rst9
2012-12-31 23:04:14 UTC
Palace of Soong will be restored
Updated: 2012-12-31 03:45
By CANG WEI and SONG WENWEI in Nanjing (China Daily)
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-12/31/content_16069942.htm
The Palace of Soong Mei-ling, a classical building in Nanjing where
the former first lady of Republic of China and her husband used to
reside, is expected to reopen in October after its first major
renovation in about 60 years.
The Palace of Soong Mei-ling stands on a hill in a suburban area in
the eastern part of Nanjing, Jiangsu province. [PHOTO BY SONG QIAO /
FOR CHINA DAILY]
Before the work began, the three-story building — used by Soong and
her husband, former Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek, in the 1930s
and 1940s — had fallen into disrepair, according to a cultural
heritage management bureau.
Large pieces of the colorful paintings on its ceilings and walls have
peeled off.
Some of its windows are broken, pillars unstable and railings cracked.
To restore the building, which was later used as a resting place for
senior officials on their way to visit the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, 20
million yuan ($3.2 million) will be spent on the 300-day renovation
project, said Liu Dong-hua, director of the cultural heritage
department under the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum management bureau.
The original appearance of the palace will be retained to the greatest
possible extent, Liu said.
The renovation will first reinforce the structure and then replace or
repair all the wood flooring.
The major part of the work will be the colorful paintings, according
to Liu.
A panel of experts from Beijing's Palace Museum, also known as the
Forbidden City, who are recognized as being exceptionally skilled in
restoring painting on old buildings, will be invited to restore the
paintings.
Natural mineral pigments designed for the repair of ancient buildings
will also be purchased for painters to achieve the best results.
The glazed green tiles on the roof of the palace may be totally
replaced with new tiles of the same color and shape, and orders for
these special tiles will be placed with professional factories in
Beijing or Yixing, in Jiangsu province.
The renovation work also includes removing the air conditioners on the
outside walls and termite prevention.
The work will be carried out strictly in accordance with the
building's blueprint.
"The blueprint was found by chance when we collected materials for the
maintenance work," said Zhou Zhongxing, general manager of a service
company of the palace.
The design drawing, which contains five pieces of paper, detailed the
structure and function of each story, he said.
The renovation team is soliciting old photos and decorations that used
to be in the palace.
A 200-square-meter basement in the palace, which contained some
functional rooms, such as a kitchen, boiler room and laundry, will be
restored and opened to the public for the first time.
The palace, built from 1931 to 1934, was later named after Soong for
her frequent visits when she was in Nanjing, then capital of the
Republic of China.
Soong was the youngest of the famous three Soong sisters. Their
husbands, including Sun Yat-sen, founding father of Republic of China,
and Chiang Kai-shek, played large roles in China's history in the
early 20th century.
Since 1950, the palace has been handed over to several management
departments, including the city's health bureau and a large hotel
company.
In March, 2012, it was put under the management bureau of Sun Yat-sen
Mausoleum, which also manages other historical buildings from the time
when Kuomintang ruled China.
Contact the writers at ***@chinadaily.com.cn and
***@chinadaily.com.cn
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Updated: 2012-12-31 03:45
By CANG WEI and SONG WENWEI in Nanjing (China Daily)
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-12/31/content_16069942.htm
The Palace of Soong Mei-ling, a classical building in Nanjing where
the former first lady of Republic of China and her husband used to
reside, is expected to reopen in October after its first major
renovation in about 60 years.
The Palace of Soong Mei-ling stands on a hill in a suburban area in
the eastern part of Nanjing, Jiangsu province. [PHOTO BY SONG QIAO /
FOR CHINA DAILY]
Before the work began, the three-story building — used by Soong and
her husband, former Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek, in the 1930s
and 1940s — had fallen into disrepair, according to a cultural
heritage management bureau.
Large pieces of the colorful paintings on its ceilings and walls have
peeled off.
Some of its windows are broken, pillars unstable and railings cracked.
To restore the building, which was later used as a resting place for
senior officials on their way to visit the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, 20
million yuan ($3.2 million) will be spent on the 300-day renovation
project, said Liu Dong-hua, director of the cultural heritage
department under the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum management bureau.
The original appearance of the palace will be retained to the greatest
possible extent, Liu said.
The renovation will first reinforce the structure and then replace or
repair all the wood flooring.
The major part of the work will be the colorful paintings, according
to Liu.
A panel of experts from Beijing's Palace Museum, also known as the
Forbidden City, who are recognized as being exceptionally skilled in
restoring painting on old buildings, will be invited to restore the
paintings.
Natural mineral pigments designed for the repair of ancient buildings
will also be purchased for painters to achieve the best results.
The glazed green tiles on the roof of the palace may be totally
replaced with new tiles of the same color and shape, and orders for
these special tiles will be placed with professional factories in
Beijing or Yixing, in Jiangsu province.
The renovation work also includes removing the air conditioners on the
outside walls and termite prevention.
The work will be carried out strictly in accordance with the
building's blueprint.
"The blueprint was found by chance when we collected materials for the
maintenance work," said Zhou Zhongxing, general manager of a service
company of the palace.
The design drawing, which contains five pieces of paper, detailed the
structure and function of each story, he said.
The renovation team is soliciting old photos and decorations that used
to be in the palace.
A 200-square-meter basement in the palace, which contained some
functional rooms, such as a kitchen, boiler room and laundry, will be
restored and opened to the public for the first time.
The palace, built from 1931 to 1934, was later named after Soong for
her frequent visits when she was in Nanjing, then capital of the
Republic of China.
Soong was the youngest of the famous three Soong sisters. Their
husbands, including Sun Yat-sen, founding father of Republic of China,
and Chiang Kai-shek, played large roles in China's history in the
early 20th century.
Since 1950, the palace has been handed over to several management
departments, including the city's health bureau and a large hotel
company.
In March, 2012, it was put under the management bureau of Sun Yat-sen
Mausoleum, which also manages other historical buildings from the time
when Kuomintang ruled China.
Contact the writers at ***@chinadaily.com.cn and
***@chinadaily.com.cn
Previous Page 1 2 Next Page