Travel Notes | Exploring the old streets of Kunming where history and modernity are intertwined (Part 1)
Old Street is the only traditional neighborhood in Kunming that has been completely preserved and has the pattern and texture of the Republic of China and Qing Dynasty . The neighborhood presents a clear pattern of "streets, halls, and temples" (i.e. residential streets of the Qing Dynasty, Shengli Hall, and Confucian Temple). It has more than 30 cultural relics and listed buildings, and tens of thousands of square meters of traditional style buildings. .The alternation between modernity and history begins hereEntering the old street from the South Building of Zhengyifang Center, you can see a very special copper-gold stone cover at the intersection. The lid is engraved with "Zhengyi Road", and in the center are exquisite depictions of Luofeng Mountain, Zuben Mountain, Wuhua Mountain and Jiulong Pond. After entering the old street, you will see mottled, uneven, blue-yellow, and brown-yellow bluestone roads at your feet. The fresh rain washed the bluestone slabs very clean. To the right of the entrance is the Zhengyi Fang Shopping Center built with many glass walls. The new era is connected to the old history within an inch. The old building retains the brown and yellow wooden windows, wooden walls, and wooden piles; while the exquisite tile roofs and brick walls are in elegant brick red. The brown and brick red colors dyed by time are particularly charming against the backdrop of a large oil-green tree.Qianwang Street is hidden in Ma Family CourtyardGoing forward, when the old houses started to turn red, we entered Qianwang Street. The famous Ma Family Courtyard comes into view. The Majia Courtyard was built in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. It is a relatively well-preserved typical courtyard house among many ancient buildings that have been preserved to this day. Therefore, it is listed as a protected historical and cultural heritage building.The courtyard is simple and solemn, with rigorous layout and exquisite workmanship. Each wooden window has exquisite carvings. Several rooms on the second floor of the Majia Courtyard are now used as teahouses. If you are not in a hurry, you might as well go up to the second floor, sit on the balcony on the second floor of the compound, make a pot of tea, and feel the history.Downstairs of the teahouse is a coffee shop with a retro feel, and opposite is a Pu'er tea shop with a strong modern decoration. One of the magic powers of the old street is that history and modernity can naturally reflect each other harmoniously everywhere.It was grand and noble in the old days, but it still remains noble today.Next to it is the old site of Fuchunheng Commercial House, a very shabby alley with a low-key but noble facade. This is Xiaoyingui Lane The old site of No. 8.This combination of Chinese and Western elements has stood gracefully here for 97 years, witnessing the rise and fall of Yunnan merchants in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. The courtyard is a civil structure with a combination of Chinese and Western styles. Above the facade is a cloud-shaped stone wall that exudes luxury. Under the stone wall are two rows of closely spaced stone grids with exquisite masonry work. Further down is a thick and solemn stone window. The porch is a striking red adobe, flanked by facades of Mediterranean-style carved ashlar bricks. The entire silver cabinet facade fully integrates the European atmosphere and the nobility of Chinese merchants in the early Republic of China. The existing Silver Cabinet building is the Silver Cabinet 1924 Hotel, and the main entrance of the hotel is on the main street.White wall, green trees and apricot yellowFurther ahead is an ear-picking shop pioneered by Zhu Ju, who is listed as an intangible cultural heritage inheritor. Cai'er Store is located in an old building with a civil structure. Bright orange light is always shining through several large and strict wooden windows on the first floor. This gentle light becomes the finishing touch of the entire old building.The white wall in front of the Cai'er store, the tall tree with emerald green leaves, and the brick wall of the Cai'er store form a simple and peaceful picture. In the front right is Yang Liping's Peacock Club, a modern glass-house shop with fine wine, food and fine goods. The old street once again exerted its magic from the past to the present in an instant.Pinyuan Tea House embedded in the alleyOn the next street, the old houses changed their appearance again; they were covered with yellow-gray brick walls and heavily painted red doors and windows. Beer Dog, a beer hall where you can play old-fashioned game consoles for free, is opposite Pinyuan Teahouse. The old building of Pinyuan Teahouse has been transformed into a large brick building with distinctive colors; off-white, dark khaki, gray, and black, all intertwined.At the intersection, there is an archway with the words "Kunming Old Street" written on it. At this point, we have walked through one-third of the old street.Today’s journey ends here. In the next article, I will take you through the archway and into Guanghua Street to continue your exploration of the old street.
