As a kind of residential building unique in Shanghai,Shikumen houses
have been in existence for about 140 years sincethey first came into
being in the middle of 19th century. Duringthat long period of time,
millions of citizens in Shanghai as well as immigrants from others parts
of the country have been carryingout their daily lives in Shikumen, to
which they felt attached both physically and emotionally.
About the Author Professor Ruan Yisan, Director of National Research Center of Historic
City at Tongji University, is emeritus professor of Urban Planning at
the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University. He is
also a member of the Urban Planning Expert Committee of the Ministry of
Construction, the National Conservation Expert Committee of Historic
Cities, and Vice Director of the Academic Committee of Historic Cities. Professor
Ruan Yisan has been working as a consultant for many historic cities
such as Suzhou, Yangzhou, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Pingyao, and Lijiang. He
has made a major contribution to the education and research of urban
development history and urban heritage conservation. He has helped
safeguard many historic cities and towns from imprudent development and
made them important heritage sites through conservation planning and
practice, such as Pingyao, Zhouzhuang, Tongli, Luzhi, Nanxun, Wuzhen,
and Xitang. Under his supervision, the project of the Yangtze River
Water Towns (including Zhouzhuang, Tongli, Luzhi, Nanxun, Wuzhen and
Xitang) was granted the Award of Distinction by the UNESCO Asia-Pacific
Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation in 2003. In 2005,
Professor Ruan Yisan was awarded a Knight Metal of Art and Literature by
the French Ministry of Culture.
Table of Contents
10 Shanghai Shikumen Architectural Structure 20 Overview 28 The Origin of Shikumen 36 Shikumen-A Combination of Chinese and Western Elements 46 The Evolution and Types of Shikumen Alleys 82 The Value and Architectural Characteristics 116 Decoration Art of Shikumen Houses 124 Shikumen Culture 154 Conservation and Renewal of Shikumen Alleys 186 The Distribution of Historical Shikumen Architecture