Beijing is setting up an archive on the city's traditional alleyways, called "hutongs", as a substantial effort to preserve the unique Beijing culture and historical architecture. 

The municipal government is compiling a book with detailed stories and photos to record all the hutongs, be they already gone or still around to be enjoyed.

Besides the locations, lengths and widths of every hutong, materials on their history, name changes and any noted residents are also being collected.

The archives will tell the history of these traditional Beijing alleys and show the cultural cream of this 3,000-year-old city, at the same time helping friends from elsewhere in China and overseas better know the city.

So far, the preliminary survey has been completed and all the figures and materials are under investigation. The compilation is expected be completed by the end of this year.

Beijing's alleyways boast a history of more than 700 years. "Hutong" is from a Mongolian expression meaning "well", which suggests people at that time lived together around a well and the "passages" they left formed today's hutongs. 

(CRI March 31, 2004)