Developing a new lease of life
老城重生
Changshu, an ancient city with a history of more than 1,700 years, is taking innovative measures to inject new life into its old town.
常熟，一座拥有1700多年历史的古城，正在通过创新手段为老城区注入新的活力。
Located in the south of Jiangsu province, in 1986, Changshu was among the first cities in China to win the title of 'a renowned historical city of China'. In 1983, archaeologists uncovered a prehistoric site that showed signs of human activity, including agriculture, which was evidenced by the discovery of carbonated rice grains. The site was proved to be part of the ancient Chinese Songze Culture dating back 5,800-5,300 years. Over the course of millennia, Changshu developed a glorious culture, especially well-known for guqin, a plucked string instrument favored by Chinese literati.
常熟市位于江苏省南部，1986年成为第一批“中国历史文化名城”。1983年，考古学家在常熟发现史前遗址，这里有人类活动的迹象，且检测出的碳化米粒证实了农业文明的存在。经证实，该遗址属于中国5800-5300年前的菘泽文化。几千年来，常熟孕育了灿烂的文明，特别是负有盛名的古琴，一种深受中国文人喜爱的弹拨乐器。
Today, the city still has residential communities of vintage buildings dating back to the early 1900s. While they contribute to the unique urban landscape of the city, many are in poor condition, without modern plumbing or gas fittings, and have long been in a state of disrepair. The protection, restoration and renewal of these historical buildings have been a key issue for the city's administrators.
如今，这座城市仍然有20世纪初建造的古建居民区，虽然它们贡献了独特的城市风貌，但很多古建面临着状况不佳的问题，没有现代管道或燃气设备，且年久失修。如何保护、修缮、翻新历史建筑一直是市政府考虑的关键问题。
In 2016, Xijing'an (or West Creek Bank) community was one of the first neighborhoods named a provincial-level historical block. However, many old residents have moved out of the area in favor of convenient modern apartment buildings. Some houses have long been deserted and their walls are collapsing. In 2020, the city started a campaign to restore the important historical buildings for modern commercial functions, such as boutique hotels, creative studios, cafes and tea houses.
2016年，西泾岸社区被命名为第一批省级历史街区。但很多老居民已经离开这里，搬进了更方便的现代化公寓。有些房子已经荒废许久，墙也塌了。2020年，市里成立了专项小组，将这些重要的历史建筑改造成现代化商业区，开设精品酒店、创意工作室、咖啡店和茶馆。
'A lot of the descendants of the prestigious local families have emigrated,' says Shen Yun, director of the tourism department of Yushan Culture and Tourism Resort Administration. 'The right of inheritance for some houses is rather complicated, so legally purchasing these historical buildings for commercial development is almost mission impossible.'
“很多当地名门望族的后人都移民了，”虞山文化旅游度假区旅游部部长沈云说，“有些房子的产权继承很复杂，所以合法收购这些历史建筑用于商业开发几乎是一件不可能的事。”
The local administrationcame up with a novel plan to rent the houses from the owners, signing long-term leases for 20 years. The arrangement was welcomed by the owners, who will receive the rent money on a yearly basis. The administration also developed a house-swapping plan for the elderly people who choose not to leave the neighborhood.
当地政府想出了一套新方案，从房主手中租下房子，签20年长租期，每年付给房主一笔租金，房主对此很满意。对不想离开社区的老年人，政府还提出了房屋腾换计划。
Some of the old houses were refurbished with modern bathrooms and kitchens, the floors were relaid and walls repainted, and were then re-leased to local residents. People living in the community can be an asset for the new commercial project, Shen Yun says. 'The smell of home cooking, and grannies sitting in the yard chatting and sunbathing… these will remind tourists of the history of the area and the lifestyle we all had decades ago.'
很多老房子重装了现代化卫生间和厨房，重铺了地板，重刷了墙面，然后重新租给了当地居民。住在社区里的居民也属于这个新商业项目的“资产”，沈云说。“家里做饭的味道，坐在院子里聊天晒太阳的老奶奶们……这些都会让游客想起这片区域的历史和我们几十年前的生活。”
声明：内容来自China Daily精读文章
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