This photo taken on July 10, 2026 shows a view of Lanman Hutong in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Zheng Keyi)

　　BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Just after six each morning, 63-year-old Chen Zhongyi unlatches the wooden door of a pigeon loft outside his home in Beijing's Lanman Hutong. Within seconds, more than 20 homing pigeons burst into the sky, circling above the grey-tiled roofs before fanning out across the city.

　　"That's when I feel happiest in the day," Chen said, his gaze following the birds as they fade from view.

　　For Chen, who has spent his entire life in this narrow alley, the pigeons are far more than a pastime. They embody a way of life that has long defined the character of Beijing's historic hutongs.

　　A city with over 3,000 years of recorded history, Beijing has constantly grappled with how to modernise without erasing its past. Lanman Hutong, tucked in the city's core, offers a compelling case study in urban renewal that honours neighbourhood memories while leaving room for the new.

　　OLD ALLEY, NEW LIFE

　　When Lanman Hutong launched a major renovation in 2018, Chen feared his hand-built pigeon loft, a fixture since 2013, might have to come down.

　　To his relief, the designers had other plans. "Pigeons are part of old Beijing's culture," they told him. "They should stay, and we'll upgrade the loft."

　　The birds were soon moved into a new wooden structure -- brighter, sturdier and better ventilated. "It wasn't just a new pigeon house," Chen said. "It told me that what we treasure can endure."