Buying, restoring old house become hobby of rich

The wufenglou, the mansion of five phoenixes, boasts a history of 600 years and was recently renovated.

Standing on a corner of the 1,700-year-old water town, Ahn Luh Zhujiajiao, with the wufenglou as its centerpiece, is possibly the first "all-old hotel" in the country, with most building materials, from pillars to tiles to beams to a corbel, reused from Qin's warehouses and dating back to the early 1900s.

Thirty-five independent villas made from the materials are expected to open to the public early next year, charging up to $1,000 a night for anyone who may want to sleep on a meticulously carved yellow rosewood bed that is believed to have been made in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).

"It's an example showing the possibilities of leading a modern lifestyle in an ancient living environment," said Ruan Yisan, professor of urban planning at Shanghai's Tongji University and an ardent advocate of historic-building protection, at the celebration ceremony last month.

According to Ruan, renovating and rebuilding these old houses anywhere other than the place they were originally built, actually violates the principles of protection and preservation of antique buildings, which require the "five originals": the original materials, craftsmanship, structure, style and environment.

Still, this is the second best option when there is no other solution, Qin says.