Editor's note: Every week for the remainder of 2008 GoKunming will publish photos from the collection of Auguste François (1857-1935), who served as French consul in south China between 1896 and 1904, during which he spent several years in Kunming. The photos have been provided by Kunming resident and private collector Yin Xiaojun (殷晓俊). GoKunming thanks Yin Xiaojun for providing us a glimpse of Kunming at the beginning of the 20th Century.

Year: 1901
Subject: The White Pagoda (白塔, Baita)
Location: Near the intersection of Baita Lu and Tuodong Lu

Background:

While much of present-day China was under the rule of the flourishing Tang Dynasty, Yunnan was part of the Nanzhao Kingdom (南诏), an upstart regional power whose territory at one point would stretch from Chengdu to northern Thailand and from northern Myanmar to Guizhou.

Kunming first began to emerge as a major settlement – it was originally known as Tuodong (拓东) – more than a millennium ago, during the height of the Nanzhao's reign in the Eighth and Ninth Centuries. Based in Dali, the Nanzhao is known for its penchant for Pagodas, and it left its mark on Kunming with several structures, some of which are still standing, while others such as the White Pagoda (白塔, Baita) – succumbed to the pressures of urban development.

The White Pagoda, highlighted in the above photograph by Auguste François taken in 1901, has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the first important architectural structures in Kunming to be demolished to make way for increasing traffic. Back in 1901 there were no BMWs, SUVs or even QQs choking the streets – traffic tended to consist of pedestrians and the odd water buffalo cart.

By 1913, the Nanzhao had been nonexistent for 1,000 years and Tuodong had been going by its new name of Kunming for only one year. Five years before, the city was officially opened to foreign trade as an inland treaty port – a development which led to its first period of rapid growth. Kunming was highly coveted by France, which had three years earlier completed a railway linking the city with the port of Haiphong in present-day Vietnam.

As traffic flow reached new levels of congestion, it was decided by the city government that the White Pagoda, with its narrow tunnel and low overhead, would have to be demolished to make way for modernity. Today the sacrifice of the White Pagoda is commemorated by the name of the street that runs through where it once stood for more than 1,000 years – Baita Lu (白塔路).

The image below is a photograph taken in May, 2008 by GoKunming – 107 years after François preserved the White Pagoda on film.

Related articles:

Auguste François, Yin Xiaojun and Kunming at the end of the Qing Dynasty

Yuantong Temple's secret colonial past

Construction of 'Turtle Back' throws Kunming traffic into chaos

Kunming has undergone a bit of a makeover in recent weeks since the beginning of citywide demolition of lean-tos and small stores in between larger buildings.

In some places, such as the row of cheap printing and copy shops on Yieryi Da Jie on the north side of Yunnan University, the demolition has continued. It does seem like there is something afoot with this particular plot of land as a wall has begun to go up.

For most demolition sites, the public bathroom on Wenhua Xiang for example, demolition was quickly followed by the planting of trees, shrubs and flowers. While most people don't object to the replacement of a public toilet's miasma with a patch of green, for Wenhua Xiang restaurants and bars - most of which have minimal plumbing incapable of handling the 'big convenience' - this raises the question of where customers can go when nature calls.

[FYI, the closest public toilets to Wenhua Xiang are now the one on central Wenlin Jie at Xiansheng Po and the little one tucked away in Tianjundian Xiang in the alley connecting Paul's with Wenlin Jie.]

Wheatfield Bookstore, one of the more popular shops demolished a few weeks ago, has relocated and is reopening today. The new location is opposite Paul's Shop in Tianjundian Xiang. Word on the street is there will be customer giveaways.

Wheatfield Bookstore
麦田书店
Address: Tianjundian Xiang
天君殿巷
Phone: 653 3912, 159 8711 3281

Top image: Xiao Yang

The sledgehammer of change has been hitting Kunming especially hard in the past couple of weeks, with most of the focus on the small lean-to buildings that typically house small mom-and-pop convenience stores, clothing stores or restaurants.

Kunming has planned to get rid of most of these buildings for a while, and rumor has it that many of the spaces cleared will be converted into small gardens and parks in an attempt to make the Spring City one of China's greener metropolises.

In the meantime, many displaced businesses are moving into or looking for new locations. Ma Li, co-owner of underground book and music store Wheatfields (麦田), formerly on Qianju Jie, said he hopes to relocate the store somewhere in the Yunnan University area.

"We'd like to stay in this area, but it's difficult to find a suitable place that's available," Ma said.

Aside from smaller shops, some larger edifices are also biting the dust. Yesterday, sledgehammer crews behind the ubiquitous green netting and scaffolding were pounding the six-story building on the southwest corner of Renmin Zhong Lu and Zhengyi Lu, across from the Wuhua District government building. Dust from the demolition hampered visibility in the intersection throughout the day.

While some business owners are relocating and others calling it quits, at least one Kunming institution is planning to face the winds of change drunk.

The Camel Bar at 62 Tuodong Lu is throwing a two-day "Going Down With a Bang" party tomorrow and Saturday nights with all cocktails and shots for 10 yuan. Friday night will be a ska/punk/reggae party and Saturday will feature DJs and a band to be determined.

Editor's note: The Camel has had several 'closing' parties in the last few weeks - if this one isn't the last, don't blame us!

A couple parties this weekend that are worth noting:

On Friday Chapter One will be throwing a Mid-Autumn Party. According to Chapter One sources, there will be drink specials, drinking games and cheesy music with plenty of dancing. Chapter One is located at 146 Wenlin Jie.

On Saturday, the soon-to-be-demolished Kunming institution Cafe de Camel aka the Camel Bar will celebrate its 11th birthday with a party featuring a DJ and live band.

Two parties in two days!