Located several kilometers north of the Forbidden City and just east of Houhai Lake is Nanluoguxiang (NLGX), an 800-meter long North-South alleyway filled with cafes, bars, and shops all designed in classical Chinese ‘hutong’ style.
南锣鼓巷是北京最古老的街区之一，是古都风貌中 一块保存完整的“碧玉”。南锣鼓巷南北走向，长约800米，东西各有8条胡同整齐排列着。现在这条小巷里分布着各具特色的咖啡店、酒吧和其他不同类型的商店。它们的共同点是保留着胡同建筑的浓浓风情，和骨子里对胡同文化的热爱和保护。
Nanluoguxiang has a history of over 800 years. Once a flourishing commercial street during the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368), the NLGX area became a popular residential area for government officials and elites during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Organized in the traditional Chinese courtyard style, many of these residences still stand today.
南锣鼓巷的历史可以追溯到元朝，但自明清以来，这里一直是“富人区”，居住过许多达官贵人、社会名流，从明朝将军到清朝王爷，从北洋政府总统到国民党总裁，从文学大师到画坛巨匠，这里的每一条胡同都有丰厚的文化积淀，每一个宅院里都在静静地诉说着老故事。
NLGX is intersected by eight East-West hutongs, each with its own unique bit of story to tell.
Amidst the destruction of many old Beijing historical neighborhoods in recent years, Nanluoguxiang was spared and designated by the Beijing government as a historical site for preservation and showcase for Chinese culture. The area received a face lift in early 2006 – the hutong road was paved with grey bricks, storefronts were renovated, and cafes and shops were opened – and the area has since evolved into a favorite spot for local hipsters, musicians, freelancers, and tourists.
近年来，这些充满故事的北京胡同包围在可能被拆除的重重危险里。南锣鼓巷作为北京历史文化的一部分被政府保存下来，并且从2006年开始，对其中残旧度比较严重的建筑进行修缮。接下来，一些咖啡店和商店在这里开业了，南锣鼓巷变成了一个文化商品集散地，这里既有老北京的东西，也有西方流行的元素，所以越来越多的先锋艺术家关注这里，有音乐家、画家还有旅行家等等。
In the summer of 2006, NLGX hosted its first street fair displaying arts and crafts, live music, street food, and exhibitions by local artists. As NLGX became more well-known by the local community, the 2007 street fair became even larger with more participants and more organizing partners.
2006年的夏天，NLGX开始了它的第一个艺术聚会，包括现场音乐会、街边小吃和本土艺术的展览。NLGX对北京本土文化的努力推广被大家更认同。为了南锣鼓巷的繁荣和胡同文化的繁衍，我们有了更多的志同道合的朋友和伙伴。
According to locals, Nanluoguxiang will eventually be closed off to car traffic, transforming the area into one of the few pedestrian-only streets in Beijing.
越来越多的汽车打扰了胡同的安静，破坏了氛围。我们希望有一天，燃油汽车将禁止出入这个区域。南锣鼓巷将变成一个北京仅有的步行街之一。
We are excited to offer directory services for Nanluoguxiang and will continue to track the ongoing development of the area. We hope this site is useful to all who are interested in discovering Beijing’s hippest hutong hangout!
NLGX在这里提供了一个南锣鼓巷的区域地图，并将继续完善。希望在我们的努力下，有更多希望南锣鼓巷繁荣发展、希望胡同一直保留下来的朋友加入我们！
