Researcher Hou Lei chronicles daily life in historical Beijing

A newly published book, Anecdotes of the Yan Capital, has drawn attention for its detailed portrait of historical Beijing.

The volume collects research by Qu Xuanying, the son of a senior Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) official, and was edited by Hou Lei, a Beijing-based researcher and writer known for his work on the city's history and culture.

Hou, 43, has built a reputation for focusing on overlooked details of daily life, particularly the experiences of ordinary Beijingers. In previous books, including Beijing Smoke-like Trees, which explores the city's atmosphere and routines, and The Record of Beijing's Prosperity, a study of its historical development, Hou has blended archival research with personal observation.

Much of his writing draws on childhood memories and stories passed down by his grandmother. Hou's family has lived in Beijing for more than 150 years, and he continues to reside in a Dongcheng district hutong, an area of narrow alleyways that form one of the city's oldest residential areas.

"Unlike many Beijingers who moved into apartment buildings, I stayed," he said. "I live here to write and research."

Despite the long tradition of writing about the capital, Hou believes there is still room for new perspectives. "People have been writing about Beijing since the Yuan Dynasty (1206–1368)," he said. "Different writers capture its people, its flavors and its stories. I plan to keep writing in the Beijing dialect and continue uncovering the memories buried in the city."

Video by Dongcheng Converged Media Center and Liang Yuxuan.