 was the garden. Ronglu later moved to Dongchang Hutong. Later on, No. 7 served as the Afghan Embassy. Courtyard No. 41 was originally a temple. It is said that the founding monk of the temple was a substitute monk for the emperor. However, those old tales—whether these or others—can be found detailed in any book or website about old Beijing. Nowadays, they merely serve as a striking backdrop to Beijing life after the year 2000.

Walking here marks the beginning of a transition toward the nighttime hub to the east—the Sanlitun area. Perhaps it is precisely because this place neighbors that bustling district yet retains the heavy aura of a history book that many foreigners who are fascinated by China but not yet deeply immersed in Beijing life have chosen to live in Juer Hutong. They chat casually with neighbors at the entrance of the hutong. The newly built houses in Juer Hutong have won awards for their architectural features, and over the years, they have gradually attracted a large number of foreigners who love Beijing or are new to the city.

Nowadays, people from France, the United States, Italy, Germany, Finland, and many other countries live here. They may not be as deeply integrated into Beijing life as the foreigners in Houhai, but they have gathered here for a common reason: the hutong’s exterior appearance combined with a comfortable internal living environment that fulfills their Beijing dreams. Compared to the students in Wudaokou, they have slightly stronger financial means and can afford—at the very least, share among a few—the cost of Juer Hutong’s exquisite architecture and spacious rooms.

At night, small groups of foreigners move through the hutong as if returning home, giving the impression that foreigners in Beijing more easily integrate into local life. Looking back at the entrance of the hutong, the hurrying figures going home and the huddled black shadows whispering under the streetlights create a surreal feeling—that everyone is family.

Address: Northwest of Dongcheng District, Beijing

Type: Featured Neighborhood

Recommended Visiting Time: 2–3 hours

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Ticket Information:

No admission fee.

Transportation

Bus:

1. Take Bus 104 Express, Bus 104 Trolley, Bus 108 Trolley, Bus 113, Night Bus 201, Bus 612, Bus 758, or Special Line 11, get off at Jiaodaokou South, and walk 157 meters.

2. Take Bus 107 Trolley, Bus 124 Trolley, or Night Bus 204, get off at Xiaojingchang, and walk 192 meters.

3. Take Bus 635, get off at Jiaodaokou East, and walk 278 meters.

Source: Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development

Guwalgiya Ronglu (1836–1903), courtesy name Zhonghua, art name Lueyuan, was a Qing Dynasty politician and military leader. He authored books such as Wu Yi Gong Shi Lüe (Biography of Martial Valor Duke), Rong Wen Zhong Gong Ji (Collected Works of Duke Rong Wen Zhong), and Rong Lu Cun Zha (Collected Letters of Rong Lu). Due to Yuan Shikai’s betrayal and Ronglu’s “informing,” the Hundred Days' Reform ended in failure, which led to Ronglu gaining the deep trust of Empress Dowager Cixi. During the Boxer Rebellion, Ronglu was appointed by Cixi as the Minister Left Behind in the Capital, rising to power amid chaos. He passed away in 1903, was posthumously honored with the title “Wenzhong,” awarded the title of Grand Tutor, and promoted to the first-rank baron.

Biography

In 1874, during the reign of Emperor Tongzhi, Zai Chun...   More detailed information on Guwalgiya Ronglu++