HOUSING CONSIDERATIONS - Living Abroad in Beijing - page 160

cing south was traditionally for the head of the household, the two side buildings for the
children, and then the south building, called the “opposite house” (and the name of one of
Beijing's most popular boutique hotels and bar locations), was for the servants or where the
family would gather to relax. Traditionally, every section of the sìhéyuàn is separated, so
you may need to cross the courtyard to get to the kitchen or bathroom.
Many sìhéyuàn are owned by well-to-do government officials, but they're also now ex-
tremely popular with expats. Landlords have cottoned on to this fact, and so rent for one in
good condition is unlikely to fall below RMB15,000 per month.
A píngfáng is basically a sìhéyuàn that has been subdivided into “studios,” although
many of them are more higgledy-piggledy and don't conform to the same principles as the
f ê ng shui-driven sìhéyuàn . These are great for singles who want to mix with the locals. If
you like to keep to yourself, however, píngfáng are not for you. Your lovely neighbors will
no doubt come knocking on your door at random hours with offerings of dumplings and
fruit.
The quality of píngfáng varies greatly. Many have been renovated and are fully self-
contained. A píngfáng of around 40 square meters will possibly rent for around
RMB3,000-4,000 per month. If you don't mind squeezing into something smaller, though,
and if using the local public toilets and bathhouses is within your comfort zone, then you
might even find a place for around RMB500 per month.
Sìhéyuàn and píngfáng are what give Beijing's hútòng their characteristics—dark and
quiet alleyways with groups of neighbors huddling around tables to play májiàng (Mandar-
in for mahjong) or Chinese checkers. The pluses for living in them include the local ex-
perience in vibrant, colorful neighborhoods, as well as a potentially impressive entertaining
space in summer. Away from major roads they can be wonderful retreats from the bustling
city just outside, but they do come with their own set of drawbacks. Free of general traffic
noises, they do have their own collection of quaint pedestrian sounds. They can be freezing
cold in winter (especially if your bathroom is not attached to the living area), and heating
them can effectively push your utility costs up by around RMB1,000 per month. In summer
they're more prone to mosquitos and spiders (small web ones), and, being right at street
level, they're incredibly dusty. Further, if you don't speak any Chinese, you may find man-
aging problems a little tedious.
HOMESTAYS
If you're truly dedicated to immersing yourself in Chinese language and culture, then you
can easily find yourself a local family to live with. Expat websites, such as The Beijinger