Track one

The courtyard of a siheyuan within the former Imperial City
We discovered this house together but the idea came from my husband
He was really fond of the siheyuan
During the SARS period we biked through the whole city hutong area
We decided we have to have such a house in the future
That time was really perfect time for us to bike through the whole city
Everything was closed down and nobody was walking in the street
We were living in an apartment – I am from Holland where everybody lives on the ground floor
Living in an apartment especially in China – I was not happy with that
I decided it was good to live in Beijing – especially the weather
In wintertime – clear skies, blue skies – so I was very happy here
I wanted to live in Beijing but I didn't want to live in an apartment
When we discovered the hutongs – this is the way of life – the way the houses are built I like
You must be surrounded here by a lot of history
Since we have moved here we have been told all kinds of stories, historical stories about the famous people
We are quite close to the canal, the Jade River where at one time the boats came all the way from Hangzhou
Where we are living, it is next to the main street – Beiheyan Dajie
In old time it was the canal running through this main street
Unfortunately it was filled with earth in 1960

Questions
1.Which part of historic Beijing is the courtyard in? The Imperial City
2.What was happening in Beijing when they first saw the courtyard? SARS
3.How did they travel at that time? By bike
4.Where did Tom not like to live? In an apartment
5.What was near the courtyard in historic times? A canal, the Jade River

Track two
The Imperial City is inside the old city walls
It is smaller but it is where the people lived who were connected to the court, to the emperor
All the people who worked there, who provided food or clothing or had a job in the Palace were living here
Our house is located within a temple, Zhonggu Temple just behind our house – demolished in the 1960's
There are lots of temples and old historic buildings in the neighbourhood
One that has been beautifully restored, the Temple Hotel
That is quite a fashionable place – in ancient times called Songzhu temple
That was the biggest lama temple close to the Forbidden City, ordered to be built by the emperor
You have a connection with the ground, the earth directly and a piece of sky above
It is definitely more close to nature
We have a weasel – we have a big tree in the yard and a weasel
It comes down to bite a neighbour's rabbit or small mice
We went to the archive bureau of Beijing to check out the first owner of this house
He was in charge of all the lanterns – to lit all the lanterns of the Forbidden City
Just like 'Raise the Red Lantern'

Questions
1.Where is the Imperial City? Within the city walls
2.Who were the people who lived in the Imperial City? Those with jobs in the Forbidden City
3.What used to exist where the house is? A former temple
4.What animal lives on the tree in their courtyard? A weasel
5.What was the job of the first house owner? Responsible for the lanterns in the Forbidden City