Red Star Over Beijing
Laurence J. Brahm's hutong homes are laced with the threads
of Chinese history
Living in a courtyard house and speaking mandarin with an"er"
accent, it would seem that, apart from his Western appearance,
46-year-old American Laurence J. Brahm is a true Beijinger -
especially when it comes to the protection of the capital's
architecture and culture. Brahm currently owns three courtyards
in Beijing, and has spent much time lobbying the government
to protect historic siheyuan, successfully persuading authorities
to protect the area between the two hutongs of Dongsisantiao
and Dongsiliutiao.
When Brahm first came to China in 1981 he was like many other
young foreign visiors to the country, coming to learn Chinese
and to witness the remarkable changes in a country just beginning
to open up to the world. After his language studies, he chose
to stay on to work as a lawyer, and then an economist, in business
and financial consultancies.
However, over the next few decades, he not only say how fast
the economy of China was developing, but how ancient architecture
was being torn down in the name of modernity. Determined to
help preserve these precious structures, Brahm purchased his
own courtyard, and converted it into his home and office. His
siheyuan quickly became a popular site for friends to get together.
"Many people like it. They want to have dinner here; and
people enjoy the atmosphere," he says.
Though it can be difficult for foreigners to buy courtyard
homes, Brahm eventually bought two more, converting them into
the Red Capital Club and Red Capital Boutique Hotel, respectively.
"The courtyards in Beijing are unique. Today in Beijing
there is not one Ming Dynasty courtyard [still] standing. The
only courtyards left are from [the] late Qing dynasty and republic
period, so we try our best to sustain and preserve what [we]
have."
Brahm believes the best way to protect these structures is
to buy them and turn them into "living' spaces, rather
than mothballing them for antiquity. "A courtyard is a
house. A house needs people and life in it. So to create [a]
boutique courtyard hotel and restaurant is a very logical way
to sustain the architecture, and keep the cultural [side] alive."
Brahm's three courtyards were all severely damaged when he
purchased them. Before beginning the process of restoration,
he read up on traditional architecture, and worked with historical
experts in order to ecsure authenticity in terms of building
materials and techniques. Upon completion, he filled them with
antiques collected during his extensive travels across China.
Because of his special interest in the Cultural Revolution
period, the restaurant, hotel and his home are full of relics
from that turbulent period, including two sofas that formerly
belonged to Lin Biao, once designated as successor of Mao Zedong,
but condemned as a traitor after 1971. Much of the other furniture
has come from the central government compound of Zhongnanhai
- providing today's seated guests with a very real connection
between China's past and present.
1. After renovation, the courtyard, now the Red Capital Club
, was completely rejuvenated. Red walls, grey tiles, bottle-shaped
door, carved windows, and painted girders, were all rebuilt
under the direction of traditional architectural experts. In
the summer, watermelon lamps are lit when night comes, leaving
the visitors far removed from the visitors for removed from
the bustling world outside.
2. In the 1970s, many air-raid shelters were built in care
of attack. The one under the Red Capital Boutique Hotel has
been converted into a pleasant bodega where one can comfortably
enjoy a drink. Some old equipment remains such as the telephone
on the wall, and a telegraph transmitter - and if you pick up
the receiver, some say you can still hear the static echoes
times past.
3. This little bar full of Cultural Revolution flavor is within
the Red Capital Club. Cadres at Zhongnanhai once sat on these
sofas, while the art on the wall is a reproduction of the typical
political painting made during that period. The little chair
formerly belonged to Jiang Qing, wife of Mao Zedong.
4. In courtyards, passageways play an important role in connecting
rooms together, with the awnings commonly ornately decorated
like this one.
5. Small corners full of interesting details can be found everywhere
in the Club. Pictured here is an original copy of Mao's little
red book (ºì±¦Êé)£¬as well as an old lock, clock, and sunglasses.
6. Red Capital Club was formerly the home of Kawashima Yoshio,
a Manchu princess who was brought up in Japan and worked as
a wartime spy for the Japanese and Kuomintang. The table at
the entrance was once her sewing machine.
7. These three human -size, traditional string puppets hang
in the restaurant's VIP room.
8. A Manchu official once wore this gown, which hangs on the
restaurant wall, while the delicate cabinet contains just some
of the many antiques Brahm has collected on his travels. The
calligraphy work reads "кì×Ê"£¬Red Capital Club's Chinese
name, and the menu is full of dishes favored by former Chinese
leaders, including braised pork with brown sauce (ºìÉÕÈâ), Chairman
Mao's favorite. Most of the chefs here honed their sills in
Zhongnanhai.
