Shinan district, Qingdao, East China's Shandong province is accelerating restoration work on Zhongshan Road – a century-old business district established in 1897 – as well as the revitalization of leading and established brands in an effort to attract world-renowned brands and develop its fashion sector.

Zhongshan Road remains the center of the fashion industry in Qingdao after many years. [Photo/WeChat account: qdweishinan]

As the main block of the old city of Qingdao, Zhongshan Road is worthy of its title as the "mother street" of Qingdao. For the older generations of Qingdao locals, Zhongshan Road has long been known as the center of the city's fashion industry.

The restoration of the area around the Zhongshan Road business precinct is creating new development momentum in Shinan district.

Cultural sites along Zhongshan Road:

1907 Light and Shadow Club

The 1907 Light and Shadow Club, the oldest commercial cinema in China, located at the former site of a 117-year-old German sailing club, is expected to become a popular destination in the city's old quarter, Zhongshan Road, a popular attraction for overseas tourists.

Shandong Cinema

The old building, originally known as the Shandong Cinema, has stood for a long time. On Dec 15, 1931, the opening ceremony for the theater was held in Qingdao, at the same time that China's first sound film – Sing-song Girl Red Peony – made its debut. At the opening ceremony, the owners invited Hu Die (1908-89), one of China's top film stars in the 1920s and '30s, to cut the ribbon.