Laku Hutong: a royal revolutionary lane

By Yin Yeping
0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Global Times, February 22, 2010
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Meeting royal needs

Laku Hutong divides into a southern and northern part. According to Luo Lidan, editor of the Jingshan Weekly, in its heyday the hutong was the provision center for the Forbidden City. Wax was processed into candles in the southern part of the hutong; silk and pottery were manufactured. Finished goods were stored in a warehouse in the northern part before being taken to the palace. The staff responsible for this industry included one administrator, two official document writers and dozens of ordinary staff members and soldiers. Unfortunately, like everything else here, there's no longer any sign of its cottage industry past. "Laku Hutong enjoyed a venerable history, but now it's only a footnote compared to its recent past," Luo told Lifestyle. "Few residents here know about it."

The demon-defeating human-face stone

Before I went to the hutong, I'd heard rumors about a legendary stone called Shi Gan Dang. It's actually a stone carved in the shape of a human face, normally placed at the entrance to a lane to scare away demons, ghosts and evil spirits. Legend says that the Yellow Emperor fought against Chi You, a creature with eight feet, three heads and six arms. Wild and arrogant, Chi You climbed to the peak of Mount Taishan, screaming, "Who on earth dares to go against me?" Nü Wa (God-dess of Sky-patching) was so angry that she hurled a stone, shouting, "The stone dares." Defeated, Chi You turned tail. Another version tells that Shi Gan Dang was a brave, powerful and kindly warrior who traveled around confronting demons. After his death, people carved his face on stones and placed them at entrances to stop the devil.

When I eventually managed to find the mysterious stone in the southern part of the hutong entrance near Nafu Hutong, however, the face was nearly all eroded. If it wasn't for the location and the remnants of the design, you'd hardly know it was a formerly proud defender against demons.

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