It had once been one of the residences of Ming general Zhang Jing, and Chen used to share the home with 20 of his family members.

"It was so overcrowded that even the hallway was populated by two households," Chen says.

"Clutter filled up the public spaces, and the lack of underground sewage systems gave rise to a persistent stink," he adds.

As government preservation efforts kicked in, Chen says he noticed that his neighbors quickly stopped taking liberties and randomly decorating the property, and his home community has since undergone a face-lift.

His new home has a courtyard that separates his room from an anterior roofed space selling assorted trinkets, like necklaces and bracelets.

"I enjoy the serenity of the spacious room inside, while also being exposed to the vibes of the modern world across my threshold," Chen says.

Yan Longhua, a professor from the Fujian University of Technology, has been in charge of the historical area's protection and restoration since 2007.