Tianzifang is a hip shopping/dining district that sits behind The Pottery Workshop. Its maze like alley ways are a throw back to early 1900's Shanghai living. Within the last ten years the area has shifted from residences to shops. The pictures above show the crowds meandering around on rare sunny day.
There was a great article published by the Beijing Review on the history of the area and the architecture. Here is a snippet that explains the Shikumen style. For the complete article click here.
"Wu started looking at small stone houses called shikumen, or "stone gate." These two- and three-story houses, densely packed in narrow lanes, reflect typical Shanghai architectural style.
The shikumen are small but have a long history, having been constructed by factory staff and middle- and lower-class workers in the 1920s. Their architectural style and primitive nature had remained almost completely intact. More and more tourists were attracted by these "living museums" of old Shanghai culture, making it an attractive area for investment.
The shikumen are small but have a long history, having been constructed by factory staff and middle- and lower-class workers in the 1920s. Their architectural style and primitive nature had remained almost completely intact. More and more tourists were attracted by these "living museums" of old Shanghai culture, making it an attractive area for investment.
Wow, what an experience.
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