Old street cossets by-gone age. Will it, too, be bulldozed over?
November 26, 2011, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE onward march of urbanization has gobbled up many historic buildings and old streets in Minhang, and redevelopment threatens to trample over even more of the past.
No one more keenly feels the pang of passing times than older people who grew up along many of the old streets now gone forever.
Fearful of the future, they cling to places like Zhuhang Old Street in Meilong Town as last bastions of disappearing times. Let's walk along the street and share their nostalgia.
The street has a definite atmosphere far from the madding crowds. Seniors citizens sit on doorsteps soaking up warm sunshine, a group of children plays Shanghai's longtang (alley) games, a man grooms his pet dogs, a postman delivers letters and a grandmother teaches her grandson how to play cards. The old street area is filled with the tantalizing aroma of lunches being prepared.
Standing on one corner of the street and looking up, you can see the vague outline of skyscrapers in the distance - a strange sensation of old and new melding in the mind. The buildings in this area retain the traditional look of black tiles, mottled walls and wood doors. Clothes hang on outdoor lines, flapping gently in an autumn breeze.
The street and alleyways are narrow. They were not built for the modern automotive age. Many families have lived here for generations. Migrant workers have now moved into the neighborhood from far-flung poorer areas of China.
The history of Zhuhang Town dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), when residential houses first appeared in the area. Zhu is the surname of the biggest clan of families to settle the area.
Zhang Linying, 97, and Xu Fubao, 79, are venerable denizens of the street.
Zhang moved here after her marriage at age 21. Apart for two years spent in Guangzhou and Hong Kong with her carpenter husband, she has lived on the street for three quarters of a century.
Xu was born on the street in 1933. She moved with her parents to Wanping Road in the French Concession during World War II and later taught in Anhui Province. When she retired in 1988, she moved back to her native street.
Zhang said she recalls the street was filled with small businesses before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
"The street was lined with shops selling cloth, meat, groceries, steamed buns and noodles," she said. "They sold almost everything we needed."
The historic Dunyi Bridge sits on the eastern end of the street. It was built in 1884 during the reign of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Emperor Guangxu.
The stone arch bridge, 8.6 meters long and two meters wide, had part of its stone guardrail damaged during the war against the Japanese invaders. The bridge was added to Minhang's list of cultural heritage sites in 2003.
Xu recalled that the river flowing under the bridge was once the main traffic artery, with many daily necessities like salt and cooking oil transported to the area by boat. Buying and selling were conducted on the bridge, and commerce was lively, she said.
Nowadays the bridge is closed. The watercourse underneath, now filled in, supports a weed patch. Old-timers recall the wisteria tree that once stood there, proudly proclaiming historical significance dating back more than 200 years old.
"It was the paradise of local residents during my childhood," Xu said. A favorite place for a bit of gossip with neighbors.
In 1985, stone barriers were placed around the tree to protect it. The tree was moved first to Humin Road and later to Zhenxi Road, where it still stands.
Teahouses, the majority of which served as shuchang (storytelling theaters), were the most popular places in the old neighborhood. There, local people enjoyed Suzhou pingtan (story telling accompanied by Suzhou music) and Huju opera. There were once more than five teahouses in the area. Now most of them are gone.
Taishantang is a hidden temple of Buddhist nuns in the area. There is no record of who built the temple or when it was constructed. Nuns began living at the temple as early as 1906, according to Minhang archives. There were 11 houses and more than 10 Buddha statues in the temple complex by the 1940s. Most of the statues were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.
Part of the temple later housed the classrooms of the Zhuhang Primary School, Zhang recalled. At present, the site serves as a senior citizen center.
Temple fairs were the jolliest of occasions, according to both women. Zhang and Xu remembered that villagers flocked to the temple when fetes were held. The temple also drew a steady stream of Buddhist worshipers.
Xu remembered with fondness the sweet Haitang cake she always ate at temple fairs when she was young.
"They tasted more delicious than the ones sold today," she said.
Uncertainty casts a long shadow over the old street of Zhuhang. Residents worry they will be ousted to make way for urban redevelopment.
"Do you know when we will be relocated?" is a common question anxiously asked among local residents.
"The street has its own flavor, which cannot be duplicated by high rises," Xu said wistfully.
No one more keenly feels the pang of passing times than older people who grew up along many of the old streets now gone forever.
Fearful of the future, they cling to places like Zhuhang Old Street in Meilong Town as last bastions of disappearing times. Let's walk along the street and share their nostalgia.
The street has a definite atmosphere far from the madding crowds. Seniors citizens sit on doorsteps soaking up warm sunshine, a group of children plays Shanghai's longtang (alley) games, a man grooms his pet dogs, a postman delivers letters and a grandmother teaches her grandson how to play cards. The old street area is filled with the tantalizing aroma of lunches being prepared.
Standing on one corner of the street and looking up, you can see the vague outline of skyscrapers in the distance - a strange sensation of old and new melding in the mind. The buildings in this area retain the traditional look of black tiles, mottled walls and wood doors. Clothes hang on outdoor lines, flapping gently in an autumn breeze.
The street and alleyways are narrow. They were not built for the modern automotive age. Many families have lived here for generations. Migrant workers have now moved into the neighborhood from far-flung poorer areas of China.
The history of Zhuhang Town dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), when residential houses first appeared in the area. Zhu is the surname of the biggest clan of families to settle the area.
Zhang Linying, 97, and Xu Fubao, 79, are venerable denizens of the street.
Zhang moved here after her marriage at age 21. Apart for two years spent in Guangzhou and Hong Kong with her carpenter husband, she has lived on the street for three quarters of a century.
Xu was born on the street in 1933. She moved with her parents to Wanping Road in the French Concession during World War II and later taught in Anhui Province. When she retired in 1988, she moved back to her native street.
Zhang said she recalls the street was filled with small businesses before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
"The street was lined with shops selling cloth, meat, groceries, steamed buns and noodles," she said. "They sold almost everything we needed."
The historic Dunyi Bridge sits on the eastern end of the street. It was built in 1884 during the reign of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Emperor Guangxu.
The stone arch bridge, 8.6 meters long and two meters wide, had part of its stone guardrail damaged during the war against the Japanese invaders. The bridge was added to Minhang's list of cultural heritage sites in 2003.
Xu recalled that the river flowing under the bridge was once the main traffic artery, with many daily necessities like salt and cooking oil transported to the area by boat. Buying and selling were conducted on the bridge, and commerce was lively, she said.
Nowadays the bridge is closed. The watercourse underneath, now filled in, supports a weed patch. Old-timers recall the wisteria tree that once stood there, proudly proclaiming historical significance dating back more than 200 years old.
"It was the paradise of local residents during my childhood," Xu said. A favorite place for a bit of gossip with neighbors.
In 1985, stone barriers were placed around the tree to protect it. The tree was moved first to Humin Road and later to Zhenxi Road, where it still stands.
Teahouses, the majority of which served as shuchang (storytelling theaters), were the most popular places in the old neighborhood. There, local people enjoyed Suzhou pingtan (story telling accompanied by Suzhou music) and Huju opera. There were once more than five teahouses in the area. Now most of them are gone.
Taishantang is a hidden temple of Buddhist nuns in the area. There is no record of who built the temple or when it was constructed. Nuns began living at the temple as early as 1906, according to Minhang archives. There were 11 houses and more than 10 Buddha statues in the temple complex by the 1940s. Most of the statues were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.
Part of the temple later housed the classrooms of the Zhuhang Primary School, Zhang recalled. At present, the site serves as a senior citizen center.
Temple fairs were the jolliest of occasions, according to both women. Zhang and Xu remembered that villagers flocked to the temple when fetes were held. The temple also drew a steady stream of Buddhist worshipers.
Xu remembered with fondness the sweet Haitang cake she always ate at temple fairs when she was young.
"They tasted more delicious than the ones sold today," she said.
Uncertainty casts a long shadow over the old street of Zhuhang. Residents worry they will be ousted to make way for urban redevelopment.
"Do you know when we will be relocated?" is a common question anxiously asked among local residents.
"The street has its own flavor, which cannot be duplicated by high rises," Xu said wistfully.
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