A resident walks past the Kuixing Pagoda in Shanghai’s Huangpu district on Aug. 1. The pagoda is an iconic building located inside the Confucian Temple of Shanghai. The Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) temple and its surrounding streets are to be renovated and expanded. Photo: VCG

In 2020, the local government moved the popular second-hand book market in the Confucian Temple to another temple in the city, then closed the Confucian Temple the following year. Photo: VCG

Residents dine in Kong Yiji Restaurant on Wenmiao Road on Aug. 2. Photo: IC Photo

A woman carrying a spittoon walks on Wenmiao Road. The road is located on the southern side of the Confucian Temple. Photo: VCG

Clearance notices are displayed on the storefronts of a general store on Wenmiao Road as shops and restaurants are closing down or moving away for the renovation project. Photo: VCG

The road is part of many locals’ childhood memories as it has been home to shops that range from book markets to comic book stores going back to the 1980s. Photo: VCG

Menghua Street, located on the northern side of the Confucian Temple, is also set to undergo renovation soon. Photo: VCG

Menghua Street is an alley with a history of more than 100 years. Photo: VCG

The Shanghai government launched this round of renovation plans around 2018. The plans call for demolishing about 2,000 buildings deemed to be illegal in the communities around the Confucian Temple to retain its historic flavor while improving locals’ living conditions. Photo: VCG