The location of Chongqing Jiangbei Old Town
Chongqing Image Resurrecting the Old Buildings in Jiangbei City
What can most evoke people’s memories of a city are usually its long history and distinctive old streets, old buildings, and old houses. In the mountain city of Chongqing, what most evokes the memories of local people is the Jiangbei Old Town with thousands of years of history.
Jiangbei Old Town is located in Jiangbei District, Chongqing, across the river from Yuzhong District, where the Jialing River and the Yangtze River converge. Jiangbeicheng was once the commercial, social and cultural center and economic center of Chongqing. During the Western Han Dynasty, it was the Beifucheng of ancient Chongqing. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was the seat of local administrative agencies. It has always been an important distribution center for Chongqing's materials. Chongqing's commercial exports are transported to all parts of the country through Jiangbeicheng Terminal.
According to the plan of the Chongqing Municipal Government, the entire Jiangbei City will be demolished in 2004 for urban reconstruction. Like all metropolises that have experienced the process of urbanization, many old buildings and houses with hundreds of years of history, rich in characteristics, and representing the historical memory of Chongqing people are facing the fate of being demolished during urban transformation.
At the early stage of demolition, Liu Daping, chairman of Chongqing Jinyang Real Estate Development Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Jinyang"), led designers to Jiangbei City. At that time, all residents in the city had been relocated, leaving only the buildings that were about to be demolished. The old buildings and houses are a bit sad.
Lu Zhen, deputy general manager of "Jinyang", recalled: "At that time, Chairman Liu took us to see it. Seeing that this old city in the memory of Chongqing people was about to disappear, everyone felt it was a pity." They immediately When I asked about the whereabouts of the owners of the old buildings that had not yet been demolished, the answer was: They have all moved away, but these old buildings can be bought. Liu Daping then made a bold suggestion to buy all the remaining old buildings with Chongqing characteristics.
Liu Daping invited He Zhiya, a well-known ancient building restoration expert in Chongqing, Luo Zhongli, dean of Chongqing Academy of Fine Arts, and Zhang Xinguo, dean of the School of Architecture of Chongqing University, to the site to help identify which buildings have preservation value and give protection opinions. .
Next, the largest relocation project of old city buildings in Chongqing’s history began. The staff first took photos of the old buildings that were about to be demolished, and checked and compiled historical materials about the relevant buildings. Wenchang Palace, Luzu Temple, old foreign houses, etc., the staff understood that they were doing a job of protecting the memory of Chongqing people.
Retain more than 20 old buildings
After expert screening, it was finally determined to retain more than 20 old buildings with historical and architectural value, and reached an agreement with the government to protect these buildings Sexual relocation.
Before demolition, the staff numbered each building and invited a specialized ancient building restorer to number each brick, tile and beam. After the demolition, I rented a large place and arranged them in piles according to building numbers.
As for where to place these old buildings, everyone had no idea at the time. Lu Zhen recalled: "In the end, the company decided to build this old street to the outskirts of a residential area near the roadside in Jinyang's Nan'an District. Originally, this place was planned to be built with residential buildings because it is located in a prime location in the city and has a high floor area ratio. From a commercial perspective, Of course, the old street should not be built here.”
The final plan is to rebuild 12 old Jiangbei City buildings according to their original appearance on the natural slope facing the street, completely retaining the shape of the original buildings. , which has been processed for commercial operations and tried to preserve its original appearance. The completed old street was named "Chongqing Image".
Lu Zhen said: "I feel very proud when I see this old street. Last year, a couple held a traditional wedding in the old street, which caused a sensation in the mountain city. This year, there are already people scheduled to hold weddings in the old street on May Day. Here It has become a place where Chongqing people look for memories of the past.”
At the end of the old street is a magnificent stage. Today it is a place where locals enjoy traditional Chinese Peking Opera, Sichuan Opera, Huangmei Opera and Excerpts. From September to November last year, a series of good plays were performed on the grand stage. The open-air theater was filled with audiences enjoying traditional plays, including many foreigners.
During the Republic of China, operas were performed every day on the Jiangbeicheng stage, mainly Sichuan opera. It was originally going to be demolished during the demolition of Jiangbei City, but thanks to timely rescue, it was completely preserved. The carved beams and painted pillars on the stage are themselves works of art of high value.
Old houses play new functions
After the completion of "Chongqing Image", residents who used to live in Jiangbei Old Town were invited to visit. Some people found that the houses they used to live in remained intact. I'm very touched to be here.
Although the street has a long history, it is also attractive to young people.
Just in the "Sifangjing Bank Dormitory" on the old street, this was originally a dormitory for bank staff. Now it has become the famous bar "TATTOO FACE" and a happy place for young people.
Today, 11 old houses on the old street have new owners, and their functions have also changed. The old "old foreign house" has now become the high-end seafood restaurant "Yuhuangfu", the former Wenchang Palace has become the "Yundao Teahouse", and the former "Liu Family Courtyard" has become today's "Wangsao Restaurant". Although the interior functionality has changed, what remains unchanged is its historical charm.
The 3 most distinctive buildings in Chongqing Image
Weaving Factory
Located at the entrance of "Chongqing Image", it has become a landmark building. It was previously located in Xibutang, Jiangbei City. street. There was originally a natural pond here. In the middle of the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, weavers washed colored cloths in this pond. Later, a street was named Xibutang Street. In March 1982, during the construction of the factory expansion of the Chongqing Weaving Factory, a rectangular ancient tomb was excavated, which was verified to be the tomb of Emperor Mingyu of the Great Xia Kingdom. The Mingyu Treasure Tomb Exhibition Hall has been built and is a municipal cultural relic protection unit. It is now a high-end restaurant.
Old Western House
The most distinctive building in the "Image of Chongqing", the yellow walls attract the most attention. It not only has the traditional techniques of Sichuan folk houses, but also has the characteristics of Chongqing's "foreign-style houses" in the 1920s and 1930s. It was a very modern building at that time. There are traditional wood carvings hanging between the brick pillars of the front corridor, and the Shikumen at the entrance is deliberately twisted at an angle due to Feng Shui considerations, all of which cater to the Sichuan staff's desire to be modern and Western-style while staying true to the old customs. The five-pointed stars on the corners of the buildings on both sides serve as the finishing touch. It is now a Bao Chi restaurant.
Liu Family Courtyard (No. 152, Jiangbei Main Street, Jiangbei City)
Brick and wood structure, two floors, three-sided courtyard. The floor-to-ceiling columns are all brick columns with plastered surfaces. There are many additional rooms in the main house, and the wing rooms on both sides have been partially renovated, and the building quality is relatively dilapidated. The structure of the main house is well preserved. Now it has become the new home of Hong Kong's famous restaurant "Wang Sao".