To further develop a awareness of conserving the historic and cultural heritage of ancient buildings and to explore new methods of protection in a rapid process of urbanisation, the Shanghai Committee Office of World Chinese Collectors Convention, Ruan Yisan Heritage Foundation Shanghai and the Shanghai Shikumen Culture Research Centre co-organised the “Forum of the Protection and Collection of Ancient Buildings” in Shanghai Library on 13th and 14th September 2013. Ms. SONG Yan, the party secretary of Shanghai Literature and Art League, and Mr. WU Jiang, the vice president of Tongji University, gave speeches on the conference.

Mr. RUAN Yisan, the professor from Tongji University and an expert in historic building conservation, Mr. CHEN Xiejun, the curator of Shanghai Museum, Ms. CHEN Danyan, a famous writer, Ms. WANG Xiaohui, the cultural celebrity, Mr. WANG Anshi, the chairman of the Website on Architectural Conservation and several other famous architectural and cultural scholars were invited to the meeting and discuss about the importance and the meaning of the architectural conservation and collection, the methods to collection and their collectible values from a academic and professional view.

In the meantime, several ancient buildings collectors, such as XING Weiying, the owner of Suzhou Huilaotang, WANG Wei, the owner of Wendao Garden, LI Jianzhong, the owner of 1877 Club, ZHAO Wenlong, the owner of the Huizhen House and HUA Yundi, the leader of Shippo Old Street project were invited to give speeches to elaborate their ideas and efforts in collection and conservation through introductions to cases, and shed some lights for others.