The Last Days of Old Beijing

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    A book called The Last Days of Old Beijing (《再会,老北京》) is written by US writer Michael Meyer. Meyer’s writing takes us back in time to Beijing about 20 years ago. At that time, Meyer moved into a shared courtyard (庭院) home in one of Beijing’s oldest neighhourhoods, Dashilan, on one of its hutong. There he taught English at a local school and became the only Westerner there living among local people. This gave him a chance to get close to the local culture. In the book, he describes the hutong and the shouts of street vendors (小贩) in a lively way that makes you feel like you’re right there.
　Meyer saw some of the great changes this neighbourhood went through. The old houses made way for high-rise buildings, shopping malls and other symbols of modern, urban life. However, some parts of old Beijing’s culture stayed strong in the face of rapid change. People still kept traditions like putting up Spring Festival couplets and artists worked hard to pass down skills like acrobatics (杂技). Meyer shows us how these traditions helped people hold onto their roots as old buildings went away around them.