Revived ‘Red House’ Glimmers on Yangtze River South Bank

After Chongqing opened as a port, the British businessman Archibald John Little built buildings, warehouses, wharves, and office buildings at Longmenhao on the south bank of the Yangtze River. Among them, the three-floor western building, where his firm was operated, is well-known as the "Red House."

After more than a year of efforts, the structure has been revived to become another scenic spot on Nanbin Road in the mountain city.

The old man demonstrated the art on the eaves

Xia Qishuo, in his seventies, participated in the protection, activation, and utilization of cultural relics.

"The combination of Chinese and western elements embedded in the architecture is very distinctive. The restoration team has made great efforts," Xia mentioned an ornament in the shape of Chinese cabbage at the building's entrance. "At first sight, its main body is damaged, and the color cannot be recognized." After consulting historical sources and asking experts in the restoration of historic buildings, Xia and his colleagues learned that the ornament could only be restored through the technique of limestone sculpture.

In 2008, limestone sculpture was included in the second batch of China's intangible cultural heritage. It is the Han people's traditional architectural decoration craft. The works, mainly made of limestone, are attached to the upper edge of the wall and the ridge of a building or other architectural structures.

"Today, very few people know how to do this," Xia said that Pan Youyu, an 80-year-old craftsman, was invited to reproduce the cabbage based on its original appearance. The limestone sculpture required an extra level of diligence and care.

Last sweltering summer, Pan stayed in the structure for about 45 days. The final art piece reflects the integration of Chinese and western decoration styles.

The highest-level firing technique was recovered

"To better restore the cultural relics, we visited multiple hand-firing kilns and carried out numerous experiments," Xia said that a certain brick carving was made by hand through the highest-level firing technique in Chongqing at that time. The team analyzed its surface material and patterns in-depth and visited the old kilns before restoring them according to the ancient technique.

It was completely made by hand, said Xia. During installation, we managed to avoid damage and ensure firmness and safety. "The space for installation was very limited." It took three months to make and install dozens of green glaze brick carvings with dragon patterns and curling grasses.

The restoration of the former site of the foreign firm is only part of the local efforts to protect cultural relics.

In recent years, Nan'an District of Chongqing, as a state-level cultural industry demonstration park, has protected and renovated more than 30 cultural protection units, including the National Palace Museum Cultural Relics South Migration Memorial Hall in Chongqing, Chongqing Port-Opening Heritage Park, Longmenhao Old Street, Ciyun Temple Old Street, and Danzishi Old Street. Specialists from across the country came together to work on the projects. As a result, the city is imbued with historical and cultural appeal.