Page 3 - 20191231【上海日报】12月刊

Shanghai Daily Tuesday 31 December 2019 Jing’an C3

Good-bye to squalor, hello to quality living

Li Qian
FOr people living in one downtown
ghetto, the new year is looking bright
indeed. they have started to bid fare-
well to a second-rate lifestyle, with the
promise of better times ahead.
the area in the Baoshan road sub-
district is home to 2,260 families
who have been living for decades
in cramped, dilapidated homes with
cracked walls and leaky ceilings. they
have had to share toilets and kitchens
with other families.
Bounded by Zhiyuan road on the east,
Zhonghuaxin road on the south, Xizang
road N. on the west and Zhijiang road
M. on the north, the area is about to un-
dergo a radical change.
More than 99 percent of residents
signed on the dotted line to participate
on the first day the renewal project
was launched last august. it was a
sign they were very eager to escape
their poor living environment, local
officials said.
On december 10, residents accepted
settlements that will see them either
relocated to other housing or given
cash compensation to buy their own
accommodation. On december 18, the
first group of 10 families moved out.
it’s obvious when talking to the
residents how happy they are to be
leaving.
auntie Wang lived in lane 750 on He shared a living space of only 10
Xizang road N. for 40 years. square meters with his wife and child. Above: The
she went to an impoverished area Upstairs, where the ceiling height is Baoshan Road
of Yunnan Province to help the needy less than 2 meters, his brother’s fam- Subdistrict, home
when she was young. there, she met ily lives. to 2,260 families
her husband and gave birth to her son. “though i’ve retired, i still look for living for decades
When the family returned, they moved work because i need to earn money to in cramped,
to a three-floor, narrow home of about buy a house for my son to get married,” dilapidated homes,
20 square meters. he said. “the cash compensation really will undergo a
that was where their son got mar- helps me a lot.” radical change.
ried and where their grandson grew Moving means sad farewells for Left: Residents
up. “We don’t have our own bathroom,” older residents. Moving to modern are in the process
she said. “When it rains outside, it rains apartments, they will say good-bye to of moving out
inside, too. three generations of our old neighborhood friends. of their blighted
family have squeezed into this small Xu rui’e and Zhou Hefu, both in their neighborhood,
space. We are anxious to move out.” 90s, have lived for decades on Zhon- bound for
another resident, Xu Wei, has lived ghuaxin road. they dressed up to have comfortable new
in a small unit on Zhiyuan road for a photo taken of them in front of their homes.
54 years, since he was 5 years old. old home before they moved. — Jiang Xiaowei

Humsuit, where clothes make the man, prospers

Li Qian and Western styles. an enduring appeal?” he asked.
the first Western suit shop “Because of our unique skills.”
Heritage-listed tailor Humsuit
celebrated its 90th anniversary in shanghai opened in 1896. in like many old venerated
this month by publishing a book 1905, the sun Yat-sen jacket ap- brands, it’s often hard to find
detailing its history and the peared on the scene, and the first young people willing to carry on
secrets of decades of exquisite catalogue featuring Western suits tradition. Xiao said that is also
styling. was published in 1933. true in tailoring. the traditional
Humsuit, an upscale store sur- Many celebrities came to be way of masters passing on their
viving from a bygone era, sells loyal customers of Xu’s shop, secrets to students just doesn’t
expensive suits, overcoats, shirts including late Chinese Vice Presi- work anymore. so, a book is need-
and accessories for men. dent rong Yiren, actor sun daolin ed, he said.
Humsuit, which sounds a bit and singer Jiang dawei. the book, with illustrations, may
like “handsome,” was founded in Humsuit utilizes nearly 200 attract some interest among the
1929 by Xu Jisheng, an inheritor steps in making a suit. its tai- younger generation, which would
of the Fengbang tailoring style loring skills were listed as an be good for Humsuit, he said.
that started in Ningbo at the end intangible cultural heritage in earlier this year, the store held
of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) China in 2011. a wine party and fashion show
and later spread to shanghai. Master tailor Xiao Wenhao, who to try to drum up business. On
in the early 20th century, was honored with a “shanghai display were sun Yat-sen suits.
shanghai was renowned not standout” award for excellence “We want to cater to younger
only for cutting-edge ladies’ in the city’s workforce, plies customers,” said Chen Weifu,
fashion. the city was also at the his skills in Humsuit’s outlet general manager of Humsuit.
forefront of revolutionizing Chi- on shaanxi road N. in Jing’an “Young people don’t want to be
nese menswear, ushering in the district. restricted to traditional suits. so,
change from traditional gowns “Why does Humsuit, as an old we’ve changed it from formal at-
The flagship Humsuit shop on Shaanxi Road N. in Jing’an to modern suits, in both Chinese brand, still thrive and have such tire to a casual jacket.”