New exhibition marks reopening of historical Zhangyuan
An exhibition chronicling Zhangyuan's changes over the past century.
Zhangyuan
Historical Zhangyuan in Jing'an District has reopened to the public for the first time since it closed for a major overhaul in 2018.
Renovation is still under way, but an exhibition chronicling its changes over the past century – which opened on Tuesday and runs until September – provides people with a glimpse of a new yet old Zhangyuan.
Sandwiched between Weihai Road and Nanjing Road W., Zhangyuan is one of the city's best-preserved historical communities.
It dates back to 1872 when a British merchant bought the area to build garden villas. But it earned fame after Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Shuhe took over the area in 1882 and turned it into the city's most popular public gathering place, where the city's first electric light bulbs glowed amid some of Shanghai's first public entertainment venues. In 1921, it was divided and sold to 28 owners, becoming private residences.
For historical reasons, the houses were later partitioned into many units, and soon became too dilapidated to live in. Relocation and renovation started in 2018.
According to the Jing'an Real Estate Group, which is in charge of the project, the neighborhood features buildings in 28 different styles, and almost 170 historic buildings are being retained and repaired based on original drawings.
Renovation work is expected to continue for another four to five years to convert the buildings into boutique hotels, small guesthouses, art galleries, museums and other cultural venues, according to the real estate group.
How people once lived in Zhangyuan is showcased.
An old-style kitchen
The exhibition features photos, videos, art installations and old items to take people on an immersive tour of typical Shanghai's lilong life.
The patriotic film "My People, My Country" by seven renowned directors used Zhangyuan as a backdrop. An impressive scene in the film, where people gathered in the lane to watch the Chinese women's volleyball team winning the Olympic gold medal in the 1984 Olympics, was reenacted.
"The chamber pots, lounge chairs and other items used in my childhood are displayed, which immediately reminded me of the old days," said a visitor surnamed Ding who lived in Zhangyuan for more than 10 years. "Zhangyuan's changes are an epitome of urban renewal."
The exhibition is free but reservations are required via the official WeChat of Shanghai Jing'an (jaxwzx) or Shanghai Zhangyuan (gh_97eaeb678b7a). It's open Monday through Saturday from 9:30am to 4:30pm but only accepts 500 visitors each day.
