Haibo Hutong

　　In the past, on the east side of Xiaochangkou Road outside Xuanwumen Gate Street, there was a very famous east-west alley called Haibo Hutong. It gained its fame because two renowned cultural figures of the Qing Dynasty once lived there: one was Zhu Yizun, author of the book Ri Xia Ji Wen (Old Accounts of the Imperial Capital) from the Kangxi era; the other was Kong Shangren, a descendant of Confucius and author of the play Peach Blossom Fan.

　　Haibo Hutong came into being during the Ming Dynasty. The alley originally had an ancient temple from the Ming era called Haibo Temple, hence it was also known as Haibo Hutong. It earned the name Haibo Hutong because there were many ancient cypresses in Haibo Temple. People commonly referred to the temple as Haibo Temple, and so the alley gradually became known as Haibo Hutong. During the Qing Dynasty, the hutong housed many literati, and thus its siheyuan (courtyard houses) were often adorned with wisteria. “Ancient locust trees, wisteria, and siheyuan” became the unique charm of Haibo Hutong. Up until the 1990s, Haibo Hutong still existed, and Haibo Temple remained (though it had long been turned into a crowded residential compound), with its red walls and ancient architecture still showing some of its original features.

　　Zhu Yizun (1629–1709), styled Zhuchang and also known by his art names Zhufang, Jinfengtingzhang, and in his later years as Xiaochanglu Diaoshi, was from Xiushui (present-day Jiaxing) in Zhejiang. In the 18th year of the Kangxi Emperor’s reign, he passed the imperial examination and was selected for official service. Due to his vast knowledge, he earned the deep appreciation of the Kangxi Emperor. Coming from a poor background, the emperor referred to him along with two other famous literati, Jiang Chenying and Yan Shengsun, as the “Three Unofficial Scholars of the Realm.” Zhu Yizun first served in the Hanlin Academy, then as a court chronicler, and later joined the Southern Study. He was a celebrated scholar of the early Qing period. The Draft History of Qing praised him as: “Erudite and knowledgeable, having read virtually every book under heaven.” His greatest contribution was personally compiling the grand historical and geographical work about Beijing titled Ri Xia Ji Wen during the Kangxi era. Among ancient texts about Beijing’s geography and history, the more comprehensive Ri Xia Ji Wen Kao (Examination of Old Accounts of the Imperial Capital) compiled during the Qianlong reign is the most extensive, but it was based on Zhu Yizun’s Ri Xia Ji Wen. Commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor and organized by court officials, it was an officially compiled work. To honor Zhu Yizun’s original text, the book retained the title Ri Xia Ji Wen, with the addition of the character “kao” (examination) to distinguish the two. “Ri Xia” means the capital, or Beijing. This term originates from Wang Bo’s preface to the Tengwang Pavilion, where he wrote: “Gazing toward Chang’an under the setting sun,” and since then, “Ri Xia” has been used to refer to the capital. Zhu Yizun accomplished this massive work single-handedly, a feat that is easy to imagine how difficult it must have been. He selected materials related to Beijing’s history and geography from over 1,600 kinds of ancient texts, often visiting historic sites in the day and “burning the midnight oil” at night. Only when the sites he investigated closely matched what was recorded in historical texts did he begin writing. Zhu Yizun was rigorous in his scholarship. Many notable literary figures of the Kangxi period, such as Xu Wenchang, Xu Qianxue, Jiang Chenying, Feng Pu, and Gao Shiqi, all wrote prefaces for Ri Xia Ji Wen. They said that Zhu Yizun wrote his book with “meticulous research and firsthand investigation.” It is also worth mentioning that Zhu Yizun was a close friend of Cao Yin, grandfather of Cao Xueqin. Zhu Yizun’s collected works, titled Pushi Ting Ji, were funded and published by Cao Yin, while Cao Yin’s Lin Ting Shi Chao was prefaced by Zhu Yizun. Zhu Yizun’s former residence was located at No. 16 on the south side of Haibo Hutong, marked with a sign designating it as a protected cultural relic site by Beijing. The courtyard was a small, two-courtyard siheyuan, which later became a crowded residential compound. In the 1990s, the area underwent renovation, and the hutong was demolished. Zhu Yizun’s study was the southern room, named “Guteng Shuwu” (Ancient Wisteria Study). In front of its window stood an ancient wisteria vine planted by Zhu himself. Its branches were sturdy, and its purple flowers hung over the window. Zhu composed a poem about it: “A wide open space greets the eye, with wisteria blossoms purple over the eaves.” The Guteng Shuwu once housed tens of thousands of books and was a gathering place for literati who often came to compose poetry. Esteemed figures of the time such as Wang Shizhen (Shizhen), Zha Shenxing, and Kong Shangren were frequent visitors.

　　Kong Shangren (1648–1718), styled Antang, was from Qufu in Shandong. While serving in the capital, he held the position of a Doctor at the Guozijian (Imperial College), and his former residence was also in Haibo Hutong. It was a large mansion with a big garden, though its exact location is hard to determine. The author visited Haibo Hutong several times in the 1990s for investigation and only found Zhu Yizun’s former home, but not Kong Shangren’s. Many scholars of Beijing’s history and geography have written that the exact location remains undiscovered. The study in Kong Shangren’s residence was called “Antang,” which was also his art name. Kong Shangren wrote many poems, including collections such as Chang Liu Ji (Long Flow Collection) and Yan Tai Za Xing (Miscellaneous Poems on Yan Terrace). In the preface of the Chang Liu Ji, he wrote: “Antang is my residence in the capital, situated on Haibo Temple Street. In front of it lies a green field, which was a pasture for horses in previous dynasties.” He also wrote a poem: “Green fields of official land neighbor the horse stables, while the sea-wave quiet temple connects to the heavenly street.” Kong Shangren’s most important work is the play Peach Blossom Fan. During the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, two famous plays emerged: one was Hong Sheng’s Chang Sheng Dian (The Palace of Eternal Life), and the other was Kong Shangren’s Peach Blossom Fan. Chinese drama had previously seen a peak during the Yuan Dynasty, followed by the rise of novels in the Ming Dynasty. In the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, drama experienced another minor peak, represented by Chang Sheng Dian and Peach Blossom Fan. A contemporary poem reads: “Even if the Yuan people produced many plays, the theaters mostly performed the words of Kong Shangren.” The premiere of 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. That theater still exists today and is the oldest guild hall theater in Beijing. Especially because it once staged the famous plays Chang Sheng Dian and Peach Blossom Fan, it holds a distinguished place in history. The premiere of Peach Blossom Fan was a major cultural event in the capital, performed by the top professional theater troupe Neiju Ban. Neiju Ban was a troupe specifically for performing at the imperial palace, and the first performance was presided over by Liang Qingbiao, Grand Secretary of the Zhonghe Hall in the Forbidden City. On the night of the performance, officials and wealthy patrons brought out wine and utensils, creating an unprecedentedly grand occasion. However, 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 cause trouble, leading to the play’s suspension. During the highly sensitive Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong eras of the Qing Dynasty, more than fifty people were implicated due to Peach Blossom Fan. Fortunately, Kong Shangren was a descendant of Confucius. In the 23rd year of the Kangxi reign, when the emperor visited Qufu to offer sacrifices to Confucius, it was Kong Shangren who performed the rites and lectured on The Great Learning, earning the emperor’s favor. He was thus dismissed from office and returned to Qufu in Shandong. In front of Kong Shangren’s study grew an ancient wisteria vine, said to have been planted by him. He wrote a poem: “In Haibo Lane, worldly dust is scarce; a wisteria vine is my Antang.” He referred to his study as “Antang.” He also penned a verse specifically about wisteria: “The wisteria blossoms are not phoenix trees, yet they manage to attract phoenixes year after year.”

　　Zhu Yizun (1629–1709)　　Zhu Yizun (1629–1709), courtesy name Xichang, also known by his art names Zhuzuo, Fufang, Jinfengtingzhang, and in his later years as Xiaochanglu Diaoshi, was a native of Xiushui (now Jiaxing). After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, he moved to Meihui 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, his family’s fortunes had declined, and during times of famine, they struggled to put food on the table. However, he was diligent in his studies from a young age and could often be heard studying even when there was no food to cook. 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 he was 17 years old, Qing troops advanced southward. Zhu Yizun fled with his father-in-law to places like Xiamu Pond in Jiashan County. In the seventh year, he...  More+

　　Kong Shangren (1648–1718)　　Kong Shangren (1648–1718) was a poet and playwright of the early Qing Dynasty. His courtesy name was Pinzhi, also known as Jizhong, and his art names included Dongtang, Antang, and Yunting Shanren. He was from Qufu (now in Shandong), the 64th-generation descendant of Confucius. His father, Kong Zhen□, achieved the status of a juren (provincial graduate) in the sixth year of the Chongzhen reign (1633). He was erudite and talented, valued integrity, and never pursued an official career. A brief biography and literary works: As a descendant of Confucius, Kong Shangren inherited Confucian ideological traditions and scholarship. From a young age, he paid attention to the studies of rites, music, military affairs, and agriculture, and even researched musical scales, laying a foundation in music theory for his later dramatic creations. Around the age of 20, he passed the county and prefectural student examinations. Later, he took the annual examinations but was not admitted...  More+