Dao Sheng Alkali Shop

Dao Sheng Alkali Shop

The Dao Sheng Alkali Shop is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

Built in 1897 by Zhang Daosheng from Suqian, it was the tallest commercial building in Suqian at the time. The Dao Sheng Alkali Shop is located on the east side of Xingfu Middle Road in downtown Suqian, west of East Street. The building is 25 meters long, 8 meters wide, and 15 meters high, with three floors, locally four, and includes a semi-basement. In 2001, the alkali shop was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit by the Suqian Municipal Government. In 2009, after renovation, it was transformed into the “Suqian Cultural Celebrities Hall” by the Suqian Municipal Government.

Historical records indicate that after the Opium Wars, American missionaries came to Suqian to preach in 1882 and received help from Zhang Daosheng, a local resident. In 1902, foreign soda ash and kerosene (imported petroleum) flooded into Suqian. With the assistance of the church, Zhang Daosheng obtained the exclusive right to sell these products, which led to his gradual prosperity. In 1897, he built the tallest commercial building in Suqian at the time: the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop.

On May 19, 1938, 18 Japanese planes bombed Suqian County, destroying over a thousand civilian houses, with most buildings on East Street also heavily damaged. The alkali shop survived due to its solid construction. On November 22 of that year, the Japanese occupied Suqian and used the then-highest point in the city—the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop—as the Japanese Kempeitai headquarters and a puppet intelligence office. They converted the underground storage room into a water dungeon to torture the local people.

In June 1949, the Suqian People’s Hospital moved into the city and was set up in the small building of the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop. In 1950, the hospital relocated to the former site of Renji Hospital. The government reclaimed the alkali shop to use as a guesthouse.

In 1952, the county government demolished the city wall to build a ring road. The road was 950 meters long and 20 meters wide, with a gravel surface. In 1958, it was renamed Xingfu Road (later changed to Xingfu Middle Road). In 1974, work began to pave the road with cement starting from Xingfu Middle Road. Due to road reconstruction over the years, the surface level of Xingfu Road rose compared to the Qing Dynasty, and it is now nearly 1 meter higher than the entrance steps of the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop.

In 2001, the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit by the Suqian Municipal Government. In 2009, after renovation, it was transformed into the “Suqian Cultural Celebrities Hall.”

A Lonely Historic Building

Despite a century of vicissitudes, the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop still stands firmly, with relatively well-preserved overall structural quality and largely intact architectural details. However, due to urban development and other factors, the environment around the building has changed significantly.

Historically, the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop was close to the old city wall, within the area of East Street, surrounded by one- or two-story shops and residential buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties or the Republican era. Today, the city wall has been demolished, the surrounding road layout has changed, and the alkali shop is now surrounded by modern buildings constructed in recent years. It has become the only remaining historic structure in the area, with its original environment lost, greatly diminishing its value as part of a cultural relic context. In reality, years of urban construction have caused the ground level of the shop to be nearly 1 meter lower than the city road, with the lower part of the west gable already buried beneath the road. A sunken space has formed in front of the main entrance, and the higher windows of the basement are hidden under the steps leading to Xingfu Road. The original basement walls lacked waterproofing, and the drainage system was rudimentary. This low-lying terrain allows groundwater vapor from the surrounding soil to continuously soak the exterior basement walls, posing serious risks to the preservation of the historic structure, particularly in terms of moisture and damp-proofing.

During the Japanese occupation, the underground storage room of the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop was converted into a water dungeon, subjecting the basement to prolonged water immersion and severe damage. During the 2006 restoration, waterproof mortar was applied to the inner side of the basement’s outer brick wall, preventing internal moisture from escaping through the wall and instead exacerbating corrosion and deterioration of the exterior wall.

Xingfu Road, on the west side of the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop, is a major north-south artery within the city’s “two horizontal and two vertical” road network and is currently the busiest commercial street in the area. Traffic congestion frequently occurs during peak commuting hours. The west side of the alkali shop currently protrudes 6 meters beyond the adjacent north-south buildings and extends 20 meters beyond the planned building red line (the shop itself is 25 meters long), interrupting the sidewalk and disrupting the continuity of the commercial street and the integrity of the urban landscape. The west gable of the alkali shop is right next to the traffic lane, increasing the risk of accidents and damage—not conducive to protecting the building or to the installation of municipal pipelines or road construction on Xingfu Road. The location of the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop has become an obstacle to urban development.

Move 28 Meters East, Integrate into East Street

How to preserve the integrity of the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop while integrating it into the construction of the East Street historical district? To this end, the Suqian Planning Bureau invited experts from Shanghai Tongji Planning Institute, Tsinghua University School of Architecture, and Beijing Tsinghua Ande Architectural Firm to conduct comprehensive planning and design regarding the current state and protection of the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop.

After conducting on-site investigations and considering the overall planning orientation of the East Street historical district, the experts proposed a plan to relocate the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop as a whole. The building will be moved 28 meters eastward, and during the relocation process, it will be lifted by 0.8 meters to align its ground level with the Xingfu Road sidewalk. Urban squares will be created on its north and south sides, integrating the alkali shop into the traditional architectural ensemble of East Street and partially restoring its original external environment, highlighting its architectural value. During the relocation, the building structure will be reinforced, particularly focusing on renovating the basement waterproofing using protective measures that do not alter the original appearance of the building.

Relocating the alkali shop not only preserves the structure and resolves conflicts with the road and surrounding environment but also maintains the visual integrity of the modern commercial architecture along Xingfu Road. Combined with adjacent buildings, a trumpet-shaped open urban square will be established around the Dao Sheng Alkali Shop, serving as a transitional space between the modern commercial street and the historic commercial district. This will guide pedestrian flow toward East Street, facilitating its revitalization and strengthening the connection between Xingfu Road and East Street.

After carefully reviewing the relocation plan, Zhang Pingping, Deputy Director of the Suqian District People’s Congress Standing Committee and Deputy Director of the Suqian Cultural Relics Management Office, noted that the East Street area is the only remaining historical district in old Suqian. To preserve the complete historical information of East Street and create a cultural relic environment consistent with the history of the alkali shop, relocation closer to East Street could be considered—but approval from the provincial government is required in accordance with the Cultural Relics Protection Law. After relocation, the east gable of the alkali shop will become part of the streetscape of East Street, ensuring the continuity of its spatial character and forming a landscape with Suqian’s historical and cultural identity together with East Street.

Extended Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units