For a city, old streets and alleys are like a big tree, where every branch, leaf, and root holds the historical memory of the city. Hangzhou, a city rich in historical heritage, has its old streets as the memory bank. White walls, gray tiles, winding attic houses, courtyards and water towns are everywhere. They are hidden in a corner of the city streets, with a strong flavor of life, where you can find memories of the past, cultural heritage, and the footprints of generations of native residents of Hangzhou. Despite the bustling traffic and towering buildings outside, these places remain quaint, tranquil, simple, and pure. And Zhitou Alley is such an ordinary yet special place.
Hidden in the bustling Jiefang Road in Hangzhou, Zhitou Alley features old brick houses with mottled spots left by time on the lime walls. At No. 13 Zhitou Alley, there is a garden-style brick and wood structure villa, which has been included in the first batch of historical buildings protected in Hangzhou. The owner of this house is a man named Qiu Zinan from Shengzhou, so it is also called "Qiu Mansion".
Qiu Mansion is a gray-brick garden residence that combines Chinese and Western styles, with fine craftsmanship, a large scale, and clear era-specific characteristics. It has a traditional Chinese-style roof with exquisite brick carvings on the wall, a huima corridor in the eastern part of the mansion, a suspended corridor with hollow iron decorations on the railing, and a glass roof covering the villa's courtyard.
In the early 1930s, the area around Zhitou Alley was adjacent to Zhongshan Road, a place where merchants gathered. Many wealthy merchants also lived here, but their residences were far smaller and less elaborate compared to Qiu Mansion.
So, how did Qiu Zinan, a businessman who only owned traditional businesses in the countryside, had the financial resources to build such a grand villa? According to historical records, Qiu Zinan became a relative of Zhang Zaiyang , the then-governor of Zhejiang Province, by marriage. At that time, taking advantage of Zhang's construction of the Grand World Amusement Park at the intersection of Yan'an Road and Renhe Road, opposite Caizhizhai, the Qiu family built this mansion.
After years, the building now appears more aged and mottled. However, through the exquisite details of the architecture, one can still vaguely see the dedication and pursuit of the house's owner. An old building represents an indelible historical memory. Protecting old buildings means preserving the "roots" and "soul" of the city's historical culture. Walking through the streets and alleys, towards objects and events hiding historical traces, we pass down this historical memory over time.