A stone lion still guards the former government building of Duan Qirui, which now houses the Yugong Yishan Club. photos by Jiang Dong

The theater has also held performances of traditional music by the Miao ethnic group from Guizhou, and a fusion of Chinese and European jazz. Now Guo is preparing to produce a musical in the venue and hopes to elevate Mawood Theater into a center of world music in Beijing.

"The experience of listening to music in this ancient venue cannot be reproduced. I think the place itself can attract people to come and enjoy the atmosphere," Guo says.

Lu Zhiqiang, director of the Yugong Yishan Club, believes that programs are more important than venues. Housed in the former government building of Duan Qirui, who was provisional chief executive of the Republic of China from 1924 to 1926, the club is a sub-culture venue that holds rock gigs, films, dramas and parties.

"We do anything interesting. It is a small cultural center. We even provide this place for senior people to sing Peking Opera for free every Sunday afternoon," says Lu.

Yugong Yishan Club moved to the present venue in 2007 after its former site near the Workers' Stadium was demolished. "We moved here mainly because this place is convenient and quiet. Without many neighbors, we don't have to worry about disturbing others," says Lu.

From the outside, not much sign of the history of the building can be found, except for two stone lions that stand to the east of the club, at the formal entrance of the former government house. However, inside the club, the chairs bear images of many historical figures who used to live or work here, reminding one of the destiny of the time-weathered place.

The name "Yugong Yishan", or "Foolish Man Removes the Mountains", refers to an ancient story about an old man who tried to remove two great mountains that obstructed the way. Ridiculed by some, the old man insisted that with his efforts and those of his descendents, the task would be realized in time.

Lu says that his idea is to do things bit by bit, like the foolish old man.

Xie Li, a program officer with ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) China, a non-government organization devoted to the protection and re-use of cultural relics, believes that proper reconstruction of historical buildings will help protect them.

"It is not meaningful if the work of protection is limited to people of the circle," she says. "Appropriate re-adaptation of historical buildings not only extends their vital force, but also promotes the consciousness of protection."

However, she points out that China still lacks detailed rules for the reconstruction of historical buildings, so that protection and design are still not well integrated.

"If we can readapt historical buildings on a more integrative level, we will be able to better protect them," she says.

By Mu Qian

Editor: Liu Fang