© University of Bristol - Historical Photographs of China reference number: Bk05-14. From the book 'Shanghai' (published by Max Nössler, c.1907). The Yang King Pang Creek (Yangjingbang) was filled in to become Avenue Edward VII (now Yan'an Dong Lu), Shanghai. https://www.hpcbristol.net/visual/bk05-14
Downtown Shanghai was able to retain its pre-WWII appearance until the 1980s, as the People's Republic, founded in 1949, prioritized the development of residential and industrial complexes in the suburbs. For several decades now, the inner city area has also been remodeled, historical buildings have been placed under monument protection, but the old residential areas with mostly two-storey buildings are being demolished, although the small areas with the winding houses, through which a labyrinthine tangle of alleys runs, have their own charm to have. This old Shanghai is disappearing. Even if you regret this, you have to ask yourself who wanted to live in these houses. This includes a good dose of romance. It's freezing in winter, blazing hot in summer, cramped, stuffy, with no running water. Basic renovations are difficult, there is probably a lack of sanitary facilities, the houses are not energetically insulated, although electricity in China is cheap, but energy prices will probably change in China in the next few years. Perhaps a renovation would be more expensive than a new house. Not to mention the real estate prices in Shanghai.
But the improvised, cobbled together, the small balconies, the tiny roof gardens with dovecotes and clotheslines over crooked roofs, to which small outside stairs lead, the dormer windows - all of this has its own charm. All buildings have shops on the ground floor. They are neighborhoods with a village character that are disappearing in a globalized world. It's a shame and one can only hope that enough of these charming parts of the city will remain. You can always tell when a district is about to be demolished by the fact that windows are nailed shut with red boards. Then the entrances are walled up.
In the neighborhoods that are being demolished, you can sometimes still see laundry hanging out on the line or a few cats being fed regularly. It looks a bit like the abandoned places on the Lower Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia, which have to give way to lignite mining. In Shanghai, it's not so obvious because life is pulsating right next door. The places on the Lower Rhine seem much more ghostly. The district south of Yu Yuan, the historic old town area of Shanghai, is also to be replaced soon. Here are a few more impressions of the houses that will soon no longer be standing. The area doesn't look bad at all. It is right next to Yu Yuan and you can walk through the district to the Wuangpu River Promenade. It would be a nice way to connect the two tourist destinations through a picturesque neighborhood.
This little corner would be a nice spot for a cafe. The houses could be renovated, a bit of greenery in front, then a few tables and a cozy café would emerge. There are relatively few cafes with outdoor seating in Shanghai anyway.
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