Renovated Wusong Villa. [Photo provided by Chen Jing to en.nantong.gov.cn]

Wusong Villa within the Nantong Sports Park in Chongchuan district, Nantong, Jiangsu province, has put on a new face after two months of renovation, attracting visitors to explore.

The residence was built in the 1930s by Zhang Xiyuan, assistant of Zhang Jian (1853-1926), a renowned patriot, industrial magnate, educator, and philanthropist in Nantong.

The building is a distinctive blend of Chinese and Western architecture. The two-story features exterior walls constructed of blue bricks topped with black tiles, intricate brick carvings, and Ionic columns outside.

Due to its age, some issues such as aging exterior walls, roof leaks, and peeling walls have occurred in the villa in recent years, making it clash with the newly renovated Nantong Sports Park. Therefore, the Nantong Chongchuan State-Owned Assets Management Holding included it in its renovation plan this year.

"The main focus is on repairing the exterior walls, roof, first-floor corridors, doors, and windows," explained Wan Liang, who was responsible for the renovation project.

Regarding the roof, the old tiles were removed first, waterproofing materials were added, and then the tiles were reinstalled to restore the original look. The old paint layer was removed from the exterior walls, and a new textured paint was used to create a new blue brick wall surface. The first-floor corridors, doors, and windows were all repainted with new red paint.

In the near future, some commercial activities are set to be introduced to Wusong Villa to make this historical building a popular spot for visitors by the Haohe River scenic area.