A bird's-eye view of the Laoshangbu area in Jinan. [Photo by Wang Xiao/WeChat account: intljinan]

The Laoshangbu area in Shizhong district of Jinan played a central role in the city's opening up and the beginnings of its modern development a century ago, leaving a unique cultural imprint that blends Eastern and Western influences.

Today, the area integrates history with contemporary life and attracts many young visitors thanks to Jinan's efforts to protect and restore historical areas in recent years.

For example, the site of the Xiaoguanghan, the first cinema in Shandong province, has been renovated into a film museum and a restaurant. The museum now boasts nearly 4,000 historical items, including cameras, projectors, and posters, and attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually, most of whom are young people, said Li Xiaoyu, deputy director of the film museum.

Ronghui old commercial area, which is the main area of the Laoshangbu area, has been developed into a commercial district incorporating many elements that appeal to the younger generation.

Yu Zhenyu, planning director of the Ronghui old commercial area, said that the area has been staging creative marketing events regularly to boost its popularity among young people.

The film museum renovated from Xiaoguanghan boasts a collection of historic items such as cameras and projectors. [Photo by Chen Jihua/WeChat account: jnslyj]