[00:06.28]3 A Changing World
[00:09.71]A Every year thousands of tourists flock
[00:13.37]to China to wander along the majestic Great
[00:16.00]Wall and gaze in awe at the Forbidden City.
[00:19.28]They come to see these grand sights
[00:21.33]but often it is the hutongs
[00:22.91]which leave the strongest impression,
[00:24.91]as they ofter the travelers a rare glimpse
[00:27.19]into China's fascinating past.
[00:29.99]Hutongs-the countless little alleyways
[00:32.51]that connect the courtyards
[00:33.92]of traditional houses-
[00:35.42]are a feature of ancient Chinese architecture
[00:38.43]and can still be found in the old quarters
[00:40.62]of a few Chinese cities.
[00:42.57]Beijing's hugongs are particularly
[00:44.37]famous however,
[00:45.65]as there are literally thousands of them.
[00:47.91]Nowadays, the word "hutong" has come to
[00:50.43]mean more than just the alleyways
[00:51.95]that connect the courtyards.
[00:53.99]It also refers to the courtyards themselves
[00:56.63]and even to the communities that live there.
[00:57.85]
