During my last visit of Shanghai in early December 2012 I was strolling through one of the traditional Shikumen quarters. Some of them have been restored into high-end shopping and gallery areas. Some of the quarters have not (yet) changed at all and within their walls one can still find an almost urban and very laidback lifestyle only a few steps from bustling streets and luxurious shops and newly built apartment buildings. The contrast is quite surprising and one feels transported from one century into another.
The Shikumen (石库门) residences are uniquely Shanghainese cultural elements, which are two- or three-story townhouses, with the front yard protected by a high brick wall. Each residence is connected and arranged in straight alleys, known as a longtang (å¼„å ‚), pronounced longdang in Shanghainese. The entrance to each alley is usually surmounted by a stylistic stone arch. The name "shikumen" means "stone storage door", referring to the strong gateway to each house.
The Shikumen is a cultural blend of elements found in Western architecture with traditional Lower Yangtze (Jiangnan) Chinese architecture and social behavior. All traditional Chinese dwellings had a courtyard, and the Shikumen was no exception. Yet, to compromise with its urban nature, it was much smaller and provided an "interior haven" to the commotions in the streets, allowing for raindrops to fall and vegetation to grow freely within a residence. The courtyard also allowed sunlight and adequate ventilation into the rooms.
While strolling through the narrow alleys my eyes were attracted by all kind of details and I could not resist to take my camera and take close-up pictures - very much to the surprise of some of the local people who watched me with quite some suspicion.
Watching those photos the saying "beauty lies within the eye of the observer" proofs once more to be true...