Dad was looking through his old Beijing photographs.
And there they were.
The doors Dad had stopped for.
The windows. The old walls. The little things that made Dad raise his camera while wandering Beijing’s hutongs (胡同, hútòng).
Looking at them again, Dad could almost walk those lanes once more.
So…
Come walk with Dad.
Slowly.
First, the doors.
Red against grey. Two little guardians.
Dad stopped.
Click.
And walked on.
A few doors farther…
The red is no longer so red.
Paint fades. Wood ages.
The door remains.
Another door.
福 (fú) — good fortune.
Someone passes through here every day.
Someone calls this home.
Keep walking.
Something catches Dad’s eye.
Those faces.
Those heavy rings.
That old wood.
Dad goes closer.
How many hands have lifted that ring?
A few steps more.
Dad looks up.
光荣之家
Guāngróng Zhī Jiā
A small plaque associated with a household recognised in connection with military service.
Easy to miss.
Dad didn’t.
Click.
Look beyond the doors.
Grey bricks.
A little red.
A little green.
Click.
A bicycle.
An old wall.
Nothing famous.
Yet somehow…
Beijing.
Around another corner…
Another doorway.
Another little lion.
Another home Dad knows nothing about.
Sometimes it’s enough simply to…
notice.
And eventually…
Dad finds Dad. 😂
Camera in hand.
Grey walls. Bicycles. A narrow lane.
Beijing carrying on with its day.
Click.
Been Here Before?
Maybe you’ve already walked Beijing’s hutongs.
The red doors.
The stone lions.
The old knockers.
The grey walls.
Looking at Dad’s photos, perhaps you’re thinking:
“Wait… I saw these too.”
You probably did.
But did you look? 😂
Maybe it’s time to GO again.
Want to Wander a Little Farther?
This wasn’t Dad & Elaine’s only walk through old Beijing.
Come with us into Beijing’s living hutongs →
DAD SAYS GO! →
Never been?
GO.
Been before?
GO again.
Walk slowly.
Look closely.
See what makes you stop.
