Wuhan’s Lihuangpi Road in Jiang’an district has undergone a significant transformation from a neglected residential area into a vibrant cultural and historical destination, illustrating the city’s efforts to balance heritage preservation with modern urban life.
A notable example is Bagong House, a Russian-style building constructed in 1910 by tea merchants. Once a luxury apartment complex for employees of banks and trading companies, the structure eventually fell into disrepair. After decades of use as subdivided staff housing, the building was partitioned into 437 cramped rooms by 2018, with structural damage and alterations obscuring its original design.
Led by architect Wang Xiang from the CITIC General Institute of Architectural Design and Research, the restoration project prioritized historical accuracy and minimal intervention. The team extensively researched the building’s original state through archival records and oral histories from former residents. Following principles of preserving cultural relics, recognizability, and reversibility, the restoration restored the building’s spatial layout, wooden staircases, timber floors, and decorative elements. Approximately 560,000 red bricks were individually examined and treated using traditional techniques to conserve the exterior facade.
Bagong House now functions as a boutique heritage hotel with 45 guest rooms that reflect the initial apartment scale, while two restored courtyards have been repurposed as communal spaces—one for cultural exhibitions and the other as an open garden surrounded by dining establishments. A permanent exhibition inside the building highlights Hankou’s historical role as a major tea trading hub, connecting local history with broader Eurasian trade networks.
Lihuangpi Road itself, stretching just over 600 meters, embodies more than a century of Wuhan’s modern development. Established during Hankou’s opening to international trade in the late 19th century, the area hosted British, French, German, Russian, and Japanese settlements featuring banks, churches, hospitals, and residences with distinct Western architecture. Today, the street serves as an open-air museum with 17 preserved buildings, including revolutionary heritage sites like the memorial hall for the August 7 Meeting of 1927 and the former residence of Soong Ching Ling.
Efforts to conserve Lihuangpi Road began in 1997, initially focusing on protecting individual landmarks. Conservation strategies have since evolved toward comprehensive district renewal, culminating in the area’s designation in 2023 as a national-level tourism and leisure district. Authorities emphasize not only restoring buildings but integrating them into daily urban life through cultural tourism and interactive experiences. For instance, the memorial hall of the August 7 Meeting has introduced immersive theatrical and digital exhibits aimed at engaging a younger audience.
According to local officials, visitor numbers surged from around 11 million in 2024 to 15 million in 2025, driven partly by the growing popularity of city walks that encourage exploration on foot. This revival reflects a sustained, multi-phase effort to reconnect Wuhan’s historical environment with residents and tourists alike, fostering a dynamic cultural landscape where heritage and contemporary urban living coexist.