Along with the increased flow of people into Chang’an for diplomatic and trade purposes, a heterogeneous multicultural community developed. It accommodated many embassies, then called “courier hostels.” In a way the area was similar to the embassy district in Beijing nowadays.
Xi’an lost its role as the national capital under the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). While Xuexi Alley was no longer the diplomatic hub it once was, it retained its unique cultural atmosphere, and remained a multiethnic community. According to Bai Xiulan, today many residents are descendants of Central and West Asian traders and diplomats that called Xi’an home in the Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties.
Walking down the alley one sees modern-day slogans on the walls of residences purporting concepts such as “ethnic unity,” “neighborhood harmony” and “modern families.” To some extent, the slogans, which can be seen all over China aren’t needed here – Xuexi Alley has always been a tolerant, “harmonious” place to live.
In the community there are three mosques – the Grand Xuexixiang Mosque, the oldest, the Medium Mosque and the Yingli Mosque. There is also a Buddhist temple called West Wutai and a Taoist temple dedicated to the local Town God.
According to plans from the Lianhu District administration, the street, as part of the city’s historical and cultural legacy, is to be transformed into a central “cultural tourism” zone while retaining a strong sense of the old Xi’an. The project is at the core of the Tang royal city restoration plan, which aims to unlock the unique potential of the area to thrive on tourism and business.
Protection the Smart Way
The simple but elegant arch with typical Hui features standing at the entrance to the alley, the antique pavement tiles, the blooming flowers in front of households – it’s hard to believe that visitors to Xuexi Alley have been seeing the same sights for more than 1,000 years. Nevertheless, the layout of the wider area – residences radiating out from mosques, which served as the locations for all-purpose gatherings – hints at a very long history.
Located in the center of the city, the community lacks sufficient room to expand and develop its infrastructure. For years residents had been inconvenienced by crumbling buildings, narrow roads and outdated infrastructure.
An “infrastructure upgrade” is the premise of the current transformation. The focus is on basic living conditions and the traffic problem. Once housing infrastructure and roads are improved, solving the other problems will follow suit.
In 2001 when the transformation plans got underway, the first task was to fix the roads. From dirt to gravel, and then to asphalt, the roads were gradually improved. Subsequently, with increased funding from the government, lower-lying houses and dilapidated premises were restored in a rolling scheme.
There are many ancient structures on and around Xuexi Alley. Their cultural and historic value is significant, and during the transformation the government focused on preservation first and foremost. For instance, though the roads have been significantly improved, they are kept at their original width in order to retain the traditional layout of the neighborhood and spare roadside sites of historical importance.
“The transformation is a good thing,” said Bai Xiulan, “but it will not be a total success without the support of residents.” With this in mind, Bai helped the urban planning department organize consultative meetings with locals in order to listen to their wishes and concerns. The project managers took locals’ suggestions on board and altered parts of the plan.
As the transformation continues, several tricky problems have been solved, including issues with potable water, sewage and in-house water closets. The community has also raised funds to buy a transformer, so that all residents get access to the power grid to use things like refrigerators, TVs, and computers.
The improved living conditions have also brought economic benefits. Historically, Hui Muslims have been actively involved in commerce. In the Tang Dynasty, a popular trade was selling snacks, such as meat pancakes and cold rice noodles, on the roadside. Today many Hui residents continue the tradition, though they have moved off the road into houses set back from it. Sellers live in the back rooms, while the outer room becomes a store front.
“The environment has been improved markedly – it’s cleaner for one – and because of this more and more tourists venture into the area to sample the authentic local snacks. Business gets better and better,” said Bai.
Reinvigoration, rather than wholesale reconstruction, is the most sensible and effective way to protect old towns like Xuexi Alley. Some residents in greater Xi’an saw the old town as a blight on the city. Those residents failed to understand that the street is central to the charismatic cultural legacy of Xi’an, and a precious cultural resource. Destroying it to build just another apartment complex doesn’t make sense.
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