Late today, but I did not go out for shipping this weekend. 
This is the typical old Shanghai residential area. Of course I took this photo recently. 
The buildings we call “Shi2 Ku1 Men2″ (石库门), literally the Chinese character has its meanning : shi2 = stone , ku1 = storehouse, men2 = door.
The buildings we call “Shi2 Ku1 Men2″ (石库门), literally the Chinese character has its meanning : shi2 = stone , ku1 = storehouse, men2 = door.
Nowadays, this kinds of old buildings are still existing in Puxi area of downtown. (Shanghai is divided into 2 parts by the Huang2 Pu3 River, the west side is called “Pu3 Xi1(xi1 = west)” and the east side is called “Pu3 Dong1(dong1 = east)”. ) The rooms in this kind of buildings are very smaller and lower. Can you imagine that the whole family (average 4 or 5 persons) lived in ONE small room which is less than 7 square meters??? I can’t. I never lived in this kind of rooms.
For me, they are very attractive. Not because they are “small”; because those people who lived in created and are creating the charming east city = Shanghai.
GiuCe said…
impressive… people just find solutions. Buildings look so small and organized.
greetings from PEru,
have a nice day
10:45 PM, October 22, 2006
Olivier said…
La photo est tres belle et donne une bonne apercue de ce quartier. Je n’ose imaginer une famille de 4/5 personnes dans une aussi petite piece. Les loyers coûtent chers à Shanghai ?
The photograph is very beautiful and gives good seen of this district. I do not dare to imagine a family of 4/5 people in such a small part. Do the rents cost expensive Shanghai?
11:32 PM, October 22, 2006
mike c said…
Great photo Jing! I love the angle. It almost looks abstract.
12:24 AM, October 23, 2006
Kate said…
TGhe aerial view is most impressive. Any street level pictures to share with us??
2:37 AM, October 23, 2006
Curly said…
Not much privacy in this tightly packed district Jing. I like your overhead perspective.
Curly’s Photoshop
3:03 AM, October 23, 2006
edwin s said…
Like you, I find this absolutely wonderful! I’m sure it’s an amazing community: people helping people.
And Jing, thank you so much for all your wonderful comments on KLDP
3:14 AM, October 23, 2006
metaphysicalmama said…
A really great photo of something you really can’t see from the streets. Thanks for sharing this with us.
4:16 AM, October 23, 2006
w said…
Beautiful village. The houses look the same yet each is different; very interesting! Wonder what these houses would look like on a ladder street?
6:20 AM, October 23, 2006
Carlos said…
Where did you take it from?. They are in fact small but have an attractive look. The information about symbols in your language are very interesting for us. Thanks.
7:15 AM, October 23, 2006
Denton said…
This is a very interesting photo and explanation. The scene looks pleasant however 4 or 5 people in 7 square meters would put a lot of strain on a family.
10:48 AM, October 23, 2006
macky said…
Interesting photo.
Japan had such series of houses, called Nagaya(長屋), some decades years ago. Still now some Nagayas remain. They were not made of stones, but wooden. It was very usual for 4 or 5 persons to live in a small house like “shin2 ku1 men2″ in the downtown. Nagayas surprisingly had and still has neither bath nor shower. So people living in Nagaya go to Sento, public baths. Now my house has a bath but I love to go to Sento once a week for a relax.
11:36 AM, October 23, 2006
alice said…
Please, from where did you take this photo? Your explanations are always interresting, thank you.
2:10 PM, October 23, 2006
Zsolt72 said…
Jing this photo is wonderful!
4:46 PM, October 23, 2006
Irredento Urbanita said…
It seems that noise is far from that residential area, they are so lucky. And people is together, I supposse you can find a good neighborhood there.
Greetings from a peruvian in Barcelona
7:17 PM, October 23, 2006
Kris said…
Nice post, Jing! it is too dense for me though ..
ps. i’m waiting for your Monday’s post
7:18 PM, October 23, 2006
Anonymous said…
Jing, I think you meant 70 sq m instead of 7 sq m. Even at 70 sq m, it is still very tight for a family.
10:51 PM, October 23, 2006
Jing said…
) i think i am right!! really really 7 sq meters for the whole family to live!!! not 70!!
hey, anonymous….
Kris,
i need catch up~~~
its dense for me too.:)) how did they solve the living problems??
and i posted late today again.
irredento,
actually its noisy, and very close to the streets. and the good side is the whole family have to live together!!
Zsolt.
thx for you nice comments, and hope u have nice national holidays there!!
alice
when i took this photo, i stood on the 20th floor of a skyscraper which is just on the next side of the street. also thx for your visiting and so warm commments !!
macky,
can you imagine ?? so people use a kind of wooden kettle as the toilet at night…yes, long story. next time i should find some and post~~
yes. the rooms in Shi ku men, no bath/shower, even no toilet.
denton,
there are also many beautiful villas here. there the views are definitely different.
i agree with you. but at that time, people who lived in shikumen were so poor, they didnt have enough money to own a big house..
Carlos.
I have to stand very high, on the 20th floor to take this photo. they are really small!!
edwin s
yes. there people live in harmonious, of course can hear some quarrels soemtimes. 
kate,
)
thx for your nice comments. and i really want to show you some street views of them in few days…
Olivier,
now the rent is a little bit expensive compared with the average income.And only in downtown you could see this kind of buildings.:))For at that time, people were not rich to own a big house.
w..metaphysicalmama,curly, mike c,giuce,
thx for all of your nice comments~~
And i will post the close view of this buildings…and at that post i will explain some background knowledge of it.
thx for your visiting..
have a nice trip on DP world!!
…Jing
11:19 PM, October 23, 2006
Rudy Girón said…
Great perspective! where did you take this photo from?
8:39 AM, October 24, 2006
Candice & Megan said…
Wow…great shot!!
10:29 AM, October 24, 2006