Hutongs
Hutongs are Beijing's ancient alleyways, where you can find traditional Beijing architecture that dates back to when Beijing was the capital of the Yuan dynasty from 1266 to 1368. Most of the buildings in hutongs were created in the traditional courtyard (Sìhéyuàn) style, and while many of these courtyard homes were originally occupied by aristocrats, after the Communist takeover in 1949 the aristocrats were soon pushed out and replaced with poor families.