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A Canadian living in Shanghai wants to move his vast collection of ancient Chinese buildings and architecture to the outskirts of the city.

Jeffrey Huang, who first came to China in 1994, owns more than 150 residential houses, pavilions, towers and bridges bought from all over the country.

Most of the buildings are in storage in Tongli, Jiangsu Province, and Huang hopes moving them to Shanghai will help protect their ancient beauty from the ravages of time and give more people the chance to enjoy them.

But the 66-year-old retired entrepreneur from Vancouver says he's not in it to make money.

"I only preserve architecture that local governments can't preserve and never turn even a tiny brick into business or export abroad," said Huang.

All of the buildings are built in the southern China architectural style and are notable for their exquisite details and cultural heritage.

The oldest building in Huang's collection is the former residence of Xu Zhimo, a prominent Chinese poet in the early 20th century, in Haining, Zhejiang Province. The home was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and has a nearly 500-year-old history, according to local records.

Huang employs about 40 craftsmen from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces to renovate his collection. "It will take six or seven years to restore 10 of my antiques in Tongli, for instance," said Huang, "The ancient architecture is so fragile that only through slow and delicate skills can it be renovated."

Huang estimates it will cost more than 100 million yuan (US$13 million) to fully renovate his collection, though he is still on the lookout for more buildings to add to it.

"It's not that I want to do good deeds, it's just I'm crazy about it and want to save as many cultural relics as I can," he said.

"I would love to accommodate part of my collection in Shanghai as long as the local government or individuals could offer detailed restructuring plans, non-profit, of course."

Architecture experts are impressed with Huang's pet project, if a little puzzled at his philanthropy.

"Huang's story is a real exception and some outsiders even regard him as a fool," said Ruan Yisan, an architecture professor at Tongji University.

"Most purchases and renovations of neglected architecture with historical value are concerned with commercial use, which is not proper for the cultural heritage."
 
(CRI.cn May 15, 2007)