Many old houses, like the one 83-year-old Jia Yufan has lived in
all his life, will be repaired under a plan to preserve this
ancient city's residential heritage.
The local government of the Shaanxi provincial capital will
spend an extra 50 million yuan ($6.9 million) to carry out the work
over the next few years, on top of the 70 million yuan it has
already spent on restoration work over the past three years.
Jia, who was born in the house in which he still lives, said he
was pleased to learn his 1910-built home had been earmarked for
repair.
"I was worried when I saw the old houses my neighbors lived in
being pulled down because of all the urban development," Jia
said.
"Compared with the modern buildings, my house is not so
convenient because there is no heating system, gas supply pipe or
toilet, but I want to live in it because it not only has heritage
value, but is also a glorious symbol of my family."
Xi'an is an ancient metropolis and was the national capital
during 13 dynasties.
It is home to many famous landmarks including the Dayan Pagoda
from the Tang Dynasty (AD618-907), and the City Wall and Bell Tower
from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Zheng Yulin, director of the Xi'an heritage and garden
administration bureau, said: "We will make continuous efforts to
better protect the city's heritage.
"Besides the world-renowned buildings, there are many old
residential houses that were built during the late Qing Dynasty
(1644-1911).
"The old homes are made with brick and wood and most of them are
in poor condition," he said.
In 2006, the local government listed 85 old houses for
protection.
A small number of them date back to the Ming Dynasty, but most
were built during the Qing Dynasty and in the decades that
followed.
Different from a Beijing siheyuan (a traditional courtyard
house), which has a single courtyard, a Xi'an siheyuan has two or
three yards in the shape of a large rectangle, Zheng said.
The remaining old dwellings feature exquisite carvings and
ornate decorations, he said.
He Hongxing, director of the Xi'an city planning bureau, said it
was pity that some old houses built in the late Qing Dynasty had
been demolished during the urban construction boom of the
1990s.
"As a historical and cultural city, the protection of these old
dwellings will ensure Xi'an continue to be a place where vivid and
colorful stories are told through its buildings," He said.
Wu Chun, director of the residential houses protection office
under the city's heritage and garden administration bureau, said
that under the restoration plan, the old houses will be supplied
with running water, power, heating, gas and toilets.
(China Daily January 18, 2008)