Shichahai gets all Qing-ed out
- Source: Global Times
- [08:12 April 21 2011]
- Comments
A man carves a wooden roof beam for a Xiaoxiangfeng Hutong bungalow near Shichahai Wednesday. A total of 240 bungalows will be restored to their original Qing-Dynasty look. Photo: Wang Zi/GT
By Wei Na
Shichahai, one of Beijing's must-see tourist destinations that is also popular with locals, is said to be the place where ancient meets modern. The district government is looking to play up the ancient aspect and has begun work in peripheral areas as part of an ongoing government-funded project to renovate 240 sets of bungalows, restoring their original Qing-Dynasty (1644-1911) look, the Beijing Daily News reported on Tuesday.
Xicheng authorities told the Global Times that the renovation will not affect buildings' layouts or influence the businesses of the bars and coffee houses tucked away in the secluded corners of Shichahai.
Wang Ye, a publicity official with the Xicheng district government, said that the transformation of Shichahai into a business district was completed long before 2008, the year of the Beijing Olympics.
"There'll be no removal of the current architecture in Shichahai, including places of business. The plan for the area has been settled to protect the cultural relics," he said.
"The work, this time on hutong, is just re-laying the antique-style tiles and clay bricks to recover a more historic look, as part of the project in Beijing to 'rehab the old to what it used to be.'"
The renovations mainly cover Nanguanfang, Yindingqiao, Sanzuoqiao, Qianjing and another four hutong in the neighborhood.
An employee surnamed Chen from the Shichahai Sub-district Administrative Office told the Global Times that the Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center was invited to participate in the repair work.
"They offered historical documents from the Qing Dynasty and old photographs of the screen walls and gate stones in the old courtyards," Chen said. "Hopefully the appearance and details will reflect how they used to look." Chen said the renovations are expected to be completed by the end of this year.
According to Chen, drainage systems in some low-lying courtyards would also be rebuilt to avoid rainwater backup.
"There are only one or two businesses located in the area, and there will be no disturbance that would influence their operations if their structures are in good condition," Chen added.
The renovations mostly will affect private housing.
Earlier in the week, a Shichahai resident surnamed Zhang returned to the 40-square-meter bungalow that has been in his family for four generations in Nanguanfang Hutong after moving out for a week so that renovations could take place. He was unimpressed by the changes made to his home.
