When the Communists took power in 1949, they inherited a city marbled with 7,000 alleyways, or hutong, a Mongol word that referred to the space between tents.

• 1949年共产党夺取政权时，他们继承的这座城市有7000条大理石铺成的巷道，或者说胡同，这个蒙古词意指帐篷间的空地。