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A road that’s short in distance, long in traditional charm
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Shaanxi Road N., built in 1914 under the name Seymour Road, is one of 11 backstreets that feed into Nanjing Road W., often called Shanghai’s Fifth Avenue.
Shaanxi Road runs about 1 kilometer from Xinzha Road to Yan’an Road M. It has long been regarded as an epitome of the city’s inclusive spirit and international atmosphere.
Late Shanghai writer Cheng Naishan said when she was visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa, she chanced upon a small alley one day while walking and it flooded her with memories of Shaanxi Road N.
The road between Xinzha and Nanjing roads is dotted with more than 20 historical buildings of different architectural styles. They include the traditional shikumen-style Datong Lane, the neoclassical Garden House, the red-brick townhouses of Pacific Garden and the Greek revival-style of the Ohel Rachel Synagogue. The southern section of Shaanxi Road is mostly commercial.
A 230-meter section between Nanjing and Weihai roads reopened earlier this month after a six-month renovation that combined new touches with old elements.
Along this section, 17 shops with venerated brands, including the 300-year-old Leiyunshang pharmacy and heritage-listed Longfeng Cheongsam, have outlets. They have retained their traditional charm even while embracing modern retail concepts to keep pace with a highly competitive, rapidly changing marketplace.
“We have upgraded the stores both inside and out,” said Zhuang Qianyun, chief executive of the Kaikai Group that undertook the renovation. “From exterior appearances and interior layouts, to products and services, we have been meticulous in every detail.”
To the extent possible, traditional architectural crafts and materials were used in the renovation. Half of the stores are fronted with red brick processed from decades-old bricks, to blend in with the shikumen residences above.
Zhuang said she hoped the vintage atmosphere would encourage people to tarry awhile and take photos, but the ultimate aim was to entice them inside the shops.
So what exactly do these stores provide?
“Retailing concepts are changing,” said Zhuang. “Demand for the highest possible quality of goods is growing. These brands, part of the character of the city itself, need to bring themselves up to date. This is no longer just a place where things are sold. We’ve done all we could to give people plenty of reasons to visit.”
Time-honored brands are considered to be the “living history” of the city’s commercial development. By exhibiting old photos and paraphernalia and by inviting skilled craftsmen to perform traditional skills, the stores pass on their history to the next generation.
Haute-couture services will be available for people to order tailor-made clothes, and workshops will be set inside stores for people to experience traditional skills such as making sachets and herb tea.
Also, people will see new products debut along the street.
“The street is a brand-culture display center, a bespoke tailoring center, a traditional craft center, a new product launch center and a marketing center,” Zhuang said.
Leiyunshang, the oldest brand in Jing’an, was the first of the venerable names to try something new.
The pharmacy has two traditional Chinese medicine “doctors,” both robots. They can scan facial complexions, do tongue diagnosis and talk to patients. They draft medical reports and dispatch them to specialists at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The No.6 Grain & Oils Convenience Store has instituted a modern system that allows customers to make swipe payments.
The 101-year-old Hongxiang, a pioneer in Chinese women’s fashion, has a 3D-fitting mirror for customers to see clothes would look on them.
Preserving traditional skills while injecting them with new vigor is truly the best of both worlds, but serves no purpose unless we can guarantee the survival of the brands, according to Zhao Jian, deputy director of the Jing’an Commerce Commission.
“We hope the street pleases sightseers and shoppers alike, and becomes a window to the beauty and ingenuity that Shanghai’s culture offers to the world,” Zhao said.
Shaanxi Rd N.
Formerly called: Seymour Rd
Built: 1914
Significance: hailed by the State Council as a “Chinese Nominated History and Culture Road”
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