Qianshi Hutong, Beijing

Qianshi hutong is the narrowest in Beijing, on the west side of zhueshi street, which is adjacent to Dashilan. Qianshi hutong is the earliest and most complete financial exchange in China. At the same time, it creates a compact and diverse architectural space environment in a small land, which not only reflects the unique properties of this street, but also shows the wisdom of the construction designer. The street is 55 meters long and 0.7 meters wide. There are nine groups of buildings in the north and south of the street. At the end is a courtyard with a canopy on it and a shop beside it. It is the remains of the "money market" of the official silver and money transactions in the Qing Dynasty and the rudiment of the early financial market.

Qianshi Hutong, Beijing

Qianshi hutong is located on the west side of zhuoyeshi street in Beijing, near Dashilan, a famous commercial district. It is the narrowest Hutong in Beijing in history and at present. The total length of the alley is 55 meters, with an average width of only 0.7 meters and the narrowest part of only 0.4 meters. Two people have to walk sideways when walking across the street, or one needs to retreat into the gatehouse in the alley first. There are nine groups of buildings in the north and south of the street. It's hard for a person to push a bicycle. At the end is a courtyard with a canopy on it and a shop beside it. It is the remains of the "money market" of the official silver and money transactions in the Qing Dynasty and the rudiment of the early financial market. Qianshi hutong is one of the narrowest hutongs in Beijing.

Historical evolution

There is a large canopy at the west end of the alley, which is the official money trading hall in the Qing Dynasty, referred to as "money market", from which the name of the alley comes. In fact, this trading hall is just a place where silver and cash can be exchanged for each other. However, traders do not carry actual silver and cash to go on the market. It is only a Book transaction, and the profit and loss is the difference between the exchange rate. At that time, Qianshi Hutong was quite spacious, not as narrow as it is now. It can be said that Qianshi hutong is the earliest and most complete financial exchange in China.

Historical story

The formation of "money market" is related to "furnace line", which is the workshop approved by the government to melt and cast silver ingots.

Jewelry market street was the most concentrated area of Luhang in Qing Dynasty, which formed a money market. After the Republic of China, Luhang was depressed, and there was no money market, so it was transformed into a silver shop, forming a narrow alley. There are four groups of Sanheyuan and a shop in the south of the street. Each group of Sanheyuan covers an area of 80 square meters. According to the analysis of the signs of change on the plaque on the door, it was a stove shop at that time, and later it was changed into a shop. The four groups in the north of the street are all independent houses with two or three floors. They were originally silver houses.

The structure of the Sanheyuan adopts the traditional Chinese wooden structure, with brick gate building, beam lifting roof truss, tile roof and existing air windows on the roof. It is a workshop for smelting silver ingots in the furnace. The north building has two styles of Chinese and Western styles, including bolt, window cover, cornice foot and iron flower guardrail. In the second half of the three story building, there is a Chinese style building, and in the first half, there is a two slope top shed, which serves as the transition between Chinese and Western styles. There is a stone plaque on the door, named "Datong silver". On the second floor, there is a stone plaque named "Wanfeng silver". At the west end of the alley are two rows of bungalows in Qianshi. The middle patio is raised, with wuzhuan suspended Hill roof and skylights on both sides. Qianshi hutong is the earliest and most complete financial exchange in China. At the same time, it creates a compact and diverse architectural space environment in a small land, which not only reflects the unique properties of this street, but also shows the wisdom of the construction designer.

On both sides of Qianshi Hutong in the Qing Dynasty, there were workshops specially approved by the government at that time, which were specialized in precious metal melting and casting industry. This industry was called "furnace line" at that time. Qing Dynasty "Chao Shi Cong Zai" records: "silver money market, in front of the door jewelry market in the middle of the Road West alley." Before the end of the Qing Dynasty, the whole city of Beijing's banks, grain stores and large businesses from all walks of life had to go to the money market every morning to trade and exchange silver for making money, or making money for silver, so the money market became an important financial market at that time. After the founding of the Republic of China, the furnace bank lost the franchise granted by the government. In addition to the currency reform, the market demand for precious metal melting and casting shrank. The furnace bank was depressed, and the money market had no market. It was converted into a bank shop. Therefore, it can be regarded as the earliest and most complete financial exchange in China. At that time, the banks on both sides of Qianshi Hutong took advantage of the loopholes of the law to expand their business buildings without restraint and embezzle the public passageways, eventually making Qianshi Hutong the narrowest one in Beijing.

historical significance

At present, there are 10 doorplates in Qianshi Hutong, and there are buildings of early financial enterprises such as "Datong bank" and "Wanfeng bank". Some courtyards have wooden rooftops in the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, and some doorframes have iron license plates of "capital business association" nailed on them. They are good specimens for investigating the commercial buildings of bank and early financial markets in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.

Bus routes

Qianshi hutong is located in the south of the middle of qianmenwai jewelry market street.

Address: zhueshi street, Xicheng District, Beijing

Longitude: 116.39758987275

Latitude: 39.897545679764

Chinese PinYin : Bei Jing Qian Shi Hu Tong