Former Site of Wuweihe

Former Site of Wuweihe

The former site of Wuweihe is a cultural relic protection unit of Wenzhou City.

The former site of Wuweihe Preserved Fruit Shop is located on Gulou Street in Lucheng District, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province. Built during the Qing Dynasty, it faces south and combines a Western-style façade with traditional wooden architecture. The southern side faces the street, with the main shop hall located right after entering. At the rear is an inner courtyard that provides natural lighting. A door on the eastern side of the back wall leads further inside. On the western side of the courtyard, a wooden double-folding staircase leads to the second floor, where the corridor wraps around the inner courtyard, featuring vase-shaped railings along the courtyard side. The interior of the second floor is divided into multiple rooms. There is also a staircase to the third floor, with a corridor similar to that on the second floor but slightly wider, and straight lattice railings along the courtyard side. An oval floral window is set in the back wall of the third-floor courtyard. The interior of the third floor is also divided into multiple rooms. The roof of the former site features an irregular hip-and-gable roof, with a later-added dormer window.

The southern façade of the former site adopts the Western Art Deco style, with decorative elements featuring eclectic, relatively simple straight lines and hard-edged shapes that emphasize geometric volumes. On the outer wall beside the windows, there is a couplet inscribed: “Canned fruits and teas from north and south, preserved seafood and various sauces and liquors.” Above the entrance on the ground floor, the characters “Wu Wei He” (Five Flavors Harmony) are inscribed.

“Wuweihe” was established in the eighth year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1882), originally as a preserved fruit shop called “Wuhe,” co-founded by Ningbo businessman Yang Zhengyu and his fellow townsman Feng Baijun. In the late Qing Dynasty, calligrapher Mei Diaoying added the character “味” (flavor) to “Wu He,” creating “Wu Wei He,” symbolizing the harmony of the five flavors: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty. The former site of Wuweihe is a long-established shop in Wenzhou and holds significant historical value. In 2005, it was designated by the Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government as part of the fifth batch of municipal-level cultural relic protection units.

Time Period: Qing Dynasty – Republic of China

Date of Designation: August 26, 2005

Category: Important modern historical sites and representative buildings

Protected Area: Bounded by the existing perimeter walls on the east, west, and north; and extending 2 meters outward from the existing perimeter walls on the south.

Building Control Zone: Extending 20 meters outward from the existing perimeter walls on the east; 10 meters outward on the south and west; and 35 meters outward on the north.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Relic Protection Units in Wenzhou City