A 2009 photo of Xinghua Hutong from the online archive. Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Wei

Rosy prospects

However, there is still reason for optimism about the website. Although the server has been moved to Hong Kong, and despite the quick pace of hutong destruction in Beijing, the website remains an important source of information about Beijing.

Cheng Gen, a 67-year-old man who has been active in the photography group since 2005, told Metropolitan that he would never quit.

In the old man's opinion, the old Beijing website is a very important stage for people with the same interests to communicate and organize activities. He is one of the rabid fans and followers of Zhang and his photography group website.

"If one day the website dies, I will be sad, but I would not abandon taking photos," said Cheng Gen. "And also the hutong, they are dying, but if I search carefully, I still can find new things to record every week."

Qu Zuming, a retired professor of cultural relic protection of Tsinghua University, said the website of old Beijing culture is of great significance, and Zhang, who was his student, is not alone in maintaining the website.

"I am a professor, but also an old Beijing resident living in hutong," said Qu. "My family has been living here for over one hundred years. In my life I have been devoting myself to protecting old Beijing culture, and I am very glad to see this website online, making my work public and better known."

Zhang is now considering publishing a book about old Beijing culture. He said that while urbanization and demolition have been developing at a fast pace, it is necessary to make people remember what the old things were like. The website, in a way, is a tool for collecting materials for the book. Zhang now is collecting materials from his peers on the website, for all of their works and photos are free to download. He said he would start writing the book after he gets to the age of retirement.

The final fate of the website, according to Zhang, is to be donated to the country. Zhang said he is not the owner of it, and he is only managing it. But now is not the time.

"I still need more attention and care from the government, and also a comprehensive agreement which can ensure the long-term and healthy development of the website," said Zhang.

"Then I will donate the website and all visual materials to the nation, because Beijing belongs to our country, and old Beijing culture and its charm are the same."

"I am the mudfish in a bunch of eels," said Zhang, referring to the culture circle in Beijing, "If there is no such a little fish in the big ones, the big ones would stay still and get smothered to die. I am the little one, but I am active and sometimes noisy to keep others alive, until I die."