Over the past few decades, Beijing has been intent on tearing down the old and putting up the new, an effort that only increased during the buildup to the 2008 Summer Olympics. Many of the city’s ancient hutongs – narrow alleyways in the city’s centre – were torn down and replaced with modern apartment blocks and roads. The hutongs, however, have defined Beijing culture for hundreds of years and give the city its unique character. To read the full story, click here.

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