A damp labyrinth of long corridors. That’s the Laoximen Subdistrict today. A place clinging to life.
Laoximen or Old West Gate. It was once Shanghai’s cultural heart. Built around a Confucian temple its stone and wood buildings are an anachronism. A relic in the gleaming commercial district.
Thousands of residents lived here. Old Shanghai families and migrant workers drawn to low rents. In 2017 they were ordered to leave. Some refused. Yang whose family lived here since before 1949 is one of the last. He holds onto his home a damp space filled with old furniture. He wants fair compensation. The government offered 20000 yuan per square meter. A fraction of the current market value.
Many homes predate modern standards. They lack heating or central plumbing. Yet they held memories. Mr Wu recalls Chinese New Year fireworks and rabbit lanterns. Antique dealers now wait outside buying up heirlooms.
Laoximen’s alleyways are packed with history. The Dong brothers’ house from the 1920s stands. A cart once collected chamber pots. A building served as Kempeitai headquarters. Red and white remnants of Mao-era posters cling to walls. Even art deco structures remain. Some houses are sealed. They are quiet mausoleums.
The area will be redeveloped. The city aims to cap its population at 25 million. Mr Wu hopes some charm will survive. He was told his home would be preserved. He visits occasionally. He’d be sad if it wasn’t there.
Laoximen. A fading memory. A testament to the relentless march of progress. A reminder of what was lost. A place where the past whispers in the wind. A place that deserves to be remembered.