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"Capital City Hutong Collection" written by Zhang Jue in the Ming Dynasty documented how there were over 900 hutongs in Beijing's inner city during the reign of Ming emperor Jia Jing (1507-1567).

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the rulers were of Manchu ethnicity originating from north-east China. Beijing was chosen as their capital, with little alteration to its layout. But the residential pattern fundamentally shifted. The "Eight Banners," administrative divisions that formed the basic organizational framework of the Manchu military, lived in the urban heart of Beijing to defend the imperial city. At that time, Shijia Hutong was in the area of Bordered White Banner.

After the Boxer Protocol was signed in 1901, Beijing Dongjiaominxiang was designated as the foreign legation quarter.

Shijia Hutong was affected and some yards were assigned to the Danish legation and the Christian Church.

From 1919 to 1949, large numbers of people flooded into Beijing. Influential officials chose to live in the thriving Dongcheng area, where Shijia Hutong is found. During that time, there was massive new construction in Beijing to meet the needs of the city, especially in terms of the road system. But the overall layout again did not change.

However, along with the post-1949 modernization and population boom, many old bungalows were torn down and multi-story buildings constructed in their place.

Streets and hutongs were combined to form new communities. Shijia Hutong was among them, and it now holds 15 multi-story buildings and 82 bungalows or courtyards.

The "Protection of Beijing Traditional Hutong-Siheyuan Architecture" concept was included in the "General Plan of Beijing City (2004-2020)." And efficient protection of the original hutong layout and style was the key component for ensuring the city's historical structures were not lost.

Hutongs underline the historical considerations for those planning urban development in China and become an important carrier of domestic culture. Still growing and evolving through time, hutongs are home to generations of people born and raised in Beijing.

Hutongs in inner-city Beijing during the Ming and Qing dynasties were mostly constructed in the 13th Century when the Yuan Dynasty emperor took Beijing as the capital of the Chinese Nation. At that time, even Italian traveler Marco Polo marveled in his notes, "The layout of the city is so well structured, making other cities pale in comparison."

Shu Yi, former curator of the National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature and also the son of famous Chinese writer Lao She, urged that Beijing should always contain old architectural forms.

"If there were only modern buildings, the city would lose its charm and manner as an ancient capital," he said. "So it's fortunate that we still reserve some precious heritage like hutongs and siheyuans no matter what development we conduct."

"We take pride in this museum being a venue where local residents from this neighborhood can gather and partake in various public activities," Wang Lanshun noted. "The museum conveys our commemoration of the past and hopes for the future."

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