Homepage > News > Travel > 

Zhonglao: heartbreak hutong

2010-03-24 11:23 BJT

Among the hutong assembled on the northeastern side of Jing Shan Park, one stands out for its exclusive connection with the Forbidden City. This is Zhonglao Hutong. Although its neighboring lanes have not witnessed much reconstruction, it has changed a lot in terms of its inner architectural landscape.

Zhonglao Hutong
Zhonglao Hutong (Yin Yeping)

More than 100 years ago, Zhonglao was where you could find the old residence of the concubine Jin Fei's family. In 1889, 15-year-old Jin Fei and her younger sister, Zhen Fei, were selected as concubines to serve the emperor Guang Xu in the Forbidden City. After their selection, they almost never had a chance to return home to see family.

Eternally homesick

The two sisters entered the Forbidden City at the same time, but their experiences were vastly different. Little Zhen Fei was prettier and smarter than her older sister, winning the favor of the emperor as a result. For a concubine, the only way to improve their lives was to either win the heart of the emperor or bear a son for him. Alienated for her unattractive appearance, Jin Fei was doomed to spend the rest of her life deprived of the happiness of becoming a mother and wife.

 

Zhonglao Hutong 
Zhonglao Hutong 

After the last Chinese emperor Pu Yi came to power, Jin Fei was upgraded to Gui Fei (a high-ranked imperial concubine). Though now with a position just lower than that of the empress, Jin Fei was still unhappy. After more than 30 years of lonely life, her homesickness was reinforced over the years, but her identity restricted her freedom in the palace as long as she lived.