Towering banyan trees in Sanfang Qixiang silently witness the passage of time. LI WENSHA/CHINA DAILY

"A special emphasis has been placed on preserving the integrity of the neighborhood's layout and overall appearance, as well as the continuity of life. It highlights the close connection between the neighborhood and the daily life of the contemporary city, making it like an open history book within the urban landscape," Yan says.

In addition to keeping a number of original residents and their living environment intact, some of the public spaces have been arranged to satisfy the needs of modern visitors.

As such, Nanhou Street, the area's central artery, has now turned into a commercial entity.

"As for business layout, Nanhou Street can be lively, but once you enter the lanes, the commercial atmosphere doesn't need to continue; instead, it should give way to an elegant, humanistic atmosphere," Yan says.

The area's physical protection is essentially complete, and the next stage will mainly be about summarizing past work experience and learning from the good practice of historical preservation in other cities, he adds.

"We will make further efforts in historical exploration … and better preserve the authenticity and completeness of local history to pass it along," Yan says.

With its famous residences restored to their former glory, many hosting exhibitions and interactions with the past, Sanfang Qixiang has evolved into a tourism hot spot.

Visits exceeded the 20 million mark last year, says Zhang Ying, deputy general manager with the company in charge of the protection and development of Sanfang Qixiang.