2 | Thursday, July 16, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY PAGE TWO Capital: Ancient locations protected From page 1 Mainly referring to areas south of Chang’an Avenue, including Fengtai district and the former Xuanwu and Chongwen districts, nan cheng is home to many native Beijingers and is usually associated with their tra- ditional way of life. In 2010, the authorities in Beijing merged Xuanwu into Xicheng dis- trict and Chongwen into Dong- cheng district, with the aim of promoting development. As a result, unlike the older generation, younger people are unfamiliar with the saying “poor Xuanwu and dilapidated Chongwen”. Beijing native Hu Guozhen, 66, said: “The capital has drastically changed and is now well-developed — totally different from when I was a child. However, I still enjoy living here, which has given me a sense of belonging.” In 1998, Hu, who was born and raised in a populous courtyard tucked away in a hutong area of Caishikou in Xuanwu, moved to a 19-story residential building in the Majiapu area of Fengtai — about a 15-minute drive away. Both her parents were Beijing natives and she grew up in the south of the city, where her husband, Wang Dezhi, 68, comes from. Hu still owns her parents’ 15-square- meter house in Caishikou. “We didn’t rent out the house, because our grandson will go to a kindergarten near Caishikou this year and we will move back there during the week. It’s a cozy house, but small,” said Hu, adding that she prefers living in the courtyard to a residential building. “Many old neighbors still live there. We still keep in touch and vis- it them,” she added. For Hu and her husband, living in the courtyard enables them to visit nearby parks and to watch their grandson growing up. Hu also enjoys going to an outdoor market every morning to buy fresh vegeta- bles to cook for the family. Like many people, she has fol- lowed government advice to stay at home to prevent the spread of COV- ID-19. Her only daughter, Wang Rong, 38, who works in a bank near her home, said: “I was born and grew up in the house in Caishikou, where I loved playing with my friends in the narrow hutongs. The house was hid- den away among tall trees and gray walls. We played hide-and-seek in the hutongs and courtyards.” She said she knew everyone living in her courtyard, which was home to about 50 people. “They bought daily supplies from the same stores near the hutong area. Some built pigeon nests on the roofs, and we visited our neighbors without changing out of our pajamas,” she added. With the emergence of COVID-19, LI MIN / CHINA DAILY areas of the city have been catego- rized as low-, medium- or high-risk, south to the Bell and Drum Towers skirts of Beijing, as property there is it took years of hard training to In 1790, when four Hui Opera with different measures taken in the north. In 2003, the central much cheaper than in Niujie. How- become professional. Now, with troupes visited Beijing as part of according to the level of risk. axis was extended again as the city Niujie has changed a ever, he now lives with his parents, the physical demands placed on celebrations for the 80th birthday On June 20, the Majiapu area, prepared to host the 2008 Olympic because his 7-year-old daughter acrobats, even fewer young people of the Emperor Qianlong (1711-99), where Hu and her family live, was Games. lot, with hutongs goes to a primary school in Niujie. choose to practice the old art form. they stayed in the south of the city. categorized as medium-risk. The fol- When Beijing Daxing Interna- disappearing and “We are happy with our lives even We also need to feature such things Hui opera, or Huiju, is a form of lowing day, Wang and her family tional Airport opened in September, though we are not wealthy,” said as lighting effects and 3D projec- Peking Opera from Anhui province. underwent nucleic acid testing, development in southern areas of new neighbors Zhang, who earns about 6,000 yuan tions to cater to the tastes of mod- In about 1840, Peking Opera returning negative results. the city accelerated. moving in. My (857) a month as a bus driver. “Niu­ ern audiences.” began to formally take shape, grow- “We usually take our grandson However, for many native Beijing- jie has changed a lot, with hutongs Retired acrobat Yu Jian, who is ing rapidly during the reign of out every day during the summer. ers, the term nan cheng still refers to parents and myself disappearing and new neighbors in his mid-60s and whose father, Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908), He loves playing football, but we Fengtai and the former Xuanwu and are getting old. I miss moving in. My parents and myself Yu Zhengming, was a founding a Chinese opera lover. After this, the now have to keep him home as Chongwen districts. are getting old. I miss the old Niujie members of the troupe, said: “It art form went from strength to much as possible,” Hu said. “Howev- the old Niujie every every day.” took me about six years to master strength, with troupes being formed er, unlike my daughter, who grew up Largest population day.” some of the basic techniques. I in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai. in the courtyard and made lots of Niujie, which translates as Cow Traditional folk arts received training when I was 6 friends there, my grandson seems to Street and is located in the former Zhang Ran, In Tianqiao, about a 15-minute years old, waking up early every Tourist locations bus driver in Beijing be lonely.” Xuanwu district about 5 km from drive from Niujie, street players morning and standing on my head Many ancient locations in south- Li Jianping, director of the Beijing Tian’anmen Square, is home to the gather to perform a variety of for an hour.” ern Beijing have become tourist History Research Association, said city’s largest population of the tradi- shows, including xiangsheng To celebrate its 60th anniversary, sites. the south of the city is known for its tionally-Muslim Hui ethnic group. (crosstalk), acrobatics, Peking in 2017 the troupe invited retired For example, the Qianmen area centuries-old hutongs and court- Niujie Mosque, built in 996 dur- Opera and pingshu, a traditional acrobats to train young perform- near Tian’anmen Square is home to yards. The old way of life can still be ing the Liao Dynasty (916-1125), is a Chinese form of storytelling. ers. The retirees, now in their 70s a pedestrian street and stores from seen in these areas, although many popular place in the capital for peo- Hongchen during the Qing Dynasty. In 1957, a group of acrobats per- and 80s, spent their working lives home and abroad. families moved to different parts of ple to buy homemade halal food, Ma Enci, consultant to the Niujie forming in Tianqiao founded the practicing techniques, such as A must-visit location in the area the city after plans to renovate the beef and mutton. Halal Chamber of Commerce, a local Beijing Acrobatic Troupe, which mastering the diabolo and doing is the Lao She Teahouse, which old neighborhoods were announced Every morning, as early as 4 am, food organization founded in August won a large fan base with its jaw- contortions. offers local snacks, tea and per- in the early 1990s. beef and mutton traders start work. 2015, said: “All the food sold in Niujie dropping feats. Acrobatic skills, Since 2015, when the Tianqiao formances, including Peking Opera In 2011, the Beijing municipal At about 5:30 am, elderly people vis- relates to the history of the Hui eth- along with those required to make Performing Arts Center, which cov- and crosstalk. government launched a campaign it small neighborhood restaurants nic people. It also reflects the tastes halal food, have been passed down ers more than 16,000 square Since 2010, the Beijing munici- for the main historical sites along to have breakfast, which includes of old Beijingers.” through the generations. meters, opened, the area has pal government has drawn up the city’s central south-north axis to jellied bean curd, deep-fried dough Zhang Ran, 39, who was born and In 1995, the troupe performed a become a popular destination for plans to renovate southern areas of be included as part of the applica- sticks and douzhi, a traditional fer- grew up in Niujie, said, “I have never diabolo act at the Festival Mondial musicals. From Andrew Lloyd the city. Balancing development of tion for the world’s cultural heritage mented Beijing drink made from considered leaving the area, because du Cirque de Demain (The World Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera the northern and southern parts of status. Li said ancient locations have ground beans. it’s convenient to buy halal food, and Festival of the Circus of Tomorrow) to Komische Oper Berlin’s produc- the capital was included in the Bei- been protected and renovated, Hui people ran many of the small all my childhood mates live here.” in Paris, winning a gold medal. The tion of The Magic Flute, musicals jing Urban Master Plan (2016- becoming popular tourist areas for family businesses in the neighbor- Like many Beijingers of his gener- following year, the act was present- from around the world have been 2035), released in September 2017. visitors and locals. hood, and over the years these tradi- ation, Zhang lived in a courtyard, ed by Cirque du Soleil, leading to a staged at the venue, attracting For example, Yizhuang, in the During the Yuan Dynasty (1271- tions have been maintained.