“the alley” the name is long-standing. According to the expert researches, the alley two characters stem from Mongolian, represents “the water well”. In the past, had water well's place place of for the resident accumulation. Therefore, alley's original intention should place of for the resident accumulation. Also has one view: After the Yuan founds a capital Beijing, separates the residential building according to the piece, is in charge of by the Mongolian, between each piece separates by the channel. The channel besides walks for the people, but also some vital function is when has the fire takes the isolation strip. Although has all sorts of views, but alley's appearance begins in the Yuan Dynasty already is a mutual recognition. In the early 13th century, Mongolian national minority leader Genghis Khan commanded troops seizes in the gold, has burnt down in the city Jin's palace error, caused the capital city to become stretch of ruins. Afterward the emerging Yuan Dynasty reconstructs the capital city, is called mostly. The big capital city divides into 50 inhabited areas, calls the workshop, like the Fukuda Work place, guarantees the big work place, the Jin Cheng work place and so on. Between the work place and the work place is straight, but the width different streets and alleys alley. The entire city streets and alleys alley grand total has 400. After flashing on and off the Yuan, reconstructs the capital city mostly in a Yuan foundation, is called Beijing. Beijing divides into 36 work places, the streets and alleys alley increases to more than 1100 strip. After the Qing Dynasty founds a capital, continues to use Beijing old city, renames the national capital. The inner city streets and alleys alley increases to more than 1400 strip, in addition outer city more than 600 strip, total 2000. After 1911 Revolution, Beijing's street alley still in unceasing increase, liberated the eve to Beijing, had more than 3000 alleys. After Beijing liberates, the urban construction rapid development, established many new inhabited areas, the streets and alleys alley were most when had more than 6000 strip. In recent years, along with city modernization's thorough, Beijing's tall buildings were getting more and more, but the streets and alleys alley were actually getting fewer and fewer. In order to cause “the alley” this Beijing's ancient cultural phenomenon to continue, Beijing Municipal government some characteristic alley determination for the historical culture protectorate, this to protected the ancient capital style to play the vital role.
