Beijing's Ya'er Hutong

Beijing's Ya'er Hutong

Ya'er Hutong: Located in Shichahai Subdistrict, Xicheng District. It starts southeast from Xiaoshibei Hutong, connecting to Yan Dai Xie Jie (Tobacco Pipe Lane), and extends northwest to Ganlu Hutong. During the Yuan Dynasty, it was called Yan’er Hutong, situated along the northern shore of Houhai Lake. In the Ming Dynasty, it was known as Guanghua Temple Street. In the Qing Dynasty, taking the sound of Yan’er Hutong, it was colloquially referred to as Ya’er Hutong or Ya'er Hutong, falling within the territory of the Plain Yellow Banner. The name has been retained ever since. It houses the municipal-level cultural relic protection unit, Guanghua Temple. Courtyard No. 6 in the hutong was the former residence of the writer Xiao Jun.

Ya'er Hutong is a long alley located in Xicheng District, Beijing. Originally named Ya’er Hutong, during the Ming Dynasty it was called Guanghua Temple Street. In the early Qing Dynasty, because the hutong was located along the northern shore of Houhai Lake, it was referred to as “Yan’er Hutong,” which was later misheard as Ya’er Hutong. After 1949, the Beijing municipal government standardized hutong names, changing “Ya” (duck) to “Ya” (elegant), hence the name Ya'er Hutong. The eastern end of Ya'er Hutong features one of Beijing’s most famous stone bridges — Yinding Bridge. The entire Ya'er Hutong winds westward along the northern bank of Shichahai, running parallel to the northern shore of Houhai and extending all the way to Ganlu Hutong on the western shore of Houhai. With a total length of 820 meters, it is one of the longer hutongs in Beijing.

Ya'er Hutong

Along the nearly one-kilometer-long Ya'er Hutong, there are many municipal- and district-level cultural relic protection units and former residences of notable figures, such as the ancient Guanghua Temple from the Ming Dynasty; the former residence of Soong Ching-ling, which once belonged to the Prince Chun Mansion; and the home of writer Xiao Jun — known as “Wo Wo Ju” (Snail House).

Guanghua Temple was built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty and renovated in the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty. It is one of the renowned temples of old Beijing. In the late Qing and early Republican period, the government planned to establish the Metropolitan Library (now known as the National Library of China) at Guanghua Temple, which only moved out in 1917. Currently, Guanghua Temple is a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit, the office location of the Beijing Buddhist Association, and frequently hosts Buddhist events.

Address: Ya'er Hutong, Shichahai, Xicheng District, Beijing (near the north side of Yinding Bridge)

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Information Source: Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development

Shichahai Subdistrict: Shichahai Subdistrict is located in the northeast of Xicheng District, adjacent to the Shichahai water system (comprising Qianhai, Xihai, and Houhai). Shichahai Subdistrict is situated in the northeast of Xicheng District, formed by merging the area east of Xinjiekou North Street from the former Xinjiekou Subdistrict with the former Changqiao Subdistrict. The subdistrict covers an area of 5.80 square kilometers. It borders Dongcheng District to the east, along Jiugulou Street, Di’anmen Inner and Outer Streets; connects to Xinjiekou Subdistrict to the west, along Xinjiekou South and North Streets and Xisi North Street; adjoins Xichang’anjie Subdistrict to the south, along Jingshan Front Street, Wenjin Street, and Xi’anmen Street; and reaches to the east and west of Deshengmen to the north...   More detailed information about Shichahai Subdistrict ++