Surrounding the courtyard are the living quarters: living room, kitchen and usually two or three bedrooms, all laid out in the prescribed manner with rooms allocated to parents, children and guests.
Even the type of trees are of a certain kind as well as any pets that the family may have - all tied in with the ancient art of feng shui.
There is much tradition associated with these hutongs and many of those which have not been torn down have been modernized to suit the burgeoning upper and middle classes.