Located in the city's Shangcheng district, more than 11,000 people once lived in the Mantoushan community.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Hangzhou resident Ruan Xiuhua can scarcely fathom the changes that have occurred in the area where she used to live.

"My old home sat in the current Mituo Temple Park area, and it's hard to believe that there used to be more than 400 households there," the 62 year-old said.

The former temple was built in 1878 and was one of the top four temples in Hangzhou in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), but it gradually turned into a slum after the breakout of the "cultural revolution" (1966-76).

Located in Hangzhou's Xihu (West Lake) district, the area was once known for its dirty and disorderly environment.

"Wires extended out to each other like a spider's web, and every family had at least one fire extinguisher at the door, just in case," Ruan recalled.

The five members of Ruan's family lived in a home of about 30 square meters, and her parents' dreamed of moving to a new apartment.

"Sadly, they did not see that day in their lifetime, but my daughter and I finally moved in to a more than 100 sq m apartment with an elevator," she said.