Pingyao Ancient City, China
China’s First Banking Capital
A preserved historic courtyard in Pingyao.
The Pingyao Cultural Heritage Development Program is part of Global Heritage Fund’s greater China Heritage Program, established in 2005 to help save some of China’s most important historic heritage sites from destruction. Based on Dr. Shao Yong’s Master Conservation Plan, the benefits of the Heritage Development Program would be three-fold. The Master Conservation Plan has identified, surveyed and prioritized the most significant and important architectural heritage structures. Investment in these courtyards will be based on the Global Heritage Fund’s UNESCO award-winning, public-private partnership program in Lijiang, Yunnan. The model can help to ensure innovative adaptive reuse of selected courtyards, and also help to prevent displacement of indigenous residents due to rising rent and maintenance costs.
A representative historic area, Fanjia Jie, has been selected, and will be the first cluster of historic residences to be restored for both public and private uses as a model. This is an area with intact traditional streetscape and an ensemble of historic courtyard residences from the late Qing Dynasty to the Early Republic period. This historic area, with its outstanding courtyards, would form a vibrant, inner circle of arts and cultural offerings within the walls of the ancient city. The program would identify other special areas in the Ancient City for preservation and adaptive reuse. The scope of work will include authentic restoration of selective courtyards, conservation of traditional streetscapes, and restoration funding incentives for qualifying property owners. The goal of the project is to create a pleasant living environment in historic residences while maintaining building integrity and to provide visitors an insight into the authentic traditional courtyard life of the Ancient City’s residents.
GHF has completed the first phase restoration of its pilot courtyard conservation project in Pingyao at No. 12 Mijia Xiang. The project team conducted historical background research and a survey of existing conditions before carrying out the actual conservation work. The original historical fabric was retained as much as possible, and only parts that seriously impaired structural stability were replaced. Inappropriate elements were removed and replaced with traditional design; for instance, the exterior walls were repainted with a colorful mural that had to be removed and replastered with traditional whitewash as the cement plaster was causing damage to the original brick wall underneath. Other courtyards to be restored can follow the same model and be used as education, entertainment and exhibition spaces for the community and visitors.
