Why did Hutong become a symbol of Beijing culture?

The structure of hutong determines its cultural characteristics to some extent.

Because of the seclusion of hutong, people in hutong seldom contact with the outside world, don't know the outside information, and can't accept some new ideas, thus forming their small-scale peasant consciousness of being closed and conservative and content with the status quo, "ignoring things outside the window and living a comfortable life with one heart".

The characteristics of the founders of Hutong influenced their lifestyle, which in turn influenced their ideology. Feudal orthodoxy is serious. They don't want to resist, hold their position, accept adversity and obey the people.

The number of hutongs in Beijing

Beijingers say: There are 3,600 famous hutongs, but there are countless nameless hutongs. "Hutong" is usually mentioned, mostly referring to small hutongs. Hutong is a network that runs through the street. It's very close to the city. It's convenient to make a soy sauce and two pounds of eggs, but it seems far away. There is no traffic here, it is always quiet.

Occasionally, there are "screaming heads" with heavy loads on their heads (like tweezers, when iron bars pass through), "vibrating boudoir" with scissors sharpening their knives (more than a dozen iron pieces strung together and shaking to make a sound), and the sound of blind fortune tellers playing piccolo (long gone now). These sounds seem quieter in the alley, not very noisy.