| Foreign travelers favor Beijing's Siheyuan |
A foreign visitor leaves the gate of a Siheyuan (quadrangle or courtyard).
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BEIJING, February 18) -- With the Olympic Games just 172 days away, the owners of Beijing's traditional Siheyuan have tried to use their houses to receive foreign visitors who may reach half a million during the Olympics.
The Siheyuan consists of four rooms around a central yard, so you may call it a courtyard house or a quadrangle. The Siheyuan still house many of the city's residents within the Second Ring Road, which marks the limits of Old Beijing.
Siheyuan usually line along Hutongs, which mean lanes or alleys. In the rich and historical culture of Beijing, the Hutong is not only a kind of architecture, but also serves as a window into Beijing's folk life and the "encyclopedia of the history and culture of Beijing."
"I feel comfortable here, like at home, and most importantly, I can experience the traditional flavor of Beijing, different from big hotels," said a British backpacked visitor who has stayed one week at "Guangji-Lin" Inn in the heart of Beijing.
In Beijing today, there are still over 1,000 Hutongs and quite a number of Siheyuan, which in the eyes of foreigners are a living resource to experience Chinese architectural and life styles. |
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