A Nanjing Local’s Quick Glimpse of Daban Lane

October 18, 2020. A friend recommended a hairdresser on Shengzhou Road, and for the past two years I’ve been getting my hair cut here. Every time I dash over during my lunch break, in and out in a hurry. I’d noticed the imposing archway of this lane on Shengzhou Road but had never once stepped inside. Then I saw on WeChat Moments that on October 18 there would be a ‘Nan, Shibafang Ji’ (South, Eighteen Workshops Fair) craft market held right in this lane. So I scheduled my haircut for that very day. I’d made an appointment, but because I lingered a bit too long at the Nanjing Library earlier, I missed my slot. When I arrived, my hairdresser was already busy with another customer and I had to wait. That gave me the perfect excuse to turn around and explore Daban Lane – I’d come prepared, camera in hand. At the southern entrance archway, a nearly six-metre-tall, fashionably cute rabbit lantern welcomes visitors with a modern twist.

To the west of the archway square, the No. 146 Shengzhou Road residence is a Qing Dynasty building with three courtyards and two storeys; today it houses a trendy Western-style pastry shop.

The sculptures at the lane entrance vividly portray life in the old southern part of Nanjing, humorous and full of character.

When Nanjing became the capital during the Ming Dynasty, its old southern quarter developed ‘Nine Markets and Eighteen Workshops’: fish and meat market, vegetable market, leather market, fruit lanes, and so on; as well as brocade workshops, dyeing workshops, cloth-beating workshops, blacksmith workshops. Daban Lane was originally an old earth street, an unofficial market. In the Ming Dynasty, it became one of the official Eighteen Workshops – the Xiyi (Skill Training) Workshop. Nowadays, many ancient cities are restoring their historical districts, and Nanjing is no exception. Through the renovation of Nanjing's old city areas, the Ming-era Eighteen Workshops, silent for over six hundred years, have been revived here on Daban Lane. A direction sign on the side of the street shows the rich offerings now found along Daban Lane.

Enter via the southern archway. Along the flagstone path, a row of small artisan workshops lines up. Most of the goods on sale are handmade by the shop owners themselves. I felt a pang of admiration for these skillful women – turning a passion into a livelihood is truly a happy thing.

No. 27 Daban Lane is a late-Qing residential complex with four courtyards, brick-and-wood structure, single-storey, three bays wide and seven purlins deep. During the Republic of China era, it housed the Tanhai Construction Company. Now it’s a chic lifestyle store. While I was walking, I witnessed a woman in her sixties (pictured on the left) bringing an even older woman along, searching for the past. She asked the elder if she remembered this place – they must be locals who grew up here in the southern city.

No. 35 Daban Lane was built in the 1970s as resettlement housing. Its exterior of plain red brick walls, three-storey brick-concrete structure, and sloping tile roof are unmistakably characteristic of that era.

This building has now been transformed into a Manxin Hotel. Staying in a Manxin Hotel amid the lanes of old south Nanjing is a wonderful way to soak up the city’s traditional street life.

Lamplight flickers inside, flowers flourish outside.

The refreshing green wall of Yunzhong Coffee brings a splash of life to the lane.

No. 33 Daban Lane, once the Yuanhe Hall, is now a tea house hosting a comic art exhibition.

On one side of the lane, young people were sketching the scenery.

At the lane entrance, a plaque explains ‘Fang’ (workshop). In Nanjing, many place names ending with ‘Fang’ specifically refer to the workplaces of small artisans. During the Ming Dynasty, city layout: the east was the political district; the north housed military barracks; Men Dong (east of the southern gate) was the residential area for aristocratic officials; Men Xi (west of the southern gate) was the handicraft district – hence the ‘Fang’.

Beyond the main street of Daban Lane, a web of lanes and alleys spreads out. Through the low buildings, you can glimpse the modern high-rises just beyond.

At first glance, every lane shares that classic image: blue bricks, small grey tiles, horse-head walls, covered walkways, and lattice windows adorned with hanging flower plaques. Look closer, however, and each alley differs – from the paving stones to the main building materials. Beneath the overarching style, distinct architectural personalities emerge.

Founded in 1906 during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, Liuhuachun is a venerable restaurant. It was here that Nanjing-style imperial cuisine reached its first peak during the Republican era. Liuhuachun has reopened in fresh splendour on Daban Lane. Housed in a Huizhou-style building with three courtyards around open skywells, its grey tiles and white walls, vermilion doors and red-framed windows, climbing greenery, and high-hung red lanterns create an enchanting scene.

The west gate of Gan Xi’s residence stands on the east side of Daban Lane. Daban Lane is part of the Xinanli (Southern Prosperity) historic district. The most celebrated building here is the Gan Xi Former Residence. The Gan family is renowned throughout Jiangnan as a family of opera artists. Late Peking and Kunqu opera master Gan Gongsan and the famous Huangmei opera performer Yan Fengying both hailed from this family, making outstanding contributions to promoting traditional Chinese opera. The most significant part of the residence is at No. 42 Daban Lane. Locally nicknamed ‘Ninety-Nine and a Half Rooms’, the compound comprises three clusters of five-courtyard traditional buildings; Gan Xi himself lived at No. 42. The Gan residence holds a wealth of things to discover. Today, time did not allow me to step inside, but I will definitely return to explore it slowly and thoroughly.

The Gan residence features small grey roof tiles, whitewashed walls, and brownish-red lacquered woodwork, creating a colour palette of grey, white, and brown.

With this as a foundation, the surrounding developments are carefully designed. Most buildings are two storeys, with some three-storey sections, and their architectural forms inherit Huizhou style, harmonising with the Gan residence. No. 46 Daban Lane, housing the offices of the Nanjing Folk Museum and the Nanjing Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, is also built in this style.

No. 44 Daban Lane, a two-storey building from the Republican period, is now called Li Yuan (Carp Courtyard). With black-grey tiles, whitewashed walls, and lacquered wooden columns, its grey-white-brown palette is echoed by stone lions guarding the gate. Inside, tall, verdant parasol trees lend a refined, peaceful Jiangnan serenity.

Pink little bunny decorations, oh so cute, sprinkle a dash of childlike playfulness into your walk through this historic neighbourhood.

Venturing into side lanes and back alleys.

Childhood-inspired sculptures of old southern Nanjing can be spotted at every corner.

Ji Bao Yu (Chicken Wrapped in Fish), a Cantonese-style restaurant.

Xinanli Image Exhibition Centre.

On the ground floor, Renaissance Bookstore.

The bookstore is cosily arranged, with desks and bookshelves fitted into the layout of the house. Books are organised by category in different zones.

The style is warm and elegant.

Behind the bookstore lies a spacious courtyard.

This exquisite courtyard is elegant and tranquil. Sit here, look up at the square patch of sky, savour the passing seasons, and enjoy a moment of quiet peace in the bustling southern city.

Outside the courtyard, a flagstone path meanders away.

Artistic and romantic touches are everywhere.

No. 71 Daban Lane, a sizeable Republican-era building with three courtyards and two storeys. Its gable wall facing the street is adorned with mountain and auspicious cloud motifs – dignified and classically elegant. Now it has been transformed into a qipao (cheongsam) shop.

The qipao is the quintessential symbol of the classic Republican-era woman.

Inside, everything evokes the old Shanghai Bund atmosphere.

Nestled within the old mansion is a modern Mediterranean-style shop – BUNONCO Chocolates. Blue arches of varying heights create a rhythmic composition.

Delight, enchantment, captivating.

Beside the gate of Xiyuan hang two address plaques: ‘No. 1 Xiyuan, Xinanli District’ and ‘(Former) No. 21 Nanbuting’, revealing its dual identity.

Finally, I found this event from a WeChat post: the ‘Nan, Shibafang Ji’ (South, Eighteen Workshops Fair).

At the lane entrance, small flowers are blooming vividly.

This standalone two-storey building at the lane entrance is No. 75 Daban Lane, a Republican-era brick-and-wood structure with five bays. Its structural integrity is largely intact.

Now it houses a hotel called Kuandu, with a simple front courtyard enclosed by bamboo fencing.

This two-storey villa is No. 73 Daban Lane, a standalone Western-style Republican building with five bays, two rooms deep, and a hip-and-gable roof. Plain brick walls, square tiles, and terrazzo floors. Historical records suggest it may have been used as a temporary office by Wang Jingwei. Looking up past the high wall, you can see the second-floor balcony’s circular and cross-patterned decorations, plus understated but distinctively ‘Republican-style’ lattice railings, offering a glimpse of the old house’s past.

Turn into a small lane, and after a dozen metres you step into ‘Yanyuan’ (Inkstone Garden), a modest yet elegant courtyard – Guogong Yard Yanyuan.

The courtyard was hosting the ‘Nan, Shibafang Ji’ fair. In ancient times, the southern city was described as ‘one road, two streets, thirteen lanes, six arts, nine markets, and eighteen workshops’. The purpose of this event is to bring the eighteen workshops back together at Daban Lane in Xinanli after 600 years, showcasing the thriving spirit of craftsmanship.

This is a handmade brand I adore – Suren (Plain People). Every bag and pair of shoes from Suren reflects the artisan’s dedication and skill.

Two figures holding hands and running is the Suren logo. Holding hands symbolises emotional connection and cooperation between people; running represents a positive, upward-looking attitude toward life.

On the table, tools of the trade are displayed. Every Suren piece requires the creativity of the designer, the refinement of the crafts technician, and dozens of hands-on steps by the maker to take shape.

I love Suren; most of my shoes now are from there. Each piece is one of a kind. The unique design, superb craftsmanship, everything from material to appearance exudes a touch of understated flair yet restrained elegance. Quite special – owning a Suren piece feels like expressing yourself and staying true to who you are.

Beautiful wine vessels alongside a dazzling array of drinks.

Jiangzao, Wang Kechen’s ‘Dazuo’ metalwork, displays jewellery and pendants in various materials, all brimming with design.

Inside the Huizhou-style Yanyuan, an exhibition called ‘Shi Bu’ by Yaowu Shouzao features indigo-dyed fabrics.

The not-too-large building has two wings; the front wing serves as a small gallery. Old furniture, blue-and-white porcelain vases, and the main characters – plant-based batik pieces, either hanging or placed – fill the old house with a gentle blue ambience.

Batik is something I’ve always loved – both practical and artistic. Using wax as a resist, patterns are drawn on fabric, then dyed and the wax removed, resulting in white-on-blue or blue-on-white patterns, full of playful charm, a handicraft rich in ethnic character. It gives us a clean, pleasing blue-and-white aesthetic. Most batik patterns carry a strong sense of abstract art.

This large batik piece, cascading from above, tells a story of harmonious coexistence between people and nature.

The long narrative drapes right down to the tabletop, pairing perfectly with the blue-and-white porcelain vase – a seamless blend.

The gallery attendant praised the exhibition’s owner as a remarkable young woman, saying she made all these things herself – the batik, as well as small silver and copper objects. I looked her up: Chen Yiting, the founder of ‘Yaowu Zhizao (Need Blue Goods)’ from Dali, Yunnan.

What do you sense in these patterns? Black holes, stars, mountain ranges, rivers... the universe brims with everything we don’t yet know but are curious about.

The rear wing opens onto a skywell; one brick wall bears the marks of time.

The mottled brick wall gains vitality from the plants clinging to it.

In the skywell sits a large blue-and-white vat, a pool of green water, and a flash of red tail swaying.

Looking from the skywell towards the exhibition hall and that Nangong courtyard.

A down-to-earth cultural creative shop.

Inside, a creative painting of a blue starry sky.

No. 77 Daban Lane, a Republican building, now houses a well-stocked Chunzhi Teahouse.

In the water vat in front, agile water plants.

No. 79 Daban Lane, a small two-storey Republican building.

Through the window, you can see exquisite old objects inside.

At the eastern side of the north entrance, Xiyuan No. 1 in Xinanli District is a large courtyard house turned into the Huazhushe Baixiyuan Inn.

Opposite the inn is a dessert and snack shop called Huangdou Xianren (Soybean Immortal). This marks the northern end of Daban Lane. I turned around here and hurried back.

Daban Lane isn’t long – just two or three hundred metres. An old lane, after two years of conservation and renewal, has become a trendy, thousand-year-old alleyway. Fashion embraces tradition here; this lane, steeped in the historical and cultural heritage of Nanjing’s southern city, preserves countless memories and stories of old Nanjing. I saw many young people dressed in Hanfu – some for photos, others simply as Hanfu enthusiasts seeking that time-travel feeling. Thanks to the preservation of ancient streets and lanes, more and more people come here to seek out and experience the memories of old south Nanjing.

Architecture is a city’s frozen history. Daban Lane is short, but its buildings are richly varied, with structures from multiple historical periods coexisting. There are traditional multi-courtyard residences from the late Qing and early Republic, modern guild halls, hostels, grand Republican mansions, red-brick houses from the early PRC era, and old factory buildings from the early reform and opening-up period… Through restoration and conservation, buildings from different eras blend ancient charm and modern style into one harmonious street.

The clean street texture and fabric, the spatial distances, the road widths – all preserve the original ‘multi-courtyard, through-hall complex’ layout. The tightly interlinked lanes quietly recount the thousand-year tale of old south Nanjing.

But more than that, what shines is the youth and vitality built upon historical context. Various themed displays animate the lanes.

Here, glass ornaments crafted by a glass blower.

Root carving art. Masters among the folk! This short street is full of hidden talents.

Owing to time constraints, I came in a hurry and left in a hurry, taking only a cursory stroll through Daban Lane. The southern city is truly a place worth visiting again and again, looked at little by little. Here, blue bricks and grey tiles, white mortar joints, ornate carved eaves, interconnected walkways – the lanes’ historical memories and modern incarnations make the whole area shine.