There are over 1,500 buildings of cultural importance in Shanghai. (Photo : www.pixabay.com)
The familiar sounds of building construction echo in the streets of Shanghai as renovations of historic buildings were greenlighted.
Included among the structures being renovated is the former home of Zhang Leping, the celebrated cartoonist and creator of popular comic book character San Mao. The former home of renowned playwright Le King is also undergoing the same treatment. Their restored homes are expected to open later this year as a museum where some of their original works will be exhibited.
China has always been dedicated in preserving buildings of such cultural importance, but property restoration is fast becoming a very expensive and onerous task.
Shanghai's winding streets and alleyways are lined with buildings that have once served as residences of famous people. Over 1,500 structures are of importance, but half of these buildings are not protected by any programs.
Aside from rising restoration costs, preservation committees face several obstacles.
Ca Wei, in charge of protecting historic buildings and sits in the Hunan Neighborhood Committee, shared with Shanghai Daily that purchasing property rights is expensive.
Another major obstacle is that some, if not most, of these historic homes are occupied by families and businesses. Architectural expert Wang Anshi of Shanghai's Historic Building Protection Committee is especially concerned with this, as some of the structures have severely deteriorated.
"Since most of the buildings are wooden structures, they show a great deal of wear and tear after occupancy for so many years," he said.
Committees in charge of historic building preservation often have to pay a huge amount of money to convince current owners to sell the property. While some people are happy to accept such generous compensation offers, others are not so easy to deal with.
"Buying these homes and sometimes those next door to avoid conflicts, using government funds, is the only way to ensure effective restoration," said Ca Wei.
It is not often the case, however, for homes occupied by descendants of such celebrated people. One such example is the Sun and Moon Mansion, which formerly served as the residence of influential artist Feng Zikai, and later, his grandchildren.
