The Old City in Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region was a trading center on the old Silk Road, but its buildings have begun to show their years.

Now, a preservation and reconstruction program that started from 2010 is making some headway in the historical city in improving living conditions, while maintaining the traditional style.

In the Tuoeryawage community on Yawage street in the center of the Old City, officials are busy introducing policies on the preservation and reconstruction program to local people.

"Since this spring, there's been a big increase in the number of people coming in for consultation," said the head of the Yawage Street office.

Tursunhan Wanbly, a 73-year-old woman who has lived in a 40-squre-meter house in the Old City since childhood, says she is now eager to move into her new 50-sq-m apartment provided by the government for free.

"The Old Town layout remained the way it was for more than 1,000 years. It was built as the capital of the Karahan Kingdom. Even today, we Uygurs are proud to live near the former palace," said Tursunhan.

"But I've got annoyed by frequent leaks and blockages in the sewage pipes. In my new apartment, I have modern facilities including sewage and water, electricity and gas."

According to the preservation and reconstruction plan, the old house will not be demolished but will be kept with its former appearance. And, as the narrow lane in front of her house gets widened, the government has built another 80-sq-m shop area for her.

"It's really beyond my expectations. After it's finished, my two sons can do some business there," she said.

Abudukadir Symait, who made his living selling home-made "Nang" bread, a Uygur staple, now runs a noodle house in his new 100-sq-m house in the rebuilt Old City.

"We've been doing quite well in our business since the house is much more beautiful and cleaner than the old Nang oven area," he said.

The kitchen's four walls are decorated with white ceramic tile and his three brothers are busy frying vegetables, making dough, and cutting meat.

Developing and preserving

Kashgar was a place of strategic importance on the Silk Road and it has its own distinct characteristics.

But it sits in an earthquake-prone area and many of the houses in the old city of Kashgar are vulnerable to tremors or fires.

The old city was a maze of narrow winding alleys running between thousands of ocher, two- and three-story buildings in a unique maze-like landscape, said Zhang Guoquan, a senior architect on the preservation and reconstruction project.

The work is considered vital to people's safety and the city's future development and the government has given priority to low-income groups who can not solve their housing problems.

Qiasa Street, which used to be a row of dark blacksmith shops, has been turned into an ethnic handicrafts center after the reconstruction. It now attracts visitors from home and abroad. To preserve the town's unique style and long history, architects will hold discussions with households that agree to rebuild their homes.

The northeast part of the Old City has a spring called "Bulakbes" that used to be a resort for the rich in ancient times.

But, because of poor management, over time dozens of residences were built around the resort, which turned into a slum area.

To provide a good entertainment place for the locals, the government put it at the top of the preservation and reconstruction agenda.

"Lives matter most and we are doing our best to maintain the traditional Uygur characteristics of the Old City," said Xu Jianrong, vice-mayor of Kashgar, in response to concerns about the preservation and reconstruction's impact on the site.

"For example, it can't get along without bazaars, and we can't destroy their former style of life," he explained.

"So, we rebuild their houses for safety purposes and, at the same time preserve these old streets so people can make a living."

Xu said that, after restoration, the lanes of the old district will contain rows of bazaars, dealing in handcrafts, food, and so on.

In 2010, the government began work on the 7-billion-yuan ($1.03 billion), 5-year project.

It includes rebuilding 5.1 million sq m of dilapidated houses in 28 communities in the old district, building 4,622 temporary apartments for those who have to move out, and improving infrastructure, such as water, heat and electricity, in the 28 communities.

(China Daily 06/01/2011 page34)