胡同文化｜五道营胡同：在老胡同里寻找慢生活

Hutong Culture｜Wudaoying Hutong: A Slow Life in an Old Alley

探秘胡同深处的

京味文化

Explore Beijing culture

hidden in hutongs 

胡同是什么？大大小小的四合院相互挨着，排列在两侧街道上,它们之间留出的通道就是胡同。胡同也可以说是一种古老的城市小巷。千百年来，胡同与北京的发展紧密相关，也是北京历史文化演绎发展的缩影，这里不仅集合了中华古都文化、红色文化、京味文化，而且凝结了北京特有的文化精神与气韵。随意漫步在任何一条胡同上，都能感受到古老的历史气息。

今天我们给您推荐的这条胡同，在历史长河中历经了数百年的风雨苍桑，在新时代焕发着勃勃生机。它就是五道营胡同！

What is a hutong? Hutong refers to an alley flanked by siheyuan (quadrangle residences) on both sides. It is a kind of old lanes and alleys in cities. Across centuries, hutongs have always been closely related to Beijing’s development. As an epitome of the evolution of Beijing’s history and culture, they not only concentrate ancient capital culture, revolutionary culture and old Beijing culture, but also demonstrate Beijing’s unique cultural spirit and flair. Roaming in any hutong feels like traveling into history.

The hutong (alley) we talk about today has undergone centuries of weathering, but remains vibrant with vitality. It is Wudaoying Hutong. 

五道营胡同前世今生

The Past and the Present of Wudaoying Hutong

五道营胡同的南面紧邻国子监，北临北二环路，东起雍和宫大街，西止安定门内大街，呈东西走向。

Wudaoying Hutong runs westwards from Yonghegong Street to Andingmennei Street. It is adjacent to the Imperial College in the south and North 2nd Ring Road in the north. 

要说五道营胡同名称的来历，就要从元朝末年说起。据资料记载，名将徐达攻占元大都后，看大都北城较偏僻，就在五道营北侧筑起了一道土城垣，旨在抵御刚刚被逐出京城的元朝残余部队的反攻。后来，这道城垣就成了北京城北部的边界。五道营位于安定门东侧城墙以内，自然就成了屯兵的场所。

“卫”是明朝军队的基本构成单位，朱棣迁都北京后，驻守安定门的部队是右军都督府下属的武德卫，因此这里被称作“武德卫营”。

清朝，满族旗人们按照“武德”的发音为其改名“五道营”。乾隆之后，这里基本形成了胡同的样貌。尽管胡同北侧还只有少量房屋，且以兵营为主，但南侧已经有了较为密集的民宅。

民国时期，在此居住的人口越来越稠密。据胡同里的老街坊介绍，当年许多民夫工匠在筑建北京安定门至东直门段的城墙时，就在这里安家落户。

新中国成立后，这条600多米的胡同里有69处院落，1965年整顿地名时，它被正式定名为“五道营胡同”。

Wudaoying Hutong got its name in the late Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). Historical records show that after taking over Dadu, the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, Xu Da, famous general of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), built an earth city wall to the north of Wudaoying for the purpose of resisting the remaining Yuan army that was just dispelled from the capital. Later, the wall became the north border of Beijing. Wudaoying inside the east wall of the Anding Gate naturally served as a garrison.

“Wei” was the basic military unit of the Ming army. After Zhu Di relocated the capital to Beijing, the troops stationed in the Anding Gate was the Wudewei under the jurisdiction of the Right Military Governor’s Office. Therefore, the place was called Wudeweiying (“Wudewei Camp”).

In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Manchus renamed it“Wudaoying” based on the pronunciation of“Wudeweiying”. In the time of Emperor Qianlong, an alley took shape here. Back then, although there were only a few residences on the north side of the alley, with barracks as the main structures, many residential buildings had been built on the south side.

During the Republic of China period (1912-1949), the hutong became increasingly populous. According to local aged residents, many artisans who were assigned to construct the city wall from the Anding Gate to the Dongzhi Gate later settled here.

In the early days after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the 600-meter hutong had 69 residential compounds. In 1965, it was officially named Wudaoying Hutong. 

五道营胡同的蜕变

Changes of Wudaoying Hutong

五道营胡同店铺林立

Wudaoying Hutong is lined with many shops

十多年前的五道营还充满着纯粹的老北京生活气息。每天下午，胡同里街坊邻里来来往往；“换大米”、“磨剪子抢菜刀”的吆喝伴随着铃铛声悠悠的划过胡同；年三十晚上燃放的烟花爆竹能把整条胡同的地面铺上厚厚的一层……而今，这一切已大为不同。

2006年，一对英国夫妻在胡同里开了一家名为“葡萄院”的餐吧。从那时起，五道营胡同便悄然发生了变化，一些经营特色文化的商户逐渐开始在这条胡同里“潜伏”。如今，这条胡同已经成为好看、好逛、好吃、好买的以文创为招牌的商业街，既能展现老北京的胡同文化，又能吸引喜欢创意、钟情文艺的年轻人，也成为最受外国人喜欢的胡同。

More than a decade ago, Wudaoying Hutong was still sated with the old lifestyle of Beijing. Every afternoon, neighbors chatted each other on the street, and the cry of hawkers and scissor and knife sharpeners, coupled with the jingling bicycles, reverberated in the air. The paper scraps of firecrackers lit on Lunar New Year’s Eve covered the hutong like a carpet… However, things are different today.

In 2006, a British couple opened an eatery called“Vineyard” in Wudaoying Hutong. From then on, the hutong has changed quietly. Many shops specializing in cultural and creative products settled there. Today, it has transformed into an ideal place for sightseeing, dining and shopping. It not only offers a glimpse of Beijing’s hutong culture, but also attracts young people who like creativity and art. It is also a favorite hutong for foreign tourists. 

来五道营胡同看什么？

What to Enjoy in Wudaoying Hutong?

感受接地气儿，又有情趣的老北京生活

A Taste of Orthodox, Interesting Lifestyles of Old Beijing

宁静的胡同、宁静的院子，有时静得能听见野猫从房瓦上跑过的声音，人来人往，更迭不休。走在五道营胡同，古建筑与现代生活的交融，就仿佛穿越了时光，回到了过去。在相临的胡同口，还能遇见一群大爷大妈靠着墙根纳凉，坐在门前聊天，怡然自得。院外槐树浓荫下，飘着阵阵槐花香气，既接地气儿，又有情趣。出门就见街坊邻居，一声“您好！吃了吗您呐（nei）？”真是极好的！

The hutong and residences on both sides are so tranquil that one can hear the footsteps of a stray cat running across the tiled roof. Ancient buildings and modern life integrate in Wudaoying Hutong, making visitors feel like traveling in the past. At the entrance to the hutong, tourists may encounter some old residents escape summer heat under the shade while chatting with each other. The fragrance of pagoda tree flowers floats in the air. All of these create a down-to-earth and appealing ambience. When neighbors meet on the street, they greet each other in Beijing dialect:“Hello, have you eaten?”

文艺商铺里淘货

Stylish Shops

北京不愧是全国文化中心，文创产业是优势，这里不缺艺术、创意、个性和想象，不同国家地域、不同文化传统的人聚集在一起，才能碰撞出创新的火花。在这里你可以眼界更开阔，思维更包容，灵感如泉涌，才华有人识。这里有独立设计师打造的首饰店、书店、杂货店、礼品店、服装店、玩具店、文具店、撸猫店等。慢慢欣赏慢慢淘，你能收获不少灵感和启发，也总能找到与众不同、个性十足的好东西。

Beijing is the cultural center of China and takes pride of its cultural and creative industries. The city never lacks art, creativity, individuality and imagination, where people from different countries and with different cultural backgrounds gather to kindle the light of innovation. There, you can broaden your vision, develop an inclusive mind, draw much inspiration, and showcase your talent. The hutong is home to many jewel shops, bookstores, groceries, gift stores, apparel shops, stationery shops and pet shops created by independent designers. There, you can find many unique, individualized stuff with endless inspiration and enlightenment. 

打卡特色酒吧、咖啡馆、餐厅

Bars, Cafés and Restaurants

这条胡同里，咖啡馆、酒吧及世界各地特色餐厅也很多，有米其林星级餐厅（京兆尹），有传统的火锅、藏餐、素餐、面馆，也有地中海餐厅、日餐、越餐、泰餐，还有猫咖、精酿啤酒等，各有特色。

The hutong hosts many cafés, bars and restaurants offering cuisines from around the world. In addition to Michelin restaurant Jingzhaoyi, there are also traditional hotpot, Tibetan, vegetarian and noodles restaurants, as well as Mediterranean, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai cuisines. Tourists can also find cat-themed cafés, vintage beer bars, and many others. 

寻找融合之美体验北京慢生活

Experiencing Slow Life of Old Beijing

与南锣鼓巷的繁华和拥挤不同，五道营胡同的美是宁静恬淡的。

初冬的午后，行走在胡同里，你可以看到画家醉心创作，也可以看到无数游客在这里漫步、小憩，探寻着胡同的另一种美。

坐在店门外的露天座位上沏上一壶热茶，在暖和阳光下，恬静、文艺、慢生活……安静的街道，匆忙的人们，和趴在台阶上懒洋洋的猫，一切都是那么缓慢又自然。

老胡同的市井气息与新潮时尚完美融合，五道营胡同正在以另一种风貌诉说着老胡同的新故事。

Unlike the bustling, crowded Nanluoguxiang, Wudaoying Hutong boasts a tranquil beauty.

Roaming the hutong on a winter afternoon, you can meet artists drawing on the street, and numerous tourists exploring the tranquil beauty of this small alley.

In the warm sunshine, you can sit by an outdoor table while sipping a cup of tea—a way to enjoy the tranquil, artistic and slow lifestyle. Busy people in the tranquil alley, cats lazily squatting on the doorsteps… All look slow but peaceful and natural. 

An alley perfectly blending traditional lifestyles and modern fashions, Wudaoying Hutong is telling new stories of an old hutong. 

敬请持续关注“胡同文化”系列

Please follow us on the“Hutong Culture” series

胡同是北京深厚久远历史的产物，在这里你能够体会到最正宗的老北京味儿。北京的胡同，任岁月变迁，依旧不急不缓地伸展着，向来者讲述着自己的前世今生，《胡同文化》系列栏目将继续走进北京的老胡同，打捞记忆深处的胡同文化，敬请期待！

Hutongs are fruits of Beijing’s development in a long time, where you can taste the most orthodox flavor of the ancient capital. With the changes of the times, Beijing’s hutongs are still gradually evolving. They tell visitors the past and present stories of Beijing. The“Hutong Culture” series will continue brining audiences to old lanes of Beijing to awaken memories of the old hutong culture. Please stay tuned.