Shijia Hutong Museum

Shijia Hutong Museum

Shijia Hutong museum is the first Hutong Museum in Beijing. It is located in No.24 courtyard of Shijia Hutong, Chaoyangmen street, Dongcheng District, Beijing. It is located in Dongsi District, 3 kilometers away from lingdang Hutong in Beijing. It was officially opened to the public on October 19, 2013. 130 courtyards were restored, and more than 70 kinds of hutongs such as "shocked boudoir" and "tiger supporting son" could be heard.

The origin of history

No. 24 courtyard of Shijia Hutong, where the museum is located, was once owned by Qin Siyuan's grandmother, Ling Shuhua. Later, Ms. Chen Xiaoying, Ling Shuhua's daughter, transferred the property right of the house to the street for public welfare and established the Hutong Museum.

Shijia Hutong museum is the first Hutong Museum in Beijing. 130 courtyards have been restored, and more than 70 kinds of Hutong sounds can be heard, such as "shocked boudoir" and "tiger supporting son".

Ling Shuhua, the former owner of the museum's courtyard, is one of more than a dozen celebrities who have lived in the historical Hutong. As one of the three most talented women in the Republic of China, she often held gatherings of painters and celebrities in the courtyard where she lived, which was known as "the big study of Miss's family". In that era of social openness, Ling Shuhua hosted Qi Baishi and other painters here, and Tagore became her guest of honor.

In addition to celebrities, Shijia Hutong, which now has Shijia primary school, has also been used as an examination place for overseas students in the United States in history.

Not only that, but also it is the cradle of Beijing People's art. In 1950, the North China People's cultural and Arts Troupe expanded and renamed Beijing People's Art Theater (the art of the elderly), and the 20th courtyard of Shijia Hutong became the cradle of Chinese drama. On June 12, 1952, Beijing People's Art Troupe officially established the Beijing People's Art Troupe in the 20th courtyard. Jiao Juyin, Ouyang shanzun, Zhao Qiyang and other older generation drama artists came out of this courtyard.

More than 70 kinds of voices conjure up memories of old Beijing

In the Hutong Museum, you can still hear the "old voice" of Hutong. In the exhibition hall of time memory, a special room attracts a lot of audience. This small studio like studio is equipped with professional audio equipment. As long as you click the touch screen, you can hear different "Hutong sounds".

There are more than 70 kinds of voices in spring, summer, autumn and winter. "Police whistle", "foot bell" and other sounds need to listen to the sound in order to be on the number, "shocked boudoir", "tiger prop son" and so on are even unheard of. Not only that, but also the sound of Hutong in different weather is recorded here, which makes people seem to cross back to the scene at that time.

According to the staff, "shocked boudoir" and "tiger supporting son" are loudspeakers used by old Beijing vendors to solicit business. It is understood that "shocked boudoir" is composed of iron pieces, "Hua" a sound, is to call everyone to sharpen scissors to grab kitchen knife; "tiger support" is the doctor's hand string bell, usually made of copper or iron, through shaking, the sound can spread far away.

The voice of old Beijing is still increasing. The staff said: the day before yesterday, they specially invited Cui Yanmin, an old Beijing peddler in his 80s, to record more than 30 kinds of old Beijing peddlers, which will be enriched into the "Hutong voice". The "Party member reception hall" in Chaoyang Gate Street also organized residents to set up a "Hawking class" to study. The venue of the activity is in the museum.

spatial distribution

The Museum covers an area of more than 1000 square meters, with eight exhibition halls and a multi-function hall. All kinds of exhibits reproduce the Hutong life at that time. Copies of employment documents in the 1920s and 1930s, old household baskets, bus tickets that have faded out of people's lives, and two houses specially arranged according to Beijing families in the 1950s and 1960s and 1970s and 1980s. In the 1950s and 1960s, there were one bed, one table, two chairs and two boxes in the room. The wooden furniture was very simple. The semiconductor radio was the "big piece" placed in the room. In the 1970s and 1980s, the family layout was gradually fashionable. There were combined furniture in the room, which echoed the catchphrase of "combined furniture sofa bed, black and white TV in the center". Most of these objects were collected from the residents. Like the witness of history, they recorded the changes of historical Hutong.

In the middle of the history exhibition hall is a seven or eight meter long and two or three meter wide sand table of the historian Hutong. There are 130 courtyards lined with grey walls and tiles. In these courtyards, many famous people lived in history and interpreted many stories.

Opening Hours

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 am to 16:30 am

Address: 24 Shijia Hutong, Dongcheng District

News related

On March 2, 2015, Prince William visited the Museum of historians' Hutong.

Address: 24 Shijia Hutong, Dongsi South Street, Dongsi street, Dongcheng District

Longitude: 116.422415

Latitude: 39.91807

Tel: 010-85175790

Ticket information: free.

Chinese PinYin : Shi Jia Hu Tong Bo Wu Guan