Travel Notes | Exploring the old streets of Kunming where history and modernity are intertwined (Part 2)

In the last old street article , we together walked Qianwang Street where many historical treasures are hidden. Today, we passed through the archway with Old Street written on it, and walked into Guanghua Street.

Compared to the delicate and mysterious Qianwang Street, Guanghua Street noodle It has become significantly wider; the traces of renovation of the old house are more obvious Be Some. Qianwang Street is gentle, with playful surprises at every corner; while Guanghua Street is generous, opening a new door and smelling a stronger sense of humanity. There is a very small and old alley on the right side of the street, Hongchang Alley. And vivid Red and blue paper lanterns, walking into the alley , It's like passing through a time tunnel. Just a few steps Back to the past of, full Neighbors show concern for each other 's neighborhood.

On the left side of the street is three bowls of tofu rice noodles shop , three rows of yellow lanterns are hung on the outer wall. If you freeze this picture, you will feel like you are standing in front of a movie scene that has been constructed to give a sense of the times. Opposite the rice noodle shop is Guanghua Street 28 The bakery is located in the golden exterior wall. , There is a whole row of exquisite and beautiful golden brass bells hanging on the wall. Domineeringly Sitting at the intersection , looking across the street Fulin Hall Pharmacy Old Building .

Fulin Hall The pharmacy was founded by Li Yuqing In 1857, my father came to Yunnan to settle down in the early Qing Dynasty, married an Yi girl, and made a living by collecting herbs and treating patients. Li Yuqing inherited his father's profession and brought his mother to Kunming. He rented a shop on Guanghua Street to practice medicine. Because it was too small, he treated patients in the front of the hall and made medicine in the back. At that time, it was derogatory and called "bojitang". Later, Fulintang was well managed and made 84 kinds of Chinese patent medicines, which were sold to Sichuan, Guangdong, Guizhou, Tibet, and even some Southeast Asian countries came to buy medicine. Until today, Fulintang still stands as a landmark building on Guanghua Street on this old street with a history of hundreds of years, and has become a historical landscape of Kunming. The old building is currently being renovated and is now empty. Compared to the bakery opposite, the now temporarily deserted old building pales in comparison. The pharmacy is still open , Moved to Wenming Street .

Turn left toward Fu Lam Hall and enter Wenming Street. As soon as you walk in , the vacant and dilapidated old building on the right will make you feel a bit desolate Wenming Street. Going forward, the street becomes lively. On the left is a dazzling array of things packed with snack bars , and on the right is still a dilapidated old house with the eaves on the top of the windows being damaged. The thatch on the top extends downward, as if the last trace of unwillingness is swaying in the dilapidation.

If Qianwang Street is the perfect blend of history and modernity, then Wenming Street is the confrontation between vitality and reluctance.

The brick-red building caught a few rays of gentle sunshine. Time seems to go too fast, and the old buildings here are not trying to catch up. They have stopped at a certain moment of contentment. As soon as they stopped, they have arrived today.

Oriental Bookstore is also huddled quietly in Wenming Street . A string of red-purple paper umbrellas above the bookstore sway gracefully in the wind and rain, adding a touch of charm to the bookstore. The petite bookstore carefully guards the densely packed books in the old building.

After exiting the intersection of Wenming Street, turn right. is the old flower and bird market on Jingxing Street. Many old houses can no longer stand any longer. The short old houses are crowded with jewelry shops, chimney shops, and silver jewelry shops. , and a small tea shop.

After passing through an alley named Jingshou, we entered Ningdao Street. In the Qing Dynasty, this street was the entrance and exit passage of the Yungui Governor's Office, so it was named " Ningdao ". The street connects Guanghua Street Yunrui Park and Shengli Hall to the north, and Jingxing Flower and Bird Market to the south. A must-visit attraction on Yongdao Street is Nie Er’s former residence. The two-story wooden former residence has a black plaque in front of the door with the words Nie Er's former residence plainly written on it. Nie Er's former residence was built in 1884. In 1905 Nie Er's parents came to Kunming, rented this place that was originally a shop, and opened a restaurant named " Cheng Chun Tang " Small medical clinic. Nie Er was born in 1912. This not-so-large space became the place where Nie Er lived and studied until 1930, when Nie Er left Kunming for Shanghai.

Walk along Nie Er's former residence, cross Yongdao Street, and return to Jingxing Street. The Jingxing Flower and Bird Market opened in 1983 , has accompanied the childhoods of many Kunming people. In the memories of our generation, the favorite place to visit when we were children, besides amusement parks and zoos, is Jingxing Flower and bird market!

once Crowded Jingxing Flower and Bird Market is now Somewhat lonely and desolate , There are no more children crowding around to watch the ducklings and hamsters, and no more grandfathers carrying bird cages to walk their birds here. All the fish shops have moved into the building. Opposite the Jingxing Jewelry Market is the only remaining small strip Flower alley, alley of At the end is the Yikeyin Restaurant. The restaurant was built in the late Qing Dynasty. The Western-style facade and the traditional square courtyard are perfectly combined, reflecting the architectural features of the Republic of China period. The old house has obvious historical marks. The exterior wall has begun to peel off, and the plaque of Yikeyin is also shabby, but the old house seems to have always carried this because old The preciousness that arises from this Stand here confidently.

At this point, along the stone road and tile eaves in the rain, we have finished the past and present life of the old street.

Every city has its own story. The old streets may carry the most past events in Kunming and preserve the childhood memories of several generations of Kunming people. Every inch of stone slab lying here plays the joys, sorrows, joys, laughter and laughter of old Kunming frame by frame. Every inch of light and shadow in the old street is engraved with the stories of the past here, and the black and white figures passing by; today, walking on the old street, we have all become the people in the story.

– FIN –

Author | Mengya

Photography | Mengya

Editor | Typesetting | Mengya

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