The Curious Case of the Empty, Boarded Up Shikumen/ Longtang – Part 1

Posted: March 26th, 2026 | No Comments »

One thing immediately noticeable on visiting Shanghai is the number of old streets of longtang shikumen that are now emptied of residents and boarded up. And they appear to have been this way for quite some time (indeed some I revisited were already emptied and boarded up a couple of years ago when I last passed through the city).

So what’s going on? Well, views and opinions differ depending on who you talk to. But….(sounding out the heritage crowd)…. most agree on a few things. The traditional process of “redevelopment” (for which read bulldozing the old replacement by hi-rises and office blocks) has changed. The harsh Zero-Covid regime made it somewhat easier to reach relocation/compensation settlements with shikumen\longtang residents – the notion of a bit more room, your own kitchen and perhaps a balcony. Areas were then emptied. They were subsequently boarded up. And so many remain.

The big question of course is what is intended with these areas – eventual demolition or some form of refurbishment. We hope of course for the latter…. but the last 35 years in Shanghai doesn’t offer good odds.

What seems to have happened of course is that as we all know property developers are in a mess across China – either openly bankrupt or stagnant and avoiding declaring their troubles. So these boarding ups may continue and become lingering ghosts of once vibrant old Shanghai communities.

These pictures are the north side Changle Lu between Chengdu Nan Lu and Ruijin No.1 Lu, a once dense and vibrant community where some shikumen date back over 130 years. Now all boarded up….

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