Qianshi Hutong is to the west side of Beijing Zhubaoshi Street, near the famous commercial area of Dashanlan. It has long been the narrowest hutong in Beijing. It is 55 meters long, 0.7 meters in width and 0.4 meters in its narrowest part. Two people facing each other have to go through the hutong sideways. At the end of the hutong is a courtyard, with an awning above it and bedrooms beside it. The courtyard is a remnant of a monetary market in the Qing Dynasty, where ancient official currencies were exchanged, and it was an early form of a financial market.
"Qianshi" literally means "money market". The hutong's history can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when it was Beijing's official area for currency trading. Home to 26 government-authorized mints that produced coins for all the city's banks, large business firms, shop owners, and owners of grain depots would gather at Qianshi Hutong in the early mornings to change coins into taels, or vice versa. Over time, it became the capital's financial center for monetary exchange.
Currently, around 10 households occupy the lane, and almost everyone has a fire extinguisher. Due to the Qianshi's narrow size, it is difficult to escape in the event of a fire. Elderly hutong residents in the area are prone to warning others about fire risks and prevention.
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