China's first beer producer

At the very west access of the lane is No.87. Although it has nothing to do with its bank neighbors, it has a lot to do with money. In 1913, Hao Shengtang, founder of Shuanghesheng beer, the first Chinese beer brand, purchased the space as a fitting home for a rich businessman. Once he owned it, Hao ran about collecting old stones for decorating his courtyards, including some from the imperial palace.

"No.87 is so big that it crosses three lanes and has 80 houses," said Tan Daoliang, secretary of the Xijiaominxiang community. "Large as it is, it is still well preserved." According to Tan, this house used to have many cultural relics, like a royal vase of white marble from the old Summer Palace. But today, apart from a tall fake hill with inscriptions of Emperor Qianlong, the rest of the treasures were returned to where they belong about a year ago.

The house now belongs to the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) and currently only one family of occupants remains. "Eventually the house is to be emptied for renovation," Tan said. "The future renovation will be with the participation of SASAC, the Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage and the administration o­ ce of the old Summer Palace."

But whether this so-called renovation will be done with a mind towards preserving history or not is a question that remains unanswered.

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