2007/7/9
Stone Gates of Shanghai (中国国际广播电台对《乡愁》的专访)
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2007-03-15 Stone Gates of Shanghai
http://english.cri.cn/4026/2007/03/15/1361@205680.htm
2007-03-15 13:32:07 CRIENGLISH.com

The poster of documentary "Nostalgia"

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In the 1920's to the 40's, new housing neighborhoods known as shikumen, were being built all over Shanghai. The architecture is a mix of Chinese and western influences. In Chinese, shikumen means "stone gate", referring to the carved-stone pillars and archways that adorn these houses. At one time, 80 % of Shanghai's residents lived here, hanging their laundry outside, watering their plants, and playing mahjong. But over the past two decades, most of these neighborhoods have been torn down by developers, making way for skyscrapers and shopping districts.
Documentary film maker Shu Haolun grew up in a shikumen called Dazhongli. His grandparents first moved there in 1936. When he found out a few years ago that Dazhongli was also to be demolished, he picked up his camera and began making the documentary "Nostalgia." The film came out in June of last year, not in theaters, but in museums, universities, and other public venues. So this week, I met up with film maker Shu Haolun in Dazhongli to talk about his film "Nostalgia" and what he will miss about these last traces of old Shanghai.